Faithful throughout the Diocese of Trenton can now listen to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., share his reflections on truth and mercy that he recently expressed in his second pastoral letter.

In addition to the full text of the letter, issued Sept. 14 in preparation for the start of the Year of Mercy in December, Catholics across Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties – and beyond – can now listen via the Diocese’s website and download podcasts of the letter, in three parts, read personally by the Bishop.

Entitled “Mercy and Truth Shall Meet,” the Bishop’s more than 5,300-word document explores aspects of truth and mercy and their relationship to one another.

“Mercy is the love freely shown to us by God who first reveals himself to us and makes his presence known and felt. We do not ‘earn’ this mercy; we do not ‘deserve’ it; we do not have a ‘right’ to it. Mercy is a free gift of God that, when given, draws us into God’s very being, making God present ‘to’ us and then, ‘through us to others,” wrote Bishop O’Connell.

Released on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the pastoral letter has been circulated to diocesan parishes in advance of the jubilee year.  The special year – to be called the Holy Year of Mercy – will begin Dec. 8 in commemoration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and will conclude Nov. 20, 2016, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

Since its release, the pastoral letter has been posted to www.DioceseofTrenton.org and was printed in its entirety in the Sept. 24 issue of The Monitor.  In addition to the newly posted audio version, the written text is now available in Spanish and Creole, with additional translations to come.

“Mercy and Truth Shall Meet” draws heavily from Scripture passages in exploring the true meaning of both mercy and truth. The title is based on Psalm 85, and the letter takes inspiration from Pope Francis’ Vultus Misericodiae, the papal bull released April 11 officially declaring the jubilee year.

“The Church is commissioned to announce the mercy of God, the beating heart of the Gospel, which in its own way must penetrate the heart and mind of every person,” wrote the Holy Father. “It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her message that she herself live and testify to mercy…The Church’s first truth is the love of Christ.”

To read Bishop O’Connell’s pastoral letter in its entirety, or to listen to recordings of Bishop O’Connell sharing the special message, visit www.dioceseoftrenton.org/yearofmercy.