Udupi :The diocese of Udupi inaugurated the year of Mercy 2015-2016, at Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur by His Lordship Most Rev Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi diocese on Sunday, 13th December, 2015 with the opening the Holy Door of the historical Milagres Cathedral.

Prior to opening the door, prayer services were held at the portico of the cathedral. Bishop read out the message of Pope Francis to the faithful who had gathered at the portico of the cathedral. Deacon Lobo read out the word of God in the Bible. Rev Fr. Rollwin Aranha compered the brief programme before opening of the Holy Door of the Cathedral.

The faithful entered through the Holy Door to the Eucharistic celebrations. Prior to the Eucharistic mass, Bishop blessed the Holy water and sprinkled to the faithful in the Cathedral. Then the Eucharist mass was concelebrated by Bishop, Gerald Isaac Lobo along with the Rector of Cathedral Very Rev Fr. Stany. B. Lobo, Vicar General Mosgr. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Rev Fr. J.B. Sequeira, OFM Capuchin Episcopal, Vicar for Religious, Very Rev Fr. Dr. John Mendonca,Judicial Vicar of Diocese of Udupi, Very Rev Fr. Hilary Fernandes, Episcopal Vicar for Pilar Fathers, Rev Fr. William Martis, Director of Inter Religious, Diocese of Udupi, Rev. Fr. Stephen D’Souza, Diocesan Head for Catechetic commission and other priests.

During his homily, Bishop said that in the present world, there is no respect for the human being. We would hear some of the conditions wherein when we were exposed to the love of Christ – Divorce, addicts, cheats & liars, broken and full of heart ache and sinners who are lost without God. Sadly, more often than not we must hit bottom before we look up to Christ. Christians began to forget Jesus, the love of God. So Pope Francis gave us wakeup call to be ever more sincere in turning away from sin and sincere in turning away from sin and growing faith and love of Jesus and declared Divine Mercy year started from 8th December 2015 to 16th December 2016.

Furthermore, Bishop said that God is Divine Mercy. God is our role model and Jesus, mercy is the face of God. God loves those who lost everything. Jesus would emphasize God’s mercy. The Divine Mercy is not the pardon of a judge, but the embrace of a lover. God is love. The unconditional love of God, the Divine Mercy which is always available to us. Our sin is too great for the mercy of God. We must be compassionate for others.

Bishop said that we have lots of programme to be conducted in the diocese on the occasion of the Divine Mercy Year which is inaugurated from today. He conducted the prayer for Divine Mercy with the faithful at the end of mass.

Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo gave weekly announcements and gave gratitude to Bishop and all concerned on the occasion of opening the Holy Door of the Cathedral. The deanery parishes representatives and large number of parishioners of the Cathedral participated in the Eucharistic celebrations.

Meanwhile, the ceremony of Holy Door opening will be held at St. Lawrence Shrine, Attur, Karkala in the evening prior to Eucharistic mass which will be concelebrated by Bishop of Udupi.