Pope Francis has declared that the Catholic Church will observe a Jubilee Year of Mercy — a holy year filled with special celebrations, pilgrimages and opportunities to encounter God’s mercy. Catholics all over the world are called to be witnesses in every aspect of pastoral life. The ritual opening of the Holy Door of Mercy in the Basilica of St. Peter, December 8, 2015, marks the official start of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Listen to the Jubilee Year of Mercy hymn
Written by OCP composer Paul Inwood, this hymn was chosen to officially represent the Year of Mercy. Paul has extensive liturgical knowledge and experience, dynamic musical skills and a commitment to a wide range of styles in liturgy and liturgical music.
"It is a great honor for me that my setting was selected for the Holy Year of Mercy. The text we were given has a Latin antiphon and Italian verses interspersed with refrains in Latin, like a kind of litany. My music is also a mixture, with elements in the style of a Taizé response and a Gelineau tone. The verses work in any language — I provided French and English translations — and I deliberately kept the music very simple so that even the smallest parishes can hopefully make use of it." — Paul Inwood
