pope francis declared a jubilee year, what you called holy year of mercy. his hope is the roman catholic church around the world will highlight the mission of the church to bring mercy. today on mosaic we have a priest in the arch diocese of san francisco who will be telling us about what this year of mercy is and how we can engage in it. when we come back after the short break, we invite you to join us as we begin to journey into the year of mercy.

welcome to mosahe be learning about ran catholic church's yearnow through november 20. i am director of young adult and campus ministry for arch diocese of san francisco. joining me is father mark doherty from san francisco's

mission district and he is chaplain at sacred heart school in san francisco. he entered judgment order in 2000 and in 2014 was ordained a priest in the arch diocese of san francisco. he has served in many human life pastoral including work in shelters and crisis counseling. he will be speaking in local venues across the arch diocese through the year of mercy. thank you for joining us. >> thank you very much for having me. very good to be here. >> would you tell us about the year of mercy, what it is. in general, what is this year about pope francis has declared? >> of course a jubilee year comes around every so often, usually maybe every 50 years or so. it is clear that pope francis in declaring special jubilee year of mercy this year, it's clear that the theme stands out as important message for the universal church and the whole

world. i think to get a sense of why, we couldn't have to look far. we need to look at the first lengthy interview he gave shortly after elected to the chair of peter. you will recall that pope francis is a jesuit, member of the society of jesus. it is no surprise that the first lengthy interview was to leading jesuit publication in italy. at the very beginning of the interview, the editor asked the pontiff who is pope francis? the pope's answer very simply, sincerely was a sinner who has experienced the mercy of god. that, i think, tells us everything we need to know about motivation pope francis has for declaring a year of mercy. mercy has been a paramount experience in his life and he would like to invite everyone around the world, all christians around the world,

all men and women of goodwill each in their own way to experience anew this mercy of god. >> that's fantastic. what do you think it means to be a missionary of mercy? >> to be a missionary of mercy, first we have to zero in on little bit on the idea of mercy. it's a simple word but we can get caught up in wondering what that means. the first thing that stands out about mercy, first thing that stands out for pope francis in his mind and heart is the experience of being sought out by a loving parent, by the loving father who wants to bring his children home. pope francis speaks on occasion of this powerful experience he had as a young man of going to the confessional, making a confession and literally experiencing the touch of god, experiencing the mercy of god, experiencing the embrace of god. first and foremost when we speak about mercy of god, experiencing the mercy of god, being a participant in the

mercy of god, we are a talkinth is running ch tobring hoften of that great poem francis thomson of the 19th century hound of heaven where he speaks of the hound of heaven running up and down the labyrinth ways in an effort to come after his children to bring them home. i think that speaks to the fundamental question of the human spirit. at the heart is the question am i worth it? am i loveable? do i matter? the experience of the mercy of god is first and foremost an affirmative answer, i matter to god. i am worth it to god. god seeks me out up and down lab rink ways in an effort to embrace me and bring me home. >> when you are talking it reminds me of that rembrandt image of the prodigal son.

>> that's right. >> i remember the message from pope francis and how it resonated so deeply with people around the world. that image so much comes to mind. we have it on the screen there. that beautiful embrace of the father and bringing out that love to everyone. pope francis has talked a lot about the year of mercy being particularly important for the family. what does this mean? that mercy, how does that connect to the family this year? >> that's right. i think it is no surprise that when they do surveys about what's the favorite parable in the gospels time and again people write parable of the prodigal son as their favorite precisely because it speaks to deepest desire of the human heart to be a member of the family, to belong, to count, to be worth it. we have in this rembrandt painting of course, this

beautiful image of a loving father who is embracing his son, a son who has strayed and wandered in all sorts of ways but a father who comes and embraces him to bring him home. it speaks to fundamental desire to be members of the family. pope francis stresses this theme of the family all the time. he stressed most recently on the senate we have had on the family in rome that we have heard so much about. he has done it in little ways. he has gathered in st. peters square, multitude of engaged couples and come out and given them advice about marriage e wo home and the fact that all the men and women who inhabit are members of the family and therefore we bear responsibility for looking out for one another. we bear responsibility for

looking out for mutual common home. pope francis is consistently speaking to the theme of family because he knows it touches deepest desires and aspirations of the human heart. >> i love what you said about global family. even people we haven't met, we all have gifts and weaknesses. we need one another. none of us is the perfect package. >> right. none of us is sufficient to ourselves. the holy father is trying to speak to concerns of the contemporary era where we often hear about this individualistic message. you have to do it yourself. you have to be your own person. the holy father says no, no, you are not sufficient to yourself. in order to flourish, become the man or woman you are to be, you need each other. that's where we get a deeper sense of the scope of mercy. mercy in fullest sense is not only experiencing a loving father who comes to embrace me, to welcome me to the fold, the

