"24 Hours for the Lord" is a worldwide initiative called for by Pope Francis to call all people to receive the mercy of God through Eucharistic Adoration and Confession. It is happening all across the world on this day, kicked off by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.

In union with the Holy Father and the whole church, Area Faith Communities across our diocese are encouraged to offer 24 hours of Eucharistic adoration, beginning with a penance service on Friday evening (around 5 PM) and concluding with Mass on Saturday (around 5 PM). Confessions should be offered for as many hours as possible during this "24 Hours for the Lord."

This is especially a time to invite back to the Church those who have fallen away from the practice of the sacraments and are just waiting for the door of God's mercy to be opened for them.

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Pope Francis' appeal for "24 Hours for the Lord": "The Initiative of "24 Hours for the Lord," to be celebrated on the Friday and Saturday preceding the Fourth Week of Lent, should be implemented in every diocese. So many people, including young people, are returning to the Sacrament of Reconciliation; through this experience they are rediscovering a path back to the Lord, living a moment of intense prayer and finding meaning in their lives. Let us place the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the centre once more in such a way that it will enable people to touch the grandeur of God's mercy with their own hands. For every penitent, it will be a source of true interior peace" (Misericordiae Vultus n. 17).