On May 5, during a news conference at the Vatican, the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, announced the official prayer, logo and calendar of events for the Holy Year of Mercy to be celebrated in the whole universal Church from December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016.

“During the Holy Year of Mercy, the Pope wants to show the Church’s maternal solicitude by sending missionaries of mercy throughout the world to forgive even the most serious of sins which are reserved to the Holy See”, Archbishop Fisichella said.

These priests will be chosenon the basis of their ability to preach well, especially on the theme of mercy, and be good confessors, meaning they are able to express God’s love and do not make the confessional like “a torture chamber”.

They will also have to be patient and have an understanding of human fragility, he added.

Bishops can recommend to the council priests from their own dioceses to serve as missionaries of mercy. On the other hand, individual priests can submit to the council their request themselves to serve.

When a priest volunteers, however, the council will confer with his bishop to make sure that he would be suitable for this ministry and has the bishop’s approval to serve temporarily as a missionary of mercy.

The Jubilee of Mercy has an official website in seven languages at www.im.va; a Twitter handle (@Jubilee_va); a Facebook page; and accounts on Instagram, Flickr and Google+.

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