Campus students’s mini-pilgrimage through the Holy Door at CDM

May 26, 2016

By Evelyn Toh
On Saturday 6 May, the Single Adult Ministry of St Ignatius Church (SIC) organized a mini pilgrimage to the Holy Door at the Church of Divine Mercy (CDM), one of the five designated pilgrimage churches in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur for the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

The Catholic Students’ Society from Vision College was also invited. The majority attending the mini-pilgrimage were Sabahans.

Fr Gregory Chan explained about the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy declared by Pope Francis and the purpose of pilgrimage. He stated that, in the Middle Ages, a pilgrimage was prescribed as penance for a penitent. This was to enable the penitent to undergo the unexpected in his journey, as well as experience inconvenience and hardship so as to reflect on life’s imponderables. In doing so, one could also understand that life was like a pilgrimage journey to encounter God in prayer, penance and difficulty.

Fr Chan also highlighted the importance of interreligious dialogue amongst Catholic and Non-Catholic counterparts, as well as addictions faced by students and working adults. He challenged the Ministry to think up various ways of being merciful and to forgive all previous debts. Lastly, he spoke of having joy, love, and peace when carrying out God’s works.

After confession, Fr Chan led the 21 pilgrims in prayer and the walk through the Holy Door. The symbolism of the door was explained as being the pathway to a house, where everyone is called to belong. This is also seen in John 10:9 where Jesus says, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved.”

The pilgrims were then asked to reflect on Matthew 25: 31-45 about the Judgment of the Nations. This was followed by the explanation of receiving plenary indulgence, where the conditions were to (a) walk through the Holy Door, (b) receive Eucharistic communion, (c) confess sins, (d) pray for the Pope’s intentions, and (e) refrain from committing the sins again. The event ended with a fellowship and the pilgrims departed by 4:30pm.

Several participants described the mini pilgrimage as a calming experience of self-reflection. In the current secular world, it is easy to succumb to temptation and materialistic pleasures. Through this journey to the Holy Door, the pilgrims were challenged to reflect on their life and be involved in more acts of charity. For, doing so is a stepping stone towards the journey of following in Jesus’s footsteps and spreading His message of love.