"A SPECIAL TIME"

I have proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special time for the Church, a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective.

"STEEPED IN MERCY"

How much I desire that the year [December 8, 2015 - November 20, 2016] to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bring the goodness and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach everyone, both believers and those far away, as a sign that the Kingdom of God is already present in our midst!

"JOYFUL CALL"

The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope.

"ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL"

It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her message that she herself live and testify to mercy. Her language and her gestures must transmit mercy, so as to touch the hearts of all people and inspire them ... to find the road that leads to the Father.

THE FATHER'S MERCY

Merciful like the Father ... is the "motto" of this Holy Year. In mercy, we find proof of how God loves us... Day after day, touched by His compassion, we also can become compassionate towards others.

"BURNING DESIRE"

It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty.

TURN TO MARY

...Mary attests that the mercy of the Son of God knows no bounds and extends to everyone, without exception. Let us address her in the words of the Salve Regina ... so that she may never tire of turning her merciful eyes upon us, and make us worthy to contemplate the face of mercy, her Son Jesus.

ECHO GOD

... May the Church echo the word of God that resounds strong and clear as a message and sign of pardon, strength, aid and love. May she never tire of extending mercy and be ever patient in offering compassion and comfort. May the Church become the voice of every man and woman, and repeat confidently without end: "Be mindful of Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old" (Ps 25:6).

(Source: Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, April 11, 2015)