Cathedral Holy Door opened

Friday, Dec. 18, 2015

By Marie Mischel and Laura Vallejo

Intermountain Catholic

SALT LAKE CITY — In keeping with the worldwide celebration of the Year of Mercy, the Diocese of Salt Lake City opened a Holy Door at the Cathedral of the Madeleine on Dec. 13. 

Pope Francis inaugurated the Year of Mercy on Dec. 8 with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. On Dec. 13, cathedrals throughout the world followed suit, while Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.

Locally, the Rite of the Opening of the Door of Mercy was celebrated twice, once at the 11 a.m. Mass in English, then again at the 3 p.m. Spanish Mass. Both times the procession began at the Madeleine Choir School and proceeded down the block and around the corner to the cathedral. The Very Rev. Martin Diaz, pastor, was the celebrant at the Masses. 

Before the procession began, Fr. Diaz read from the rite, stating that Pope Francis inaugurated the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, “thus opening to us and to all men and women the door of God’s mercy. In communion with the universal Church, this celebration marks the solemn beginning of the Holy Year in our diocesan Church; a prelude to the profound experience of grace and reconciliation that awaits us this year. We shall joyfully listen to the Gospel of mercy that Christ the Lord, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, continually proclaims throughout the world, inviting us to rejoice in his love: a love announced again and again to every creature on earth.”

A portion of the Bull of Indiction for the Year of Mercy also was read. In the bull, Pope Francis wrote in part, “We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.”

Once the procession arrived at the cathedral door, Fr. Diaz again recited from the rite, saying, “Open the gates of justice, we shall enter and gives thanks to the Lord.”

As the door opened, he said, “This is the Lord’s gate: let us enter through it and obtain mercy and forgiveness.”

Led by the celebrants, ministers of the Mass and the choir, those attending then processed through the door.

The homilist at the English Mass was Deacon John Kranz. At the Spanish Mass, Father Roberto Montoro, parochial vicar, gave the homily. Deacon Armando Solórzano assisted at the Spanish Mass.

Incredible grace flows from acts of love and mercy, Deacon Kranz said, adding that the Year of Mercy is “a call to action,” and quoting Pope Francis: ″The Holy Door will become a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instills hope.″

“Notice that when that door was opened we can freely go in and out,” the deacon said. “Mercy obviously flows in and through our lives in much the same way: from our hearts flow acts of mercy, and from the hearts of others we can receive mercy. This is how we give Christ flesh in the world today. Christ comes today as cause for rejoicing. Ever since Christ was born of flesh on this earth, it is through our hearts – filled with love, expectation and awe – that he comes again. Truthfully, he’s still here. In fact, mercy is the corporal and spiritual manifestation of love – and therein we find Christ himself.”

As he began his homily, Fr. Montoro asked where in the diocese the members of the congregation had come from, and what their countries of origin were, and learned that people had traveled from Provo, West Valley City and Orem, and were from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Venezuela, among other countries.

“It’s a pleasure being here with you today on such a special celebration,” Fr. Montoro said, adding that the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy is a gift. 

Inviting people to find their best option among all the options that God offers through mercy, Fr. Montoro offered an analogy for how people tend to avoid investing time and making the effort to show mercy through love.

“When we invite 100 people to a baptism, maybe those 100 will be at the ceremony ... but hundreds more will show up to the party – the friend of the friend of the uncle of the baptized child,” he said. “Sometimes we do that with Christ. ... That’s why the invitation is to never lose the joy to celebrate Our Lord. Never forget that today the pope is inviting us to be merciful.”

Among those who attended the Rite of the Opening of the Door of Mercy was Virginia Cabañas, a Saint Francis of Assisi parishioner, who said she became very emotional as she crossed the Door of Mercy.

“I thought about how ungrateful I have been. ... Somehow I started reflecting on how I should say ‘thank you’ more often to God for all the good and not so good that I have,” said Cabañas.

Similarly, Edmundo Garcia said he felt a lot of emotions.

“After I crossed through the door and I sat down inside the cathedral I felt my heart fill with warmth. ... I turned around to my kids and hugged them. ... This is the beginning of a new opportunity to show our love to our family and to Our Lord,” he said.