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Misericordiae vultus. El rostro de la misericordia
Misericordiae vultus es la bula que convoca el Jubileo de la Misericordia, cuyo lema es «Misericordiosos como el Padre». El texto ahonda en la necesidad de practicar esa misericordia a través del perdón y la acogida de los hijos pródigos; hasta el punto de proponer a la Iglesia que tenga los brazos abiertos a delincuentes, violentos y corruptos que cambien de vida.
Uno de los temas más recurrentes en las palabras del papa Francisco es la misericordia que anida en Dios, y no solo en el Dios cristiano. Su Santidad no se cansa de recordarnos que el ser humano debe mirarse en el rostro de Cristo y descubrir en sus ojos misericordiosos que está llamado a ser feliz y transmitir la alegría del Evangelio, a pesar de sus debilidades.
Vultus Misericordiae es la bula que convoca el Jubileo de la Misericordia, cuyo lema es «Misericordiosos como el Padre». El texto ahonda en la necesidad de practicar esa misericordia a través del perdón y la acogida de los hijos pródigos; hasta el punto de proponer a la Iglesia que tenga los brazos abiertos a delincuentes, violentos y corruptos que cambien de vida.
El Año Santo comienza el 8 de diciembre de 2015, solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción; y concluirá el 20 de noviembre de 2016, solemnidad de Jesucristo, Rey del Universo.
Uno de los temas más recurrentes en las palabras del papa Francisco es la misericordia que anida en Dios, y no solo en el Dios cristiano. Su Santidad no se cansa de recordarnos que el ser humano debe mirarse en el rostro de Cristo y descubrir en sus ojos misericordiosos que está llamado a ser feliz y transmitir la alegría del Evangelio, a pesar de sus debilidades.
Vultus Misericordiae es la bula que convoca el Jubileo de la Misericordia, cuyo lema es «Misericordiosos como el Padre». El texto ahonda en la necesidad de practicar esa misericordia a través del perdón y la acogida de los hijos pródigos; hasta el punto de proponer a la Iglesia que tenga los brazos abiertos a delincuentes, violentos y corruptos que cambien de vida.
El Año Santo comienza el 8 de diciembre de 2015, solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción; y concluirá el 20 de noviembre de 2016, solemnidad de Jesucristo, Rey del Universo.
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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About the author
Pope Francis
1,327 books1,005 followersPope Francis (Latin: Franciscus; Italian: Francesco; Spanish: Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) was the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, a title he held ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and Sovereign of the Vatican City. He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European pope since the Syrian Gregory III, who died in 741.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technologist and nightclub bouncer before beginning seminary studies. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969 and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He was accused of handing two priests to the National Reorganization Process during the Dirty War, but the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He led the Argentine Church during the December 2001 riots in Argentina, and the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner considered him a political rival. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March.
Throughout his public life, Pope Francis had been noted for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, concern for the poor, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. He was credited with having a humble, less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors, for instance choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors. In addition, due to both his Jesuit and Ignatian aesthetic, he was known for favoring simpler vestments void of ornamentation, including refusing the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, and keeping the same pectoral cross he had as Cardinal. He maintained that the church should be more open and welcoming. He did not support unbridled capitalism, Marxism, or Marxist versions of liberation theology. Francis maintained the traditional views of the church regarding abortion, euthanasia, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, and priestly celibacy. He opposed consumerism, irresponsible development, and supported taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato si'. In international diplomacy, he helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technologist and nightclub bouncer before beginning seminary studies. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969 and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He was accused of handing two priests to the National Reorganization Process during the Dirty War, but the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He led the Argentine Church during the December 2001 riots in Argentina, and the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner considered him a political rival. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March.
Throughout his public life, Pope Francis had been noted for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, concern for the poor, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. He was credited with having a humble, less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors, for instance choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors. In addition, due to both his Jesuit and Ignatian aesthetic, he was known for favoring simpler vestments void of ornamentation, including refusing the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, and keeping the same pectoral cross he had as Cardinal. He maintained that the church should be more open and welcoming. He did not support unbridled capitalism, Marxism, or Marxist versions of liberation theology. Francis maintained the traditional views of the church regarding abortion, euthanasia, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, and priestly celibacy. He opposed consumerism, irresponsible development, and supported taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato si'. In international diplomacy, he helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 27, 2018
I read it early during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Now just reread for the purpose of paperwork. It is a good work with great insights about the divine mercy. Pope Francis can be called as the pope of Divine Mercy.
