CNS photo/Jean Parietti, Northwest Catholic magazine

ATLANTA—Following are some of the parishes in the archdiocese offering “24 Hours for the Lord” on Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5, as part of the Year of Mercy observances. Pope Francis, in announcing the jubilee year, requested that these two days preceding the Fourth Week of Lent should offer special opportunities for people, including young people, to return to the sacrament of reconciliation and experience God’s mercy and interior peace.

Please check with your local parish as additional prayer and reconciliation times may be available.

Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta

The Festival of Forgiveness, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, will begin on Friday, March 4, with Mass in St. Mary’s Chapel at 8:30 a.m. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be held from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. in the chapel. At 5:15 p.m. Stations of the Cross will be prayed. Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Adoration will then continue from 6:30 p.m. overnight to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5.

The sacrament of penance will be offered every hour, on the hour, on Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition, on every Sunday during the Holy Year of Mercy, Holy Spirit Church will offer adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as the sacrament of penance, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Holy Spirit is located at 4465 Northside Drive, NW, Atlanta. For more information, call 404-252-4513 or visit www.hsccatl.com.

Holy Cross Church, Atlanta

Holy Cross Church will offer 24 Hours of Prayer in the main sanctuary, beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 4, to celebrate this special time requested by Pope Francis. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will take place all day and all night at the church, concluding with Mass on Saturday morning, March 5, at 9:15 a.m. where the sacrament of the anointing of the sick will be offered. Multiple opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation will be provided on Friday, March 4, including from 11 a.m.-12 noon, from 4-5:15 p.m., and from 8:30-10 p.m. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed in English at 3 p.m. and in Spanish at 8:15 p.m. Mass will be celebrated in Spanish at 7 p.m. followed by the Stations of the Cross. An hour of praise will be held from 10:30-11:30 p.m. Holy Cross is located at 3773 Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta. For more information, call 770-939-3501.

St. Andrew Church, Roswell

St. Andrew Church will hold continuous adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 4, to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. The sacrament of reconciliation will be offered on Friday evening, March 4, from 7-9 p.m. with confessors available to hear confessions in English and Spanish. The sacrament of reconciliation will be offered on Saturday, March 5, from 9-11 a.m., from 1-3 p.m. and from 3:15-4:15 p.m. The vigil Mass will be celebrated at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday. St. Andrew Church is located at 675 Riverside Road, Roswell. For more information, call  770-641-9720 or visit www.standrewcatholic.org.

St. Ann Church, Marietta

St. Ann Church will begin “24 Hours for the Lord” with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament following the 9 a.m. Mass on Friday, March 4. The sacrament of reconciliation will be offered in the reconciliation rooms of the church following Mass until 10 a.m. and then from 12 noon-1 p.m., 3-4 p.m. and 6-7 p.m. Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 7 p.m. in the church with the Blessed Sacrament exposed. Adoration will continue throughout the night until 8 a.m. Saturday when Benediction will be held to conclude the 24-hour period. The church is located at 4905 Roswell Road, Marietta. For information, call 770-552-6400 or visit st-ann.org.

St. Brigid Church, Johns Creek

To mark “24 Hours of Mercy” beginning at 9 a.m., Friday, March 4, through 10 a.m. Saturday, March 5, St. Brigid will offer exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament overnight in the chapel, concluding with Mass and anointing of the sick at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, followed by the opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Visiting priests will be available to hear confessions. On Friday, there will be special events throughout the day, including three teachings on mercy at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Stations of the Cross, a living rosary, a Holy Hour with Divine Mercy devotion, and solemn vespers. St. Brigid is located at 3400 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek. For more information, call the parish at 678-393-0060 or visit www.saintbrigid.org.

St. Joseph Church, Marietta

St. Joseph Church will pray Stations of the Cross at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 4, followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the night. A rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed every hour on the hour. The sacrament of confession will be offered from 6 p.m. until midnight on Friday, March 4, and every hour on the hour on Saturday, March 5, from 9 a.m. until the 4 p.m. vigil Mass. On Saturday, morning prayer will be prayed at 7:30 a.m., Mass will be celebrated at 8 a.m. and from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. prayer will offered every hour on the hour. The church is located at 87 Lacy St., NW, Marietta. For information, call 770-422-5633 or visit saintjosephcc.org.

St. Paul of the Cross Church, Atlanta

St. Paul of the Cross Church will begin “24 Hours for the Lord” with noon Mass, on first Friday, March 4, followed by exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Throughout the day there will be time for quiet prayer and Stations of the Cross will be prayed in English at 3 p.m. and the “Via Crucis” will be prayed in Spanish at 7 p.m. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be held at 8 p.m.

On Saturday, March 5, 9 a.m. morning Mass will be followed again by exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until the 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass. At 2 p.m. a Holy Hour of Reparation will be held. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, a parish Lenten celebration of the sacrament of penance will begin and will offer individuals the opportunity to have their confessions heard. The church is located at 551 Harwell Road, NW, Atlanta. For information, call 404-696-6704 or visit saintpaulofthecross.org.

St. Pius X Church, Conyers

St. Pius X Church in Conyers will offer the sacrament of reconciliation from noon-2 p.m. on Friday, March 4. First Friday Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. and continuous adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will begin following Mass and continue throughout the night. At 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, Mass will be celebrated and then adoration will be held from 9-11 a.m. Benediction will conclude the “24 Hours for the Lord” at 11 a.m. The church is located at 2621 Highway 20, SE, Conyers. For more information, call 770-483-3660 or visit www.spxconyers.com.

Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta

On Friday, March 4, at 6 p.m., following Mass at 5:30 p.m. in the D’Youville Chapel, Deacon Gerald Zukauckas will lead a special program on the Jubilee Year of Mercy and the Divine Mercy prayer service.

On Saturday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. the Cathedral Choir will present a one-hour program of music and “illuminations,” entitled “Mary, Mother of Mercy: Meditations on the Blessed Virgin Mary,” inspired by the Year of Mercy. The program will include Marian texts, art and music. A donation of $10 is suggested. The cathedral is located at 2699 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. For more information, contact the parish at 404-233-2145.

Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta

Our Lady of the Assumption Church will be open for prayer and meditation throughout the day on Friday, March 4, concluding with a special series of reflections on mercy during the Stations of the Cross. Mass will be celebrated at 7:30 a.m. At 7:30 p.m. the stations will be held, using reflections on mercy by Pope Francis at each station as the community is “Praying the Stations of Mercy with Pope Francis.” Our Lady of the Assumption Church is located at 1350 Hearst Drive, Atlanta. For more information, contact 404-261-7181 or visit www.olachurch.org.