For Catholics, 2016 is the Year of Mercy and Pope Francis announced that one way Catholics may get a plenary indulgence by passing through a Holy Door in the Year of Mercy. The Year of Mercy is from December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016.

Pope Francis made it easier for every Catholic to gain Plenary Indulgence. The Church is reaching out to many in this modern times and we all have equal opportunity as Catholics and people of faith.

Hope these things will help in your faithful journey. These are the questions I usually hear about the activities we can do in the Year of Mercy and questions I also asked before:

• What is a plenary indulgence? and how to get one?
• List of Philippine Churches with Holy Doors
• What is a pilgrim’s passport and where can you get them?
• List of Jubilee Churches for the Pilgrimage in the Philippines

Plenary Indulgence

No other interpretations for the meaning of this so here’s what the pamphlet from The National Shrine of the Sacred Heart Church says. Please take time to read. It is indeed enlightening. 🙂

Did you know that there are several Holy Doors around in the Philippines? 

All over the world, there are selected Churches with a Holy Door. In the Philippines, here’s the list from Catholic Pilgrim Sites (those in Mtero Manila are those in blue):

1. St. Mary Magdalene Parish, Amadeo
2. Apung Mamacalulu Archdiocesan Shrine, Angeles City, Pampanga
3. Holy Rosary Parish, Angeles City, Pampanga
4. Shrine Antipolo Cathedral, Antipolo
5. San Pedro Apostol Parish, Apalit, Pampanga
6. Our Lady of the Angels, Atimonan, Quezon
7. National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Roxas Blvd., Baclaran, Parañaque City
8. San Sebastian Cathedral, Bacolod City
9. Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Bantayan Island
10. Holy Trinity Parish, Bayanan, Bacoor
11. Divine Mercy Church, Biluso
12. Archdiocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer, Bogo City
13.  Bahay at Yaman ni San Martin de Porres Chapel, Bongga Menor, Bustos, Bulacan
14. St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral, Cagayan de Oro City
15. Santuario Eucaristico – Sacred Heart Parish, Cagayan de Oro City
16. Our Lady of Grace in Grace Park, Caloocan City
17. San Roque Cathedral, Caloocan City
18. Sta. Quiteria and St. Francis of Assisi, Caloocan City
19. San Pedro Bautista Church, Candelaria, Quezon
20. Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Carcar City
21. San Pedro Apostol Parish, Cavite City
22. Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Cebu City
23. Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral, Dagupan
24. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Area 1, Dasmariñas
25. San Pedro Cathedral, Davao City
26. Divine Mercy Parish, Floridablanca, Pampanga
27. St Michael Cathedral, Gamu, Isabela
28. Cathedral of San Diego de Alcala, Gumaca, Quezon
29. Diocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer, Gumaca, Quezon
30. Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer, Leganes, Iloilo
31. Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Iloilo City
32. National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles, Iloilo City
33. Parish Church of St Anne, Iloilo City
34. Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral, Imus
35. San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila
36. Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew, La Huerta, Parañaque City’
37. St. William’s Cathedral, Laoag City
38. Agustin Parish, Lubao, Pampanga
39. St. Ferdinand Cathedral, Lucena City, Quezon
40. Immaculate Conception Parish, Macalelon, Quezon
41. Holy Family Parish, Madre Silva, Roxas District, Quezon City
42. Good Shepherd Parish, Magallanes, Lopez, Quezon
43. Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Magsaysay, Lopez, Quezon
44. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart, Makati City
45. San Bartolome, Malabon City
46. Immaculate Conception Cathedral-Basilica Minore, Malolos
47. Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Mandaluyong City
48. Manila Cathedral Basilica, Manila
49. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Sta. Rosa I, Marilao, Bulacan
50. National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Marulas, Valenzuela City
51. Shrine Parish of St Francis of Assisi, Meycauayan
52. Divine Mercy Shrine, El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, Mindanao
53. St. Peregrine Laziosi Shrine, Muntinlupa
54. San Jose de Navotas, Navotas
55. Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Novaliches
56. Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Salambao, Obando, Bulacan
57. Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pagsanjan
58. National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians,Better Living Subdivision, Parañaque City
59. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Parañaque
60. Presentation of the Child Jesus Parish, BF Homes, Parañaque City
61. St. Andrew Cathedral, Parañaque
62. Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pasig City
63. Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church, Pasay City
64. Shrine of St. Therese, Pasay City
65. Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Piat, Cagayan Valley, North Luzon
66. Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Philam Village, Las Piñas City
67. National Shrine of St. Anne, Poblacion, Hagonoy, Bulacan
68. San Agutin (St. Augustine) Parish, Poblacion, Baliuag, Bulacan
69. Diocesan Shrine of the Mahal na Poong Krus sa Wawa, Poblacion, Bocaue, Bulacan
70. Diocesan Shrine of St. John the Baptist, Poblacion, Calumpit, Bulacan
71. St. Joseph Parish, San Franciso, Camotes Island
72. Holy Cross Parish, Quezon, Quezon
73. Good Shepherd Cathedral Shrine and Parish, Quezon City
74. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, Quezon City
75. Our Lady of Annunciation Parish: Shrine of Incarnation, Quezon City
76. Shrine of the Divine Word, Quezon City
77. Shrine Santuario de San Pedro Bautista Parish, Quezon City
78. Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City
79. St. Peter Parish: Shrine of Leaders, Quezon City
80. St. Vincent Parish: Shrine of the Poor, Quezon City
81.  Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando, San Fernando, Pampanga
82. Santuario de Santo Cristo, San Juan City
83. San Pablo City Cathedral, San Pablo
84. Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulcher, San Pedro
85. Diocesan Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, San Rafael, Bulacan
86. Our Lady of the Abandoned Church, San Roque, Marikina
87. Diocesan Shrine of Mary, Mother of Eucharist and Grace, Sta. Maria, Bulacan
88. Sta. Ana Parish, Sta. Ana, Pampanga
89. Sta. Rita de Cascia Parish Church, Sibalom
90. Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy, Madasalin cor. Maamo Sts., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City
91. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Posadas Village, Sucat, Muntinlupa City
92. Minor Basilica of St Michael Archangel, Tayabas City, Quezon
93. Pink Sisters, Tagaytay City
94. Shrine of the Five Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Alabang-Zapote Road, Talon, Las Piñas City
95. Sts Peter and Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, Tuguegarao, Cagayan
96. Diocesan Shrine of St. Peregrine Laziosi, Tunasan, Muntinlupa City
97. Cathedral Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Virac

