The Catholic Church needs the Year of Mercy to become an effective witness of God’ mercy, Pope Francis has said. “The jubilee is a favourable time for all of us, so that in contemplating divine mercy, which surpasses every human limitation and shines in the darkness of sin, we may become more convinced and effective witnesses,” the Pope said during his weekly general audience. A day after inaugurating the Year of Mercy, the Pope dedicated his audience talk to the significance he hopes the year will have for the Church, saying that it is a time to experience the “sweet and gentle touch” of God’s forgiveness and his presence in difficult times. “In short, this jubilee is a privileged moment,” he said, “so that the Church may learn to choose only that which pleases God most”: forgiveness and mercy. The Pope repeated a question asked by the 4th-century Doctor of the Church, St Ambrose. “Why does [the Bible] say that God is so happy after the creation of man and woman?” the Pope asked. “In the end, it was because he had someone to forgive. This is beautiful! To forgive is God’s joy; the being of God is mercy. For this reason, in this year, we should open our hearts so that this love, this joy of God may fill us with this mercy.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of recognising one’s sins during the Holy Year in order to “strengthen within us the certainty of divine mercy”. “‘Lord, I am a sinner. Come with your mercy.’ This is a beautiful prayer and it’s very easy to say every day,” he said.