Diocesan Pastoral Council March 12, 2016
What is your parish doing to celebrate this Holy Year of Mercy?
Number of respondents: 84Number of church bulletins submitted: 34.
Care taken to choose special programs for the Year of Mercy and not those a parish normally undertakes.
Many parishes reported a variety of printed handouts: Year of Mercy Calendar, prayer cards, Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy cards, etc.
Increased support for specific organizations orindividuals
Unity AcresRescue Mission
Local resource centerSamaritan Center (Syracuse)
Parish lunch programMercy House (Endicottt) (3)
Refugee servicesFood baskets for any occasion
Parish started a lunch programParish food pantry
Hope House (2)Galisano Children’s Hospital
Adult Discussion Groups centered on the Year of Mercy using various texts or themes
Discover ChristLaudato Si’ (2)
The Name of God is MercyDoors of Mercy (2)
Pope Francis CalendarRediscover Jesus (3)
Movie presentationsIt Begins with Mercy (2)
Beautiful Mercy (2)Christ Life Program
The Church of Mercy (3)Divine Mercy
Corporal Works of Mercy, HuebschThe Economy Kills
Power of ForgivenessYear of Mercy
Seven Deadly Sins
Parish Family Breakfast or Dinner with Speaker or Discussion Leader (4)
Parish Retreat with speakers on Mercy (7)
Parish Mission - Three Easy Steps to Knowing Jesus
Bible Study (2)
Use diocesan links to prayer and meditation Mercy-themed homilies (12)
Bulletin messages and suggestions on how to celebrate (9)
Mercy Prayer at Mass (7)
Special Attention to one Corporal Work of Mercy each week (5)
Pilgrimage to Syracuse Holy Door (5)
Pilgrimage to Vatican Holy Door (3)
Pilgrimage to Divine Mercy Massachusetts Shrine (3)
Blessing bags for the homeless (4)
Year of Mercy banner (4)
Dinner following Stations of the Cross (1) with discussion (1)
Year of Mercy Holy Hour (5)
Weekly discussion of Year of Mercy Extra-Mile Program
Reaching out on a personal 1 - 1 basis to people with personal issues or issues with
the Church
Divine Mercy Mass on April 3
Divine Mercy novena after Mass
Inviting new people to church ministries (2)
Cluster-wide Year of Mercy Speakers
Cluster-wide summer picnic (2)
Started Jail Ministry
Cross of Mercy - parishioners take tags suggesting acts of mercy from a 5’ high cross,acting
on the suggestion and returning the tag after a week. (3)
Sounds of Mercy - I hour of music-led devotion
Military Ministry - hospitality and spiritual comfort to military personnel and families
Welcoming people who come to Mass
Praying for Catholic school students
Youth
Discussion of bullying and forgiveness Visit Samaritan Center (Syracuse)
Confirmation students explained Year of Mercy to parishioners
Trip to World Youth Day (Poland)
Drawings to illustrate Corporal Works of Mercy Rainbow of Mercy with handprints and mercy tasks
What are you doing to celebrate this Holy Year of Mercy?
Acts of Kindness
- Donating food and clothing to those in need
- Organizing donation drives at church, at the workplace, and with clubs or organizations
- Forgiving others that have hurt you
- Asking forgiveness from those you have wronged
- Be more accepting and less judgmental of others
- Tutoring and giving spiritual guidance to immigrant families
- Visiting homebound people and those in nursing homes
- Volunteering at human services agencies
Parish Activities
- Become a Eucharistic Minister or Lector
- Establishing a resource center for the less fortunate
- Volunteering at church and becoming more involved with parish activities
Personal
- Attend daily Mass
- Pray the Rosary
- Bible study and daily reflections on scripture
- Reading Pope Francis’ book on Mercy
- Receiving daily e-mail and tweets regarding the Year of Mercy
- Visit the Cathedral to walk through the Holy Door
- Coming together as a family to pray
- Having Masses said for friends and loved ones
- Evangelizing