The Extra – Ordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy was inaugurated on December 8, 2015 in the Catholic Church by Pope Francis I and spanned through November 20, 2016. The Year was packed full with events propagating the unconditional mercy of God and disposing all faithful as well as providing opportunities to all to be reconciled to God. However, whatever has a beginning definitely would have an end, as all dioceses in the Catholic world was expected to celebrate the closing of the year before November 20, when Pope Francis would officially close it as a universal church.
The events that marked the closing ceremony for Uromi Diocese began on November 12, 2016, at the Cathedral Church of St Anthony, Uromi, with the celebration of a group marriage by Bishop Ogun, in which about 60 couples participated in the rectification of their marriage. Also, 46 persons took advantage of the privilege of the Year of Mercy and were granted special dispensation to come back to the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
In his homily during the Mass, the Vicar General, Very Rev. Fr Francis Omonlumen reminded the couple of the need to commit themselves to each other and continue to live together in renewed love and respect for each other in a lifelong manner in accordance with the will and design of God.
A high – point of the event was the exchange of consent by the couples and a special thanksgiving procession to the sanctuary in appreciation to God for this wonderful grace in their lives. Also administered Holy Communion were the 46 candidates with special dispensation and privilege.
Just before the close of the Mass, certificates of marriage were issued to the newly married by Bishop Ogun himself, who congratulated all the participants in no small measure and had a group photograph with them at the close of the Mass.
Sunday, November 13, 2016 was the closing ceremony proper. There was only one Mass in every parish to cater for the pastoral care of those who would not be able to make it to the Cathedral for obvious reasons, and others gathered in the Cathedral for the closing ceremony. At 8:00AM, all Catholic faithful began a solemn procession through the Door of Mercy, and this lasted for over 2 hrs until it was the turn of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons and culminated with Bishop Ogun, who was the last to pass through the door and closed it afterwards to symbolise the closing of the Extra – Ordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
The Mass began soon afterwards and was presided over by the Bishop. In his homily, Bishop Ogun said that even though the year has technically come to an end, the mercy of God has not come to an end and never ends. He made allusion to the book of Lamentation 3:22. He said that the technical closing of the one Door of Mercy opens to the world so many Doors of Mercy, which we Catholics are now. We have now been made into Doors of Mercy through which the mercy of God should be felt in the lives of other people, just like Christ who is the Light of the world (John 8:12) made us his faithful into light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
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