full measure of mercy, mature measure of mercy is experience of beingen nobledded by the father with a place in the family which means a share in the work of the family. when we speak about being a missionary of mercy what we are speaking about first is being a recipient of mercy, being invited into the work of the family. i belong in the family and we can look at the house built and say in each our own way, i helped build that house. i helped look for my brothers and sisters in need. i helped with this beautiful family and everyone knows they're worth it and everyone belongs. that speaks really to the second question of human e fit am i valuable enough to be counted? second is am i capable? am i thought well enough by the father the lord's mercy is upon us and he earn dows us with a share of

the work. >> that's beautiful. thank you so much for giving us that great overview of the year of mercy and being a part of the global family. right now we are going to take a quick break. when we come back, we will discuss more of what living this mercy looks like in the arch diocese of san francisco and ways we can engage in this mercy locally.

welcome back to mosaic. if you are just joining us we are discussing year of mercy which is going on now through november 20. this is designated by pope francis. with me is father mark doherty,

priest for arch diocese of san francisco. you beautifully talked about what this year of mercy means for our universal church, the church around the world. let's turn our attention to our arch diocese which covers marin, san mateo and san ancisco. a lot nonprofit organizations across the bay area, they're already living out works of mercy and have been doing so for many years. this year in particular they're really doing more as well as making intentional effort to really engage more people in the works of mercy and invite people to not only experience mercy but to share and extend that mercy to others. my own parish in san francisco just had a beautiful concert for syrian refugees a couple weeks ago that was fantastic. i know a lot of the local nonprofits were getting together, joining forces to help the homeless with the el

nino. getting them socks, shoes, blankets, tarps. so much wonderful work is going on. i would love to talk about some of the activities occurring in the arch diocese of san francisco in an effort to live the year most fully. do you want to share some of the things happening? >> of course. the first thing to be said of course is when we speak about the more, when pope francis speaks about the more, what he is referring to is this famous jesuit expression. of course pope francis is a jesuit. god is always the more. he is always going further and further in an effort to do more, to express his love for his people. of course that becomes our mission, to do more. more doesn't mean reinventing the wheel. we know as we look at pope francis' life experience, it's not as if when he was archbishop, he was reinventing the wheel. he was instead there particular

communities, groups of people, particular individuals who are in special need of experiencing this loving touch of god? he would take a step back, take a look around and then he would engage. he would go to the poor sections and walk on foot through all the alley ways in an effort to meet the people who rarely had the chance to see a priest. it's not so much a call to reinvent the wheel. take a step back. examine the situation. reengage with greater vigor. in my parish i think of our neighborhood in the mission district, on 24th street and alabama l. st. peter's is. st. anthony is on cesar chavez in fulsome. we have taken a step back ourselves in response to th

ca and asked are there groups in our neighborhood in need of experiencing that mercy? it became clear to us in conjunction with missionaries of charity, mother theresa sisters who work in our neighborhood, that of late there is a growing community of homeless people under 101 freeway over pass, cesar chavez 101. we thought here is an opportunity, we have taken a step back, looked around, known there is a growing community of homeless people along the freeway. we gathered members of the parish, joined efforts, formed a chapter of the st. vincent depaul society which is a charitable organization of the church. we have started going to the freeway over pass the gone t, e people d th thh that work communicate to the folks that they matter.

they're worth it. they belong. they're members of the family. they're loved by god but not just by god but by us also. they're in our neighborhood. they're members of our neighborhood and we care for them. that's a good example, i would say, of an effort to take a step back, reengage, do the more. you can see examples throughout the arch diocese. you mentioned this initiative for syrian refugees, your parish on bush street in san francisco. we look at the project where they host a shelter which of course is important during the winter months. they've extended hours. it's now a daytime shelter. there is a cooperative venture between catholic communities, christian communities, men and women of goodwill, give greater access to shelter space, to men, women, children in need of it. i our of reor

justice is doing more to rally around the families in the communities of victims who suffered violence. this past year in my neighborhood one of our young children was murdered a couple blocks from my church and the office was helpful and constructive in bringing the community together. we would pray the rosary in an effort to pray, promote healing. we have missions in the diocese that are not necessarily new but are taking seriously the call from pope francis. take a step back. examine the terrain and reengage with greater vigor. >> there are so many ways that people in the bay area can be involved in those. >> that's right. >> i know the project is always looking for people who can create meals, can donate goods needed. >> that's right. >> there are so many other ways. st. vincent depaul is having a book drive across the bay to provide literature.

