In response to Pope’s call, Bishop designates pilgrimage churches

Thirteen Holy Doors and Holy Hours for the Year of Mercy throughout the Diocese

It is a time for mercy, to seek forgiveness and to be merciful as our Father in Heaven is merciful.

This is the message proclaimed by Pope Francis in announcing the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, echoed here in central New Jersey by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.
In addition to his pastoral letter released last September, Bishop O’Connell has designated the following churches in the Diocese of Trenton as places of pilgrimage. Visiting these sites and following the conditions below offers the chance to receive a plenary indulgence.

The Holy Doors throughout the Diocese were opened Dec. 13, 2015 and will remain open through Nov. 20, 2016.

All Catholics of the Diocese of Trenton who visit one of these churches and its Holy Door of Mercy on pilgrimage and who fulfill the conditions ordinarily attached to an indulgence (remission of temporal punishment for sins already forgiven, see canon 992) shall, with the proper intention and disposition, receive the plenary Jubilee Indulgence available during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.  Those conditions are:

1.  recipient must be a baptized Catholic in the state of grace (free from mortal sin) at time of indulgenced work (pilgrimage);

2.  recipient must internally express a detachment from and rejection of sin at time of indulgenced work (pilgrimage);

3.  recipient must make a sacramental confession within 20 days of indulgenced work (pilgrimage), preferably but not required on the day itself;

4.  recipient must receive Holy Communion within 20 days of indulgenced work (pilgrimage), preferably but not required on the day itself;

5.  recipient must pray for the intention of the Holy Father at the time of the indulgenced work (pilgrimage), usually the “Profession of Faith (from Mass),” one “Our Father,” one “Hail Mary” and one “Glory be to the Father” or other suitable prayers.

The Jubilee Plenary Indulgence may be obtained for the living or the dead and will be available only one time daily.  Parish pilgrimages to churches with the Holy Door of Mercy can be arranged in consultation with the pastors of the parishes concerned.  More will be written about the Holy Year of Mercy in the coming weeks.

Opened Holy Doors

Mercer County

St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton
Dec. 13, Mass to open Holy Door, 10:30 a.m. For information, call 609-396-8447 or visit www.stmaryscathedral.org. 

Divine Mercy, Trenton
Dec. 13, Opening of the Holy Door at 10 a.m. prior to Mass in Holy Cross Church, 201 Adeline Street (note corrected address from previously published list).  For the duration of the Holy Year of Mercy, an additional Mass will be celebrated in Holy Cross Church every Wednesday, beginning Dec. 16, at 12:10 p.m., followed by an opportunity for Confession. For information, call 609-393-4826 or visit www.divinemercyoftrenton.org. 

St. Gregory the Great, Hamilton Square
Dec. 13, Mass, 10:30 a.m., opening of the Holy Door. For information, call 609-587-4877 or visit www.stgregorythegreatchurch.org.

St. George, Titusville
Dec. 12, Mass, 5:30 p.m., Dec. 13, Masses, 9, 10:15 and 11:30 a.m., will celebrate the opening of the Holy Door. For information, call 609-737-2015 or visit www.thechurchofstgeorge.org. 

Burlington County

St. Katharine Drexel, Burlington
Dec. 13, opening of the Holy Door, located at St. Paul Church, 226 E. Union Street. For information, call 609-386-0152 or visit www.stkatharinedrexel-nj.org. 

Monmouth County

St. Mary, Middletown
Dec. 13, Mass, 10:30 a.m., will begin with the opening of the Holy Door, Sacrament of Reconciliation, every weeknight, 7 p.m. (during the Jubilee year of Mercy). For information, call 732-671-0071 or www.stmarychurchnj.org.

St. Mary, Colts Neck
Dec. 13, Mass, noon. For information, call 732-780-2666 or visit www.stmarycoltsneck.com.

Holy Cross, Rumson
Dec. 13, Mass, 10:30 a.m., followed by hospitality. For information, call 732-842-0348 or visit www.holycrossrumson.org.

St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold
Dec. 13, Mass, 10 a.m., opening of the Holy Door; Confessions, Tues. evenings, beginning Dec. 8, 7 to 8 p.m. For information, call 732-462-7429 or visit www.strobert.com.

St. Catherine, Middletown
Dec. 14, Masses, 8 a.m., noon (Traditional Latin) and 7 p.m. (Benediction) will honor the Feast of St. Lucy. All Masses will combine the Blessing of the Relic of St. Lucy and the opening of the Holy Door. For information, call 732-787-1318 or visit www.stcathek.org.

Ocean County

St. Peter, Point Pleasant Beach
Dec. 13, Mass, 10:30 a.m. including opening of Holy Door, which will remain open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information, call 732-8920049 or visit www.saintpetersonline.org.

St. Barnabas, Bayville
Mass, 4 p.m., will incorporate a blessing and opening of the Holy Door. For information, call 732-269-220 or visit www.stbarnabasbayville.com.

St. Aloysius, Jackson
Dec. 13, prior to 10:30 a.m. Mass, a short rite for the opening of the Holy Door. During the Holy Year, there will be two images for meditation on God’s mercy.  Behind the ambo will be a reproduction of Rembrandt’s “The Return of the Prodigal Son” and behind the presider’s chair an original artwork of the Divine Mercy by parishioner John Genuard.  Under each Station of the Cross will also be a “Station of Mercy” corresponding to one of the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy, along with a Stations of Mercy Meditation Booklet.  For information, call 732-370-0500 or visit www.saintaloysiusonline.org.

Holy Hours for Families in Parishes

Burlington County
St. Katharine Drexel (St. Paul), Burlington | April 12, 7 p.m.

Mercer County
St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton | May 12, 7 p.m.
Divine Mercy (Holy Cross), Trenton |  Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.
St. Gregory the Great, Hamilton Square | every first Friday
St. George, Titusville | April 28, 7 p.m.
Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish (Our Lady of Sorrows Church), Mercerville | May 10

Monmouth County
Holy Cross, Rumson | Feb. 24, 7 p.m.
St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold | April 3, 3 p.m.
Christ the King Parish (Our Lady Star of the Sea Church), Long Beach | March 4, 7 p.m., and  Aug. 25, 7 p.m. – Trilingual

Ocean County
St. Peter, Point Pleasant Beach | Mar. 8, 7 p.m.
St. Barnabas, Bayville | Feb 25, 7 p.m.
St. Aloysius, Jackson | Feb.  18, 7 p.m.
St. Joseph, Toms River | June 14, 7 p.m.

Additional dates and parishes are yet to be added. Visit www.dioceseoftrenton.org/holyhour for a comprehensive and updated list.