Three ‘Saturdays of Mercy’ Offered During Lent

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The first three “Saturdays of Mercy” will be held in parish churches in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island over the next month, beginning on Feb. 20 at St. Raymond’s Church, 1759 Castle Hill Ave. in the Bronx.

During Lent, Saturday afternoon gatherings are also scheduled at Our Saviour Church, 59 Park Ave. in Manhattan, on Feb. 27 and at Our Lady of Pity Church, 1616 Richmond Ave. on Staten Island, on March 12.

The program, marking the Jubilee Year of Mercy convened by Pope Francis, will be offered in other areas of the archdiocese once in April and then again on two dates in the fall.

Cardinal Dolan will lead each of the Saturdays of Mercy. At St. Raymond’s, he will deliver a talk on mercy and be the principal celebrant and homilist at a bilingual Vigil Mass. A reception with light refreshments will follow.

The afternoon at St. Raymond’s will be conducted in English and Spanish in the parish’s upper and lower churches. The other gatherings will feature a mixture of English and Spanish.

The Saturdays of Mercy have a twofold purpose, emphasizing both the personal and communal aspects of God’s mercy, explained Daniel Frascella, director of the archdiocesan Office of Adult Faith Formation, who is helping to coordinate the planning.

“We want to highlight God’s mercy in our own lives, how powerful and available that is to us,” Frascella said.

“Just as God is merciful to us, we are also called to be reflections of that mercy to others by performing corporal works of mercy,” he added.

The gatherings begin at 2:30 p.m. and are open to the public, with members of area parishes encouraged to attend and no registration required.

The format will feature an introductory talk by one of the Missionaries of Mercy commissioned in Rome by Pope Francis last week, and personal testimonies about the provision of corporal works of mercy by staff members and volunteers from Catholic Charities and ArchCare as well as by parishioners.

The Divine Mercy chaplet will be recited, and participants will make an examination of conscience and have an opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

A video on the Jubilee Year of Mercy, which extends until Nov. 20, the feast of Christ the King, also will be shown.