Catholic groups have launched a billboard campaign to encourage people to partake of God's mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The campaign, called Experience Mercy, was initially launched by the Knights of Columbus and the Men's Fellowship groups at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and School in New Brighton, Minnesota.
Each billboard uses ads directing people to go to the ExperienceMercy.com website which offers "resources we hope will allow God to touch people's hearts and persuade them to come to confession."
Parishes that support the billboard installation in their community are listed as sponsors on the website along with information on the directions to their parish, confession schedule and donation link.
The parishes are also entitled to access campaign paraphernalia including fundraising materials, flyers, stickers, lawn signs and invitation cards,
Catholics are celebrating the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy from December 2015 to November 2016 with Pope Francis wanting to direct people's attention and actions "on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father's actions in our lives . . . a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective."
The Jubilee of Mercy was designated, the Pope said, "because this is the time for mercy."
"It is the favourable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone, everyone, the way of forgiveness and reconciliation," Pope Francis said, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
According to Father David Pignato at the Diocese of Arlington Men's Conference, "It is not possible, and it is not right, for us to contemplate God's mercy, without also contemplating our sins," LifeSite News reports.
"It's not even logical to think of God's mercy, without also thinking of our sins, because there's no need for mercy, if there's no sin. Mercy is God's response and cure for sin," he said.
