Missionary of Mercy: Many cry when they realize that God always forgives

The creation of the missionaries of mercy by Pope Francis in 2016 was not a punctual occurrence. His work of making God’s infinite forgiveness continues and his number has continued to grow little by little throughout the world, until today in more than 1,258 priests specializing in bringing the tenderness of Christ to the most rude hearts.

Father Omar Osiris is one of them. He was instituted as a missionary of Mercy in 2018 and worked in the Dicastery for the evangelization of the Vatican coordinating activities for other missionaries worldwide. Today, its mission develops directly in Mexico, where it has become an instrument of reconciliation for priests and laity.

“Our service is focused on forgiving sins reserved for the Holy Father,” the presbyter explains to ACI Press.

Indeed, these missionaries have the power to forgive certain serious sins that are normally reserved only to the Holy See.

These include: unauthorized ordination of a bishop (both who orders and the one that is ordered); Profanation of the Eucharist (sacrilege against consecrated bread and wine); violation of the secret of confession by a confessor; Apostasy, heresy or schism (rejection or abandonment of the Catholic faith) or conspiracy or violence against the Pope.

Before 2016, so that a priest could be acquitted of these serious sins, he had to initiate a procedure with the apostolic penitentiary, which could take months and committed his confidentiality.

“It was a long process and now, through this service, the priest accesses God’s forgiveness in the internal jurisdiction. The only one who finds out because he is the confessor and period,” he says.

The priests who assume this ministry receive a specific formation that includes the study of the Code of Canon Law, books on the sacrament of the reconciliation and mercy of God.

“The Pope is aware that many priests do not live their ministry properly and before being able to be instruments of mercy, they must experience it,” says Fr. Osiris, who participates in Rome with Rome with another 500 priests in the events of the Jubilee of Mercy.

In these seven years of service as a missionary of mercy he has witnessed innumerable moments of reconciliation.

“Many times I have confessed in retreats for priests, either in Lent or Advent. I have seen how they approach their fragility and, upon receiving acquittal, experience a deep comfort. Many even cry, spill tears when they realize that, despite their failures, God is always willing to forgive,” he says.

Mercy in a country like Mexico, crossed by violence

Mexico is going through an unprecedented crisis of violence, with thousands of disappeared and families torn by the crime of criminal organizations. “There are more than 10,000 missing. There is no Mexican family who can live on their backs to this,” he says, after verifying that, in this context, the work of the missionaries of mercy as carriers of social reconciliation becomes even more relevant.

“Those who approach the sacrament of reconciliation are those who have lived violence,” explains Fr. Omar. “Not so much those who have committed it, but the victims who carry the resentment, resentment and hatred towards their aggressors. Many people seek the sacrament because they do not want to continue living with those feelings and yearn for the liberation that God gives.”

However, the priest recognizes that there is a great challenge: the perpetrators rarely seek forgiveness. Therefore, he believes that the Catholic Church must find new ways of approaching them.

“We need to discover other channels so that these people receive the message of love and forgiveness of God. Some priests have begun to distribute brochures in bus or subway stations, inviting reconciliation. We hope that some of these messages touch their hearts and help them reflect.”

The confession in the Basilica of Guadalupe and in the hospitals

In Mexico City, where there are only two missionaries of mercy, confession is a tireless delivery work. The Basilica of Guadalupe is one of the main reconciliation centers, where priests in the days dedicated to the sacrament of reconciliation can spend 12 hours continuous confessing.

In addition, hospitals have become another key space for mercy. “Many people house in their hearts that they have charged for years and given the certainty that they will die soon they just want to free themselves. I have had to confess people who had 20, 30 or up to 40 years without receiving the sacrament. In some cases, after receiving acquittal, they die within a few minutes. That is when one realizes how much they needed to experience the mercy of God to be able to go in peace,” he says.

One of the main challenges for the missionaries of mercy in Mexico is to bring this ministry to prisons.

“The Pope has insisted that we must send this service to the prisoners, but access to prisons is not easy,” laments the priest who explains that to access the prison centers you have to go through a complex bureaucratic process, where the government practically investigates the priests before allowing them to enter.

Father Omar Osiris is convinced that God’s mercy can transform lives.

In any case, he ensures that the main quality of a missionary of mercy is the availability to listen. “All priests have received theological training, but what is needed is the willingness to always be attentive to listen to the other and witness the infinite love of God,” he concludes.