Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This week, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Assisi, the beloved hometown of St. Francis, to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, St. Mary of the Angels. His visit provides us with a wonderful opportunity to rediscover one of the Church’s beautiful traditions of mercy.
Nestled within the great basilica is a tiny chapel known as the Porziuncola, or “Little Portion.” It was here that St. Francis loved to pray, where he gathered his first followers, and where he came to understand more deeply God’s boundless mercy. It was a highlight for me to lead our pilgrims there back in June. In 1216 St. Francis received a vision of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary and asked for a remarkable gift: that all who came to the little chapel with sincere repentance and a desire for conversion might receive a plenary indulgence. Pope Honorius III approved this request, and thus began the tradition of the Perdono di Assisi.
What is an indulgence? The Code of Canon Law defines it as “the remission before God of temporal punishment for sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which a member of the Christian faithful who is properly disposed gains under certain and defined conditions through the assistance of the Church, which as the minister of redemption authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints” (canon 992).
From noon on August 1 until midnight on August 2, the Church continues to offer what is commonly known as the Portiuncula Indulgence. Under the usual conditions for a plenary indulgence (sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father, complete detachment from sin, and a devout visit to a parish church while praying the Our Father and the Creed) the faithful may receive this extraordinary gift of God’s mercy.
The story of the Perdono reminds us that St. Francis did not ask for honors or privileges for himself. Instead, he pleaded that ordinary sinners like you and me might more readily experience the Father’s forgiveness. It is a request that reflects the very heart of the Gospel.
As Pope Leo visits Assisi this week, we are reminded that the Church’s mission has always been to lead people to an encounter with the mercy of Jesus Christ. Whether we make a pilgrimage to Assisi or simply walk through the doors of our own parish church, the Lord never tires of welcoming us home. As Psalm 136 echoes, “His mercy endures forever!”
Perhaps this weekend is an ideal time to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist with renewed devotion, and to thank God for the inexhaustible mercy He continues to pour out upon His Church.
Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!
St. Francis and St. Clare, pray for us!
All you holy saints of God, pray for us!
Peace in Christ,
Fr. Michael Silloway
Pastor