there are so many opportunities that people can engage in all these wonderful works of mercy. >> that's right. >> would you talk a little bit about -- the churchoff ten talks about corporal and spiritual works of mercy. would you say what those are? there is the spiritual aspect. people can pray and engage as well. >> that's right. >> would you talk about the difference of those and how people can engage in that way? >> of course. when we speak of corporal and spiritual works of mercy we are coming back to the theme of the family. it happens to be the case in our world the way things are that here and there at different moments, this or that member of the family is in particular need. ohm's al need, spiritual need, material need. when we speak of emotional need, i think for example of those family members who have experienced a loss, a death for example. they need the support of the community to come around and help them. material need, we have spoken

to the homeless. it's an effort to go out and find those members of the family who are in particular need at that moment and to speak to the needs, respond to the needs in a loving affectionate way. >> thank you so much. we'll talk more about this and how you personally can engage in this year of mercy when we come back from this short break.

welcome back to mosaic where we are learning about year of mercy now through november 20. i am here today with father mark. i wonder if you could extend a personal invitation to our viewers, catholic and nonthroughout the bay area. what would you want to say to them about the year of mercy and inviting them to engage? >> i think first and foremost, the thing to express is all of us matter. all of us are beloved by god. the year of mercy is tote tall cathol men ann of goodwill, that they matter to god. they're worth it. this is why among other reasons in the year of mercy pope francis asked priests to make sacramento of confession more readily available. we know saturday afternoon is often not the most ideal time

for confession. pope francis based on his experience of having gone to confession as a young man and experienced the particular loving touch of god, his embrace, his mercy, pope francis wants us friezes to open the doors of churches for greater availability to confession. this year priests around the world, my pastor and i will do this, are going to find moments throughout the year to make confessions available for longer durations. the whole day or maybe even 24 hours a day. we'll take shifts of course and make that available. the holy father again has this idea that he wants people each in their own way to experience that mercy full loving touch of the father. we have all in one way or another strayed from the family house. but the father comes after us to bring us home. that image of the prodigal son

welcomed home by the father. confession. i would encourage catholics to go to confession, avail themselves of the wonderful sacramento. for me in my life the sacramento of confession has been paramount, a great opportunity to experience the loving touch of god. from there having experienced the mercy of god, having sought the lord for his forgiveness and experienced his mercy, that fills the heart with gratitude. gratitude is that energy, that grace that turns us out of ourselves and gives us the desire, impetus to share the wealth with others, to share this good news with others. catholics, christians, men and women of goodwill can all go on the arch diocese website. serve, mer, ioofrcy that arch d you can find one another that ks to your heart.

minist at prompts missionaof mercy in your own way. we know as st. says the body is many parts. gifts and talents given to each of us are different but we can each find our place in the family. we can each find a way to be missionaries of mercy. i would encourage listeners, viewers, to go on the website, look at the list of the ministries and sign up. find a way to help out. allow yourself to been noble with the share and work. god wants to extend mantle of mercy to all of us and part of that is the experience of sharing in the work of mercy, being a missionary of mercy. >> fantastic. you talked about how confession has been so important. could you share more in the couple minutes that we have left, how have you personally experienced mercy and how has

it transformed your life? >> i have experienced it in this twofold way. i remember when i was a young college kid, came to the end of my first year, disillusioned, not feeling well, thinking out of place, out of sorts. i went for the first time in a long time and felt the mercyful touch of the lord. it reoriented me. from there the sky opened up and this reality that god is there, god has a plan for life, there is meaning to life and it came upon me. my vocation, the call came up in that moment. my second year of college. it's made all the difference. i have experienced the mercy of prsthood. ation i hatrendouse an in i mercy i have received. >> thank you so much, father mark. this has been wonderful. thank you for joining us.

this has been wonderful to share this with you all. we hope and pray you have been inspired and that you will engage in the year of mercy. we hope you come to our website and check out the year of mercy calendar. there are different wonderful opportunities for you to get involved. god bless you. we'll see you again soon.

breaking news this morning a mass shooting outside of a club in florida leaves two dead, and more than 20 injured. san francisco torres and bouncing back the crowds of breathing life, back into the economy and the tourist hotspots getting a boost. a northern california state parks slowly reopening the new signs of growth, and that the first look at the devastating wild fire season. stroke is going to be hot in parts of the bay ar ngersly hot warnings amid the heat wave. good morning it is sunday, may 30th but let's get straight to our