Works of Mercy

Works of Mercy
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Our Year of Mercy

Throughout the Jubilee of Mercy, parishes, schools and organizations have performed both spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Here are a few photos from The Observer files. We'll update them throughout the year.

(Observer photo by  Amanda Hudson)
Bishop David Malloy grasps the handles at the holy door at the Cathedral of
St. Peter in Rockfordbefore he opens them Dec. 13.
(Observer photo by Amanda Hudson)
Bishop David Malloy prays before opening the holy doors at
the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rockford Dec. 13. It is one
of eight churches on the diocesan holy year pilgrimage route.
(Observer photo by Amanda Hudson)Several people gather outside the
Cathedral of St. Peter for a procession
before the opening of the holy door
by Bishop David Malloy.
(Observer photo by Margarita Mendoza)
Father Richard A. Rosinski, pastor of St. Thomas More
Parish in Elgin, stamps the diocesan pilgrimage passport
for a family who attended the opening ceremony for the
holy door in the Elgin Deanery. Now that all eight doors
are open, people can print the passport and carry it with
them to each of the eight churches on the pilgrimage route
as a reminder of their journey during the Jubilee Year of
Mercy. Visitors to the eight churches also receive a special
indulgence when they walk through the holy doors  in the
Rockford Diocese.
(Observer photo by Margarita Mendoza)
Father Richard A. Rosinski, pastor of St. Thomas More
Parish in Elgin, offers prayers.
(Observer photo by  Jason Akst)
At St. Mary in DeKalb Fathers Yovanny
Dorado (left), Dean Russell, pastor, and
Anthony Vu Khac Long (right) take part
in the ceremony.

(Observer photo by  Tony Carton)
Father David Reese, parochial administrator, opens the
holy doors at St. Michael Parish in Galena. The parish is
the oldest in the Rockford Diocese, having been assigned
its first pastor in 1832.

(Observer photos by  Dan Szpekowski)
Bishop Emeritus Robert Kurtz, CR, of
Hamilton, Bermuda, a member of the order
of the Congregation of the Resurrection,
which serves St. John the Baptist Parish,
reaches to open the  holy door. He was
invited by the pastor, Father Jacek Junak,
CR, to open the Holy Door to begin the
Jubilee Year of Mercy at the parish. The
image of Christ associated with Divine
Mercy Sunday was incorporated into several
of the holy doors in the diocese, but most
notably at Johnsburg, where it covers the
entrance.

(Observer photos by  Dan Szpekowski)
Bishop Emeritus Robert Kurtz, CR, greets parishioners at St.
John the Baptist in Johnsburg after opening the holy door.

(Observer photos by Sharon Boehlefeld)
The door at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Aurora, a
parish which serves both English and Spanish speaking
Catholics, reflects its bilinguial heritage in the decorations
of the doors.

(Observer photos by Sharon Boehlefeld)
Father Timothy Mulcahey, parochial
administrator at arish, prays after opening
the holy doors. A group of parishioners and
visitors wait behind him to process into the
church for Mass.


(Observer photo by  Penny Wiegert)
Father David Vogel, chaplain for the Poor Clares of
Rockford, prays before opening the public holy door at
the Corpus Christ Monastery chapel.
(Observer photo by  Penny Wiegert) 
The Corpus Christi Monastery in Rockford
is the only church in the Rockford Diocese
with two holy doors. One of the cloistered
nuns reaches for the private holy door that
allows members of the community to enter
the chapel and obtain the same indulgence
as other Catholics.