Scottish Catholic Observer

St Peter’s Basilica and other churches around Rome will be open for prayer and confessions for 24 hours from 5pm on the afternoon of Friday March 28. The celebration, along with Eucharistic adoration, will continue until 4pm on Saturday March 29 and conclude with the celebration of First Vespers of Dominica Laetare in the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, the Roman Santuary of the Devine Mercy.

Pope Francis said that this ‘celebration of forgiveness’ will also take place in churches around the world to encourage Catholic to come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

This coincides with the Gospel in the Fourth Sunday of Lent where ‘the father in the parable of the prodigal son, who when the son returned home, had a party, forgetting all his sins.’ It is hoped the event will  be held annually thereafter on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

During the angelus yesterday, the Pope told the audience how the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well broke down barriers of social convention and hostility.

“Jesus is not afraid,” the Pope said. “When Jesus sees a person he goes towards that person because he is filled with love. He loves all of us. He does not stop before anyone because of prejudice.”

The Pope also said that the meeting at the well represented modern day Catholics and how they lack courage to ask Jesus questions.

“Lent is the right time to look inside ourselves, allow our deep spiritual needs to come to the surface, and to ask the Lord for help in prayer,” the Pope added.

“The example of the Samaritan woman invites us to say: Jesus, give me that water that will quench me in eternity”

Following his Angelus, the Pope called on the audience for people afflicted by tuberculosis and those helping them on World Tuberculosis Day today.