Pilgrim’s Passport and the Jubilee of Mercy Churches

You don’t have to ride a plane or go too far to go on a pilgrimage (a spiritual journey). A lot of believers can now do their pilgrimage in places near their homes. It  is a wonderful opportunity in this Year of Mercy. Usually Catholics go somewhere far or special to go on a pilgrimage. Every step of the journey in a pilgrimage has a religious significance.

In the Archdiocese of Manila, where I am, there are 5 designated Jubilee Churches for the Pilgrimage one can make during the Jubilee Year:

1. Manila Cathedral inside Intramuros, Manila
2. Santuario de Santo Cristo Parish in San Juan
3. Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Mandaluyong City
4. Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay City
5. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati City.

At the beginning of your pilgrimage in any of the five aforementioned Churches, you will be given a Pilgrim’s Passport. It contains and lists all the churches and the activities you need to do for every church you visit. At the end  of your pilgrimage for every church, you will have your passport stamped. Once you’re done with all the 5 churches, a certificate of pilgrimage will be given to you at the last church you visited.

The passport’s contents are complete so all you need to do is to follow them.

Pope Francis loves the world so much that he is giving all the opportunities for Catholics this year to gain plenary indulgences and renew and strengthen our faith more through pilgrimages. The Year of Mercy doesn’t happen every year so take the religious opportunities given to us. Bring the whole family and experience God’s love and grace together.

Let’s not forget that mercy and forgiveness, as what Pope Francis said, must be realized in our daily lives.