On Friday, March 13, the second anniversary of his election as the Bishop of Rome and Successor of St. Peter, Pope Francis announced an Extraordinary Holy Year dedicated as a “Jubilee of Mercy.” In making this announcement, the Holy Father said, “Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought about how the church might make clear its mission of being a witness to mercy. It is a journey that begins with a spiritual conversion. For this reason, I have decided to call an extraordinary Jubilee that is to have the mercy of God at its center. It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live this Year in the light of the Lord’s words: ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’ (cf. Lk 6:36). This Holy Year will begin on this coming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception [Dec. 8, 2015] and will end on Nov. 20, 2016, the Sunday dedicated to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe — and living face of the Father’s mercy.”