Somerset Hills Deanery: Observing “24 Hours for the Lord” “The Season of Lent during this Jubilee Year should also be lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy.” On Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th Pope Francis has called for “24 Hours for the Lord” in order to highlight the tenderness of God and to experience His mercy. Pope Francis desires the People of God to experience God’s abundant mercy most particularly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As stated in Misericordiae Vultus, “so many people, including the youth, are returning to the Sacrament of Reconciliation; through the experience they are rediscovering a path back to the Lord, living a moment of intense prayer and finding meaning in their lives.” In our deanery, two parishes will be hosting priests from the deanery from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The opportunity to celebrate and pray “24 Hours for the Lord” will be held on Friday, March 4th at Saint James in Basking Ridge, and on Saturday, March 5th, at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, in Bridgewater. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a graced opportunity to experience God’s forgiveness and mercy. As Pope Francis wrote, “we need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity and peace.