![\"clips01\"](\"http:\/\/www.cdm.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/18\/Clips01.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNuns, the blind, from those in wheelchairs to those carried by their parents, too young yet to walk \u2013 hundreds streamed through the Holy Door of Mercy on its final day. With an aura of celebration, Bishop Sebastian Francis accompanied by Deacon Lazarus Jonathan and parish priest Father Martin Arlando marked the completion of the Jubilee Year of Mercy on 12th November, by sealing the Holy Door of Mercy, in a ceremony that was unique even to the most senior of church-goers.<\/p>\n
Following the novena that began at a quarter past five, the congregation was invited to the basement, walking past signs encapsulating the spirit of mercy, reminding us to visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and comfort the sorrowful. \u201cWith eyes fixed on Jesus and His merciful face,\u201d said Bishop Sebastian, \u201cwe have journeyed\u2026 with the universal church.\u201d In continuing that journey, the congregation\u2019s reprise was an apt \u201cYour mercy endures forever\u201d, before proceeding back to the church. Officials ensured a steady pace as congregants walked through the Holy Door of Mercy in pairs, with Jesus\u2019 steady right hand above all. With final prayer of the chaplet on how with His mercy \u201cin difficult moments we might not despair,\u201d the mass began.<\/p>\n
Bishop Sebastian\u2019s homily once again looked upon \u201cthe soothing balm of His mercy\u201d. With references to the readings, he emphasized how we must ensure that there is no room for idleness, and that the key word in the Gospel (Luke 21:5-19) was endurance, and how it will win us all our lives. \u201cThe sun of righteousness,\u201d he said, \u201cwill shine out with healing in its rays.\u201d (Malachi 3:19-20a)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A final recitation of the Jubilee Year prayer rang out with added energy, and a video chronicling the year highlighted 43 major groups of pilgrims from all across the country, Hong Kong and Singapore, and the \u2018Garden of Mercy\u2019 in which pledge cards were fastened. Father Martin noted that there were some 8,700 pilgrims, of which some 4,000 engaged in immersion, and noted that the church\u2019s plans were to symbolically \u201copen the next door\u201d with an extension of the church. Both the bishop and the parish priest expressed thanks to the volunteers who facilitated these many visits, accompanied by the applause of all in the congregation.<\/p>\n
![\"clips02\"](\"http:\/\/www.cdm.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/18\/Clips02.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Upon the completion of mass, the bishop closed the Holy Door of Mercy, literally by taking Jesus\u2019 hand, before kneeling for a final, private prayer. A metal bar was fastened with a lock emblazoned with five crosses, sealed with wax. On the back end of the door, a smaller lock \u2013 also sealed with a cross of wax \u2013 was fastened, and a braided rope of red and white now hangs across the biblical images portrayed. With incense in the air, the bishop signed the commemorative plaque on the wall opposite the door.<\/p>\n
![\"clips03\"](\"http:\/\/www.cdm.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/18\/Clips03.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
In the close of the Year of Mercy, Bishop Sebastian said that the mission of Catholics was to be disciples of hope, stating that \u201cGod never tires of opening the door of His heart.\u201d It was on this note of hope as well as endurance that the congregation went forth, in celebration and in fellowship.<\/p>\n
Written by<\/p>\n
Dr Andrew Filmer<\/p>\n
12th November, 2016.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nuns, the blind, from those in wheelchairs to those carried by their parents, too young yet to walk \u2013 hundreds streamed through the Holy Door of Mercy on its final day. With an aura of celebration, Bishop Sebastian Francis accompanied by Deacon Lazarus Jonathan and parish priest Father Martin Arlando marked the completion of the Jubilee Year of Mercy on 12th November, by sealing the Holy Door of Mercy, in a ceremony that was unique even to the most senior of church-goers. Following the novena that began at a quarter past five, the congregation was invited to the basement, walking past signs encapsulating the spirit of mercy, reminding us to visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and comfort the sorrowful. \u201cWith eyes fixed on Jesus and His merciful face,\u201d said Bishop Sebastian, \u201cwe have journeyed\u2026 with the universal church.\u201d In continuing that journey, the congregation\u2019s reprise was an apt \u201cYour mercy endures forever\u201d, before proceeding back to the church. Officials ensured a steady pace as congregants walked through the Holy Door of Mercy in pairs, with Jesus\u2019 steady right hand above all. With final prayer of the chaplet on how with His mercy \u201cin difficult moments we might not despair,\u201d the mass began. Bishop Sebastian\u2019s homily once again looked upon \u201cthe soothing balm of His mercy\u201d. With references to the readings, he emphasized how we must ensure that there is no room for idleness, and that the key word in the Gospel (Luke 21:5-19) was endurance, and how it will win us all our lives. \u201cThe sun of righteousness,\u201d he said, \u201cwill shine out with healing in its rays.\u201d (Malachi 3:19-20a) A final recitation of the Jubilee Year prayer rang out with added energy, and a video chronicling the year highlighted 43 major groups of pilgrims from all across the country, Hong Kong and Singapore, and the \u2018Garden of Mercy\u2019 in which pledge cards were fastened. Father Martin noted that there were some 8,700 pilgrims, of which some 4,000 engaged in immersion, and noted that the church\u2019s plans were to symbolically \u201copen the next door\u201d with an extension of the church. Both the bishop and the parish priest expressed thanks to the volunteers who facilitated these many visits, accompanied by the applause of all in the congregation. Upon the completion of mass, the bishop closed the Holy Door of Mercy, literally by taking Jesus\u2019 hand, before kneeling for a final, private prayer. A metal bar was fastened with a lock emblazoned with five crosses, sealed with wax. On the back end of the door, a smaller lock \u2013 also sealed with a cross of wax \u2013 was fastened, and a braided rope of red and white now hangs across the biblical images portrayed. With incense in the air, the bishop signed the commemorative plaque on the wall opposite the door. In the close of the Year of Mercy, Bishop Sebastian said that the mission of Catholics was to be disciples of hope, stating that \u201cGod never tires of opening the door of His heart.\u201d It was on this note of hope as well as endurance that the congregation went forth, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5581"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5581"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7347,"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5581\/revisions\/7347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdm.my\/cdm.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}