August 10, 2016
In a past review I mentioned that Pope Francis is a rather easier read than JP2. He has a knack for clear expression which was on full display in this document. One of the key passages in it would make sound reading for every priest, leader and lawyer in the world:
“If God limited himself to only justice, he would cease to be God, and would instead be like human beings who ask merely that the law be respected. But mere justice is not enough. Experience shows that an appeal to justice alone will result in its destruction. This is why God goes beyond justice with his mercy and forgiveness. Yet this does not mean that justice should be devalued or rendered superfluous. On the contrary: anyone who makes a mistake must pay the price. However, this is just the beginning of conversion, not its end, because one begins to feel the tenderness and mercy of God. God does not deny justice. He rather envelopes it and surpasses it with an even greater event in which we experience love as the foundation of true justice”. (p.32)
There’s an echo here of the sermons of St Bernard of Clairvaux, with their focus on inner feeling. There’s also an implicit rejection of the narrowness of the sola scriptura / sola fide school(s) of thought, which reduces the Scriptures to a bundle of rules, and which limits God’s mercy to the single act of the Crucifixion.
This text also gives a beautiful explanation of the much-misunderstood sacrament of Penance. It explains that –
“Let us never forget that to be confessors means to participate in the very mission of Jesus to be a concrete sign of the constancy of divine love that pardons and saves. We priests have received the gift of the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, and we are responsible for this. None of us wields power over this Sacrament; rather we are faithful servants of God’s mercy through it. Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the parable of the prodigal son: a father who runs out to meet his son despite the fact that he has squandered away his inheritance. Confessors are called to embrace the repentant son who comes back home and to express the joy of having him back again. Let us never tire of also going out to the other son who stands outside, incapable of rejoicing, in order to explain to him that his judgment is severe and unjust in light of the father’s boundless mercy” (p.27)
There’s much in this Bull of Indiction to admire, including its brevity. Certainly if one wanted a text to explain to someone what Catholics believe, this would be a good place to start.
“If God limited himself to only justice, he would cease to be God, and would instead be like human beings who ask merely that the law be respected. But mere justice is not enough. Experience shows that an appeal to justice alone will result in its destruction. This is why God goes beyond justice with his mercy and forgiveness. Yet this does not mean that justice should be devalued or rendered superfluous. On the contrary: anyone who makes a mistake must pay the price. However, this is just the beginning of conversion, not its end, because one begins to feel the tenderness and mercy of God. God does not deny justice. He rather envelopes it and surpasses it with an even greater event in which we experience love as the foundation of true justice”. (p.32)
There’s an echo here of the sermons of St Bernard of Clairvaux, with their focus on inner feeling. There’s also an implicit rejection of the narrowness of the sola scriptura / sola fide school(s) of thought, which reduces the Scriptures to a bundle of rules, and which limits God’s mercy to the single act of the Crucifixion.
This text also gives a beautiful explanation of the much-misunderstood sacrament of Penance. It explains that –
“Let us never forget that to be confessors means to participate in the very mission of Jesus to be a concrete sign of the constancy of divine love that pardons and saves. We priests have received the gift of the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, and we are responsible for this. None of us wields power over this Sacrament; rather we are faithful servants of God’s mercy through it. Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the parable of the prodigal son: a father who runs out to meet his son despite the fact that he has squandered away his inheritance. Confessors are called to embrace the repentant son who comes back home and to express the joy of having him back again. Let us never tire of also going out to the other son who stands outside, incapable of rejoicing, in order to explain to him that his judgment is severe and unjust in light of the father’s boundless mercy” (p.27)
There’s much in this Bull of Indiction to admire, including its brevity. Certainly if one wanted a text to explain to someone what Catholics believe, this would be a good place to start.
Read
August 19, 2015The focus of this letter from Pope Francis, and the Year of Mercy he is calling for, is well summed up in paragraph 25: "[The Church] knows that her primary task, especially at a moment full of great hopes and signs of contradiction, is to introduce everyone to the great mystery of God's mercy by contemplating the face of Christ". The letter touches on God's mercy and justice, on reconciliation, Mary and the Saints, even on our connection with Hebrew and Islamic notions of mercy.
August 27, 2018
Papa Francesco, con questa bolla, indice il Giubileo straordinario della Misericordia. Brevemente ci narra la Misericordia di Dio, che nonostante i peccati che compiamo lui reagisce come il padre del figliol prodigo: ci attende a braccia aperte. Come ci ricorda il Salmo 136 "Eterna è la sua misericordia".
March 30, 2016
¡Este es el tiempo oportuno para cambiar de vida! Este es el tiempo para dejarse tocar el corazón.
August 4, 2017
La misericordia es un tema que la humanidad ha dejado de lado y Francisco se ha encargado, en la presente encíclica, de resolver uno de los problemas que más aqueja a la Iglesia Católica, la demostración del verdadero amor más allá de los signos y doctrinas. Propone un recogimiento en la misericordia del Señor, más allá de la justicia, sino apelando al verdadero amor divino. Comenzado por Juan XXIII, y reforzado por Francisco, la meditación de la misericordia es un tema que también se recoge en otras religiones, especialmente el islamismo y el judaísmo, acercando y proponiendo un diálogo inter-religioso más abierto y profundo.
