Pope Francis caught the world by surprise by announcing a new Holy Year, a Year of Mercy. More than just a special year dedicated to a theme, this would be a Jubilee Year.

The details of the year have not yet been fully released, but under the guidance of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization at the Vatican, it is certain that we as a Church will grow in knowledge and love of the faith through both catechesis and prayer.

The Holy Father’s choice of the theme is his favorite topic, mercy. In fact, in his first papal angelus in 2013, he called for a renewal of mercy in the Church and in the world. Mercy has many different definitions, but perhaps the best definition might come from the Old Testament word, “hesed,” meaning God’s faithful love. If we could, in this Year of Mercy, learn to trust in God’s faithful love in our own lives and then to show that faithful love to others, what a transformation our Church and our world would have!