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For people who observe Christianity, mercy forms one of the core tenets of the faith. It has been spoken about and preached in church and is also acted out in many ways. In Luke 6:36, Jesus says "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." However, in the coming year, Pope Francis declared in April that the year will be observed as a Holy Year of Mercy and the Catholics around the world will consider mercy in their daily lives and their respective parishes. "It's basically a year that we celebrate God's mercy for us," said the Rev. Marty Goetz, pastor of SS. John and Paul parish in Burlington. The year of mercy begins with an extraordinary jubilee with a special Mass that will be conducted in Vatican and the pilgrim churches throughout the world, says Chron.

The Hawk Eye reports that, at St. Paul the Apostle in Burlington, a figurative "holy door" will be opened at 11 AM mass and will stay opened through the Mercy celebration. The door is a representative of the religious association to Vatican. The jubilee year will end on November 20^th in 2016 and Pope Francis has declared mercy to be the leading tenet at the heart of Catholic teaching. "One of the themes of the pope," Goetz said, "is that God is very loving; that God is very merciful. God never tires of forgiving us. We're the ones that get tired of going to God."

Even though mercy is the central idea of any faith, through this jubilee, the Catholics will be made to concentrate on the forgiveness by receiving God's mercy and then sharing it with the others, said Goetz. The Holy Year of Mercy will be observed by each Catholic Parish in their own way through special events, masses or projects, says SF Gate News.