Scottish Catholic Observer

Speaking on the second anniversary of becoming Pope, he said: “Dear brothers and sisters, I have thought about how the Church can make clear its mission of being a witness of mercy,” at a penitential liturgy in St Peter’s Basilica. “It’s a journey that starts with a spiritual conversion,” he said. “For this reason I have decided to declare an Extraordinary Jubilee that has the mercy of God at its centre. It will be a Holy Year of Mercy.”

The Biblical passage that the theme for the Holy Year is taken from is Luke Chapter 6 Verse 36, in which Jesus tells His disciples: “Be merciful as your Father is merciful.”

“I am convinced that the whole Church will be able to find in this Jubilee the joy of rediscovering and making fruitful the mercy of God, with which we are all called to give consolation to every man and every woman of our time,” Pope Francis said, as he entrusted the Holy Year to Mary, Mother of Mercy.

The Holy Father made his announcement during a penitential Liturgy opening the second ‘24 Hours for the Lord’ event, which he originally called for in Lent of last year.

An initiative of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, the event is designed to widen access to the Sacrament of Confession by having parishes open their doors for an extended period of time with priests available to those who come.

The Jubilee—also called a Holy Year—will open this year on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will close November 20, 2016 with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

Pope Francis’ announcement of the Extraordinary Jubilee for mercy not only falls on the opening of the 24 hours for the Lord event, which follows the theme ‘God rich in mercy,’ but also the two year anniversary of his Pontificate.

The Pope also revealed today that he suspected his would not be a long Pontificate.

“I have the feeling that my Pontificate will be brief, 4 or 5 years; I do not know, even 2 or 3.” he told a Mexican TV channel.

“I feel that the Lord has placed me here for a short time, and nothing more,” he added, comparing the feeling to ‘a gambler who convinces himself he will lose so he won’t be disappointed. And if he wins…’

When asked if he liked being Pope, he told the interviewer that he doesn’t mind, but that he also wouldn’t mind some degree of anonymity.

“The only thing I would like is to go out one day, without being recognised, and go to a pizzeria for a pizza,” he said.