Cathedral Mercy Door closed

A decision was made by the Administrator of the Cathedral, Fr Martin Sirju and the maintenance consultants—after consultation with Archbishop Gordon—to have the Mercy Door at the Cathedral dismantled.

The Mercy Door never assumed the appearance of an actual door but was rather an ornately framed passage-way, which remained intact after the Mercy Door at the Vatican was closed in 2016 and sealed shut in 2017. It was felt it was time to “close” the door.

This was done in a rather simple ceremony at the end of the 6 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral on Divine Mercy Sunday. Archbishop Jason Gordon presided. The concluding para-liturgy included a litany of thanksgiving, the recitation of Psalm 24, prayer of closure, the Lord’s Prayer and the Regina Coeli, followed by the final blessing. The Mercy Door was sprinkled with holy water and incensed, and so were the people.

It was a simple moving ceremony and the congregation participated fervently. It is important to remember the Spiritual Door of God’s Infinite Mercy remains perpetually open for the humble and contrite of heart.

His Grace made mention in the prayer of the Extraordinary Mission Month in October 2019 and the need to continue to renew ourselves in preparation for this month of mission.

As this physical door was closed, we think of this month of May, dedicated to Mary, Mother of Mercy, whose life reminds us, as Pope Francis says, “mercy is a verb”. – A parishioner