ETHIOPIA: ‘Acts of Mercy Begins with the Family’- Bishop Medhin

Bishop of the Eparchy of Adigrat, Rt. Rev. Tesfaselassie Medhin
has called on the Catholic faithful in Ethiopia to begin acts of Mercy within
their families.

He said that the Church in Ethiopia and particularly the Diocese
of Adigrat will be encouraging separated married couples to sort out their
differences and reconcile in the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

“The Extraordinary Golden Jubilee year give us the opportunity to
stand back and evaluate our lives in terms of how merciful we have been towards
others. It is a time we can indeed practice being merciful like the Father,
whom we ask to be Merciful towards us,” he said.

Bishop Tesfassilassie said that the Diocese of Adigrat has already
drawn a plan of action for the year and prepared a booklet in the local
language Tigrigna to be distributed among the faithful to guide the activities
for the year of Mercy. The Door of Mercy has also been opened at the Holy Savior
Catholic Cathedral in the town of Adigrat and it will be open to the faithful
throughout the year as per the instructions of the Holy Father Pope Francis.

During this time pilgrimage and other spiritual activities will be
organized for the faithful to take part in as a community and at the same time
the Church will also encourage the faithful to practice engaging in Corporal
and Spiritual acts mercy throughout the year.

He said practicing such acts of Mercy in this Jubilee year will
encourage the people to make Corporal and Spiritual acts of mercy part of their
lives even long after the year of Mercy ends.

Bishop Tesfassilassie called on the faithful to look at the year
of Mercy as a time of spiritual renewal. The Diocese of Adigrat consists of the
Tigray and Afar Regional States in the Northern part of Ethiopia where a
significant number of Catholic faithful are present.

By Makeda Yohannes, CBCE
Communications and Public Relation Office, Ethiopia