Missionaries of Mercy

By LINDA M. LINONIS

religion@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown commissioned 22 priests of the diocese as Missionaries of Mercy. The ceremony took place during Holy Week and the Chrism Mass on March 22 at St. Columba Cathedral.

In a release from the diocese, these priests were described as “living signs of the God’s readiness to welcome those in search of God’s pardon especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.”

The Missionaries of Mercy project is part of Pope Francis’ Holy Year of Mercy that emphasizes the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.” It began Dec. 8, 2015 (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception) and will conclude Nov. 20 (Solemnity of Christ the King).

It is the Holy Father’s desire that “during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy,” and that the faithful in a special way will be “dedicated to living out in our daily lives the mercy which the Father constantly extends to all of us.”

Bishop Murry commissioned the following diocesan priests as Missionaries of Mercy: the Rev. Edward Brienz, Monsignor Michael Cariglio, the Rev. Christopher Cicero, Monsignor James Clarke, the Rev. Brian Cline, the Rev. Sean Conoboy, the Rev. Robert Edwards, the Rev. George Franko, Monsignor Lewis Gaetano, the Rev. Terrence Hazel, the Rev. Robert Kaylor, the Rev. John Keehner, the Rev. Maciej Mankowski, the Rev. J. Patrick Manning, the Rev. Craig McHenry, the Rev. David Misbrener, the Rev. Raymond Paul, Monsignor Peter Polando, the Rev. Melvin Rusnak, Monsignor Robert Siffrin, the Rev. Michael Swierz and Monsignor John Zuraw.

They are among 1,000 priests worldwide who were selected. Of those, about 700 received their special mandate during an Ash Wednesday ceremony Feb. 10 in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, said the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, the office organizing events for the Year of Mercy.

The appointed missionaries also were invited for a special meeting with the pope.

Monsignor Zuraw said the bishop invited priests in the diocese to take part. Those mentioned accepted the invitation. He was one.

Monsignor Zuraw said he has noticed that “individuals who haven’t been to confession in 30 or 40 years have come back.” He speculated that they may have been motivated by the significance of the Year of Mercy.

“It is an opportunity for catechesis and the grace of the sacrament,” he said. The priest added that the homilies given at Masses and mention of the Year of Mercy in bulletins has provided information about the observance.

“I believe people are really integrating the Year of Mercy into their lives by living their faith,” he said.

That is being done by practicing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The corporal works of mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus. They are charitable acts that help people in the physical sense including feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and imprisoned and giving alms to the poor.

Spiritual works focus on spiritual needs including forgiving injuries, bearing wrongs and praying for the living and the dead.

Pope Francis has characterized a Missionary of Mercy as:

A living sign of the father’s welcome to all in search of mercy.

Facilitators of all, with no one excluded, of a truly human encounter, a source of liberation, rich with responsibility for overcoming obstacles and talking up the new life of Baptism again.

Guided by the words For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy upon all.

Inspiring preachers of mercy

Heralds of the joy of forgiveness

Welcoming, loving and compassionate confessors, who are most especially attentive to the difficult situations of each person.

Pope Francis also has granted Missionaries of Mercy the authority to pardon nine sins, which the 1983 Code of Canon Law notes carry the penalty of excommunication, customarily reserved to the Holy See. No one is automatically excommunicated for any offense if, without any fault of his own, was unaware of violating a law or that a penalty was attached to the law. Examples are:

Apostasy, total repudiation of the Christian faith.

Heresy, obstinate doubt or denial, after baptism, of a defined Catholic doctrine.

Schism, refusal of submission to the Roman pontiff or the refusal to be in communion with members of the Church who are in communion with him.

Violating the sacred species, throwing away the consecrated pieces of Christ’s body or blood or the taking or retaining of them for a sacrilegious purpose.

Sacramentally absolving an accomplice in a sexual sin.

Abortion, the person who procures the procedure and others involved who realize the penalty.

Physically attacking the pope.