January 19, 2017
Better late than never
September 11, 2015
The Face of Mercy is the Bull of Indiction (formal proclamation in layman's terms), which Pope Francis issued about The Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pauline Books and Media is the only publisher I know of to print this document, and it is a brief 32-page one at that. In it, he begins by explaining that Jesus is the face of God's mercy. He then goes on to explain what mercy is and why our salvation depends on it. He also tells us that there are times we must focus on mercy more, and that is the reason for his proclaiming this upcoming year The Year of Mercy. The rest of the document explains procedure of when the year starts and opening the doors; Scriptural passages related to mercy to enlighten us on how to be merciful like Christ and God the Father; the importance of a pilgrimage during a Holy Year; and under what circumstances indulgences will be granted.
March 30, 2020
Profound but accessible
While at one level this is written for the broadest group possible and not just the clergy, it is also so profound that each sentence is worthy of reflection by us laymen. It is in some ways a beautiful reminder of how the church being the bride of Christ must always strive to be faithful to the groom. To try and summarize it is for me a fruitless task. It makes me understand why the Holy Spirit helped choose Pope Francis to lead us at this time. Very moving.
While at one level this is written for the broadest group possible and not just the clergy, it is also so profound that each sentence is worthy of reflection by us laymen. It is in some ways a beautiful reminder of how the church being the bride of Christ must always strive to be faithful to the groom. To try and summarize it is for me a fruitless task. It makes me understand why the Holy Spirit helped choose Pope Francis to lead us at this time. Very moving.
Want to read
October 22, 2023Wow! If you're devoted to the Divine Mercy and pray the Divine Mercy chaplet every day, this bull by Pope Francis is a must. It's about the Year of Mercy he has proclaimed for the church, starting in December. He has such a wonderful outlook on mercy I gave this book to a Protestant friend I knew would enjoy it. I thought I could buy another copy for myself and more copies to give away. Nope. My local Catholic bookshop keeps selling out of it. Yeah, it's that good. I highly rec it!!
April 20, 2022
Vote: 4,00
Class: P-A1 (FP)
Quando questo Papa parla di Dio ci sta parlando di qualcuno che lui conosce bene, e lo si percepisce da ogni sua parola.
In questo messaggio per l'anno santo della misericordia ci racconta, in modo semplice e diretto, che Dio è innanzitutto e soprattutto Amore, amore misericordioso e compassionevole che accoglie sempre e invita alla misericordia e al perdono.
Da leggere e da meditare.
Class: P-A1 (FP)
Quando questo Papa parla di Dio ci sta parlando di qualcuno che lui conosce bene, e lo si percepisce da ogni sua parola.
In questo messaggio per l'anno santo della misericordia ci racconta, in modo semplice e diretto, che Dio è innanzitutto e soprattutto Amore, amore misericordioso e compassionevole che accoglie sempre e invita alla misericordia e al perdono.
Da leggere e da meditare.
April 13, 2016
Infinite Mercy
Pope Francis details in the first part of this encyclical that God's mercy is infinite and that doing His will by helping, forgiving, feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked are all acts of mercy and a great part of the mercy we show others aids in His mercy to all of us.
The second part of the encyclical tell how the Blessed Mother is the Mother of mercy because she was immaculately conceived and chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.
Pope Francis details in the first part of this encyclical that God's mercy is infinite and that doing His will by helping, forgiving, feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked are all acts of mercy and a great part of the mercy we show others aids in His mercy to all of us.
The second part of the encyclical tell how the Blessed Mother is the Mother of mercy because she was immaculately conceived and chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.
June 6, 2016
Papa Francesco, con questa bolla, indice il Giubileo straordinario della Misericordia. Brevemente ci narra la Misericordia di Dio, che nonostante i peccati che compiamo lui reagisce come il padre del figliol prodigo: ci attende a braccia aperte. Come ci ricorda il Salmo 136 "Eterna è la sua misericordia".
September 26, 2015
A great book on mercy. Pope explains in simple terms how mercy exceeds justice and how everyone is a subject of mercy from God, no matter how grave is our fault. There is nothing that banned us from God's Mercy.
July 8, 2015
Texto belíssimo, escrito de forma simples mas com muita profundidade sobre a misericórdia, o perdão e a nossa relação com Deus Pai.
December 9, 2015
Es eterna su Misericordia
El Mas Grande Mensaje de este tiempo, la esperanza de alcanzar el perdón total y la Gracia se renueva con este mensaje de Misericordia.-
El Mas Grande Mensaje de este tiempo, la esperanza de alcanzar el perdón total y la Gracia se renueva con este mensaje de Misericordia.-
February 2, 2016
concreto y maravillosa la exposición que hace el Papa de la misericordia
December 11, 2015
Muy bien! Ahora, a vivir el año con Misericordia!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews