CARIBOU, Maine — In an effort to focus on and deepen their gratitude for the loving mercy of God, the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou invites all to join them on a pilgrimage to the holy door at St. Luce Church in Frenchville, on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016.
School buses will depart from several sites in Aroostook County at 10 a.m., arriving in Frenchville for a lunch at the Frenchville Community Center. At 2:15 p.m., participants will line up at St. Luce and prepare for the solemn procession through the holy door. Following the procession, Fr. Jean-Paul Labrie, pastor of the Parish of the Precious Blood, will celebrate Mass.
To participate in the pilgrimage, call the parish office at (207) 498-2536.
The Jubilee Year of Mercy, declared by Pope Francis, began on Dec. 8, 2015, and will close on Nov. 20. The purpose of the Jubilee Year of Mercy is to help all believers have a genuine experience of God’s mercy: both mercy received and mercy given.
The graces and indulgences of the holy year, geared toward personal conversion, can be obtained by making a pilgrimage to a holy door, passing through it, confessing one’s sins near the time of the visit, and saying the prescribed prayers for the intention of the Holy Father and the Church. To fulfill or satisfy the condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father, it is customary to recite one Our Father and one Hail Mary, but it may be any other suitable prayer.
In December 2015, Bishop Deeley opened four holy doors in the Diocese of Portland: St. Luce Church, Frenchville; Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Lewiston; St. John Church, Bangor; and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Portland. The holy doors will be closed in November.
