Holy Door of Mercy to CLOSE Nov. 1 at 7am Mass

ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS TO CLOSE  HISTORIC ‘HOLY DOOR OF MERCY’ 

FOR EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY

Olean (NY)— Most Rev. Richard Malone, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, has announced the closing of the Holy Doors of Mercy located in eight select churches throughout the diocese including St. Mary of the Angels. The official closing at St. Mary’s will take place on November 1 during the 7:00am Mass, it was announced by Very Rev. Gregory Dobson, pastor of St. Mary of the Angels. 

Last December, Bishop Malone designated St. Mary’s to host a “Holy Door of Mercy” during Pope Francis’ Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy which began December 8 and will end on November 20 in Rome.

This Jubilee year marks the first time in the Catholic Church’s centuries-old Jubilee tradition that the unique privileges of the official Holy Doors in Rome were extended to cathedrals around the world. In this move, the Pope further extended permission to bishops to designate churches in their dioceses with their own holy doors of mercy which pilgrims can visit. 

“By letting bishops designate holy doors in a few churches in their dioceses,” explained Fr. Greg, “the pope made it possible for pilgrims to have practical access to the same jubilee experiences of grace offered in Rome during the holy year; we have been honored and blessed to be a designated place of pilgrimage in the region for this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy,” he said. 

Since November 1 is the Solemnity of All Saints in the Church’s liturgical calendar and a holy day of obligation for Catholics, Fr. Greg said he thought the regular 7:00am Mass was the best time to formally close the Holy Door that includes a special ceremonial rite. He added that both he and Rev. David Tourville, parochial vicar, will hear confessions October 31 at 5pm as well as after most masses this weekend to help pilgrims prepare for the Jubilee graces which require that sacrament. 

Pope Francis announced the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in the spring of 2015 calling on the entire global Roman Catholic church to take up his papacy's central message of mercy. The Holy Door of Mercy at St. Mary’s was formally opened on Sunday, December 13 last year, the day all designated Doors of Mercy throughout the world were opened.

Other Holy Doors of Mercy which Bishop Malone designated throughout the diocese are located in the following churches:

    •    The cathedral church of St. Joseph, downtown Buffalo

    •    Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna

    •    Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Youngstown

    •    St. Leo the Great, Amherst

    •    St. Hyacinth Church/ Blessed Mary Angela Parish, Dunkirk

    •    Our Lady of Mercy, LeRoy

    •    Corpus Christi, Buffalo (limited dates)

Beyond the official ceremonial opening of the door, St. Mary’s hosted or took part in several events during the Jubilee Year of Mercy focused on the theme of the love and mercy of God and sharing that love and mercy with others. These included special healing Masses; additional scheduled times for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession); the annual Christmas dinner serving more than 800 meals on Christmas Day; a Lenten retreat at Olean's St. John’s church given by Most Rev. Donald Trautman, Bishop Emeritus of Erie, Pa; Divine Mercy week devotions; Eucharistic Adoration; a special retreat for young people and a youth pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Poland during the summer with Pope Francis. 

More information about the observances of the Jubilee Year of Mercy are available in the church as well as on the parish web site www.smaolean.org.