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Pope Francis to Preside Over Penitential Celebration Tonight

Confessors Will Join Pontiff in Administering the Sacrament of Reconciliation in St. Peter’s Basilica

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Pope Francis has insisted on various occasions during his pontificate on the importance of the Sacrament of Confession. Tonight, March 17, 2017, he is set to preside over a penitential celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica.
In recent years, the Pope has presided over the celebration, even leaving one of the most touching images of his papacy. Before making his way to the area where he would hear confessions, the Holy Father approached a confessional, kneeled and confessed.
During tonight’s celebration, the 80-year-old Pontiff will once again hear confessions in St. Peter’s.
The penitential celebration will kick off, as it has in recent years, the initiative by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization entitled “24 Hours For the Lord.”

The theme of the initiative this year will be “I desire mercy” (Matthew 9:13), and will take place, in many dioceses around the world on March 24-25, 2017, on the eve of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday.

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On the NET:
To Watch Live (5 p.m. Rome, local time): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X2hI9361hk

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Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

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