By Ivan D’Costa –
It is a great privilege for us to have a priest from the Bangalore Archdiocese appointed by our Holy Father Pope Francis, through the Congregation of New Evangelization, as a Missionary of Mercy.
The Archbishop Most Rev (Dr.) Peter Machado in his circular No. 25, dated June 2020, made this announcement that a Franciscan priest, Fr. Trevor D’Souza, OFM, residing at St. Anthony’s Friary, Hosur Road, Bangalore, has been appointed as a Missionary of Mercy from April 27, 2020 for a period of three years. His name was suggested by Fr Praveen D’Souza, OFM, his Provincial Superior and recommended by the senior priests of the archdiocese, and approved by the archbishop.
The archbishop forwarded Fr. Trevor D’Souza’s name to the Holy See for his appointment as the Missionary of Mercy.
During the Holy Year of Mercy (2015-2016), Pope Francis appointed about 726 priests from all over the world as Missionaries of Mercy. Those appointed would make themselves available for bishops to invite them to their dioceses to preach about mercy and hear confessions. The priest have been given the authority to forgive sins reserved to the Holy See. Pope Francis wanted to extend this ministry as an expression of Divine Mercy and pastoral concern for the Church as a sign that the grace of the Jubilee of Mercy remains alive and effective all over the world.
For the benefit of those who do not know about the sins that are reserved to the Holy See, the list is given here below:
These are the Five Sins that carry penalties that only the Apostolic See can lift.
- When a priest violates the secrecy of confession
- When bishops are ordained without the Pope’s approval
- When a priest engages in sexual relations with someone and then he himself offers forgiveness for the act.
- When someone desecrates the Holy Eucharist
- When someone uses violence against the Pope
The sin of abortion also can only be forgiven by a Bishop.
However, for the Jubilee of Mercy, the Pope himself has given the faculty to all priests in the world to forgive the sin of abortion. The Pope has also given priests commissioned as Missionaries of Mercy the faculty to absolve the five sins reserved to the Holy See that are mentioned above.
Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, in his letter to Rev Fr. Trevor D’Souza, OEM dated April 2, 2020, said, “In this sensitive ministry you are asked to make yourself available to Parish Priests, Rectors of Shrines, and Diocesan Bishops, undertaking missions to the people, particularly to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well as engaging in preaching on the Mystery of Divine Mercy.”
He also reiterated in the same letter the five sins reserved to the Pope for absolution, “The faculties granted are limited to the absolution to the following sins, namely, the profanation of the Eucharistic Species, the use of physical force against the Roman Pontiff, the absolution of an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment, the direct violation against the sacramental seal by a confessor, the recording or disclosure by means of social communication of the content of a sacramental confession.”
Fr. Trevor D’Souza, O.F.M, has served the Archdiocese of Bangalore in various capacities, such as Ecclesiastical Advisor to the Family Welfare Centre, member of the Finance Council and other works assigned to him by the Archbishop. He also conducts seminars and training programmes in finance and related topics for Church-based organizations, besides moderating chapters, retreats, counselling and vocation discernment.
The Archbishop, in his circular, has suggested that individuals, associations and religious, and priests of the archdiocese may contact Fr. Trevor D’Souza, OFM that he may fulfill “The sacred responsibility of dispersing mercy on behalf of the Church.”
Fr. Trevor D’Souza’s Mobile / WhatsApp No.: 9481326855.
Courtesy: The Kirana,
Ivan D’Costa is Manager, TABOR Publications