Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope

Jubilee 2025
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has announced that 2025 will be the Jubilee Year. The theme for Jubilee 2025 is “Pilgrims of Hope.” Pope Francis has invited Catholics to renew our hope and discover a vision that can “restore access to the fruits of the earth to everyone.” We are also invited to rediscover a spirituality of God’s creation in which we understand ourselves as “pilgrims on the earth” rather than master of the world.
It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, not necessarily to go out of the country, but to the Churches designated by the local Church, such as the Diocese, in order to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew the focus of our spiritual life.
In Bruce-Grey, Formosa is our designated Church, one of the 5 Pilgrimage Churches designated by the Diocese of Hamilton.
In the Catholic Church, Jubilee Year, or Holy Year is a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation, in which people are invited to come back into right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation.
A Jubilee Year is now celebrated by the Church every 25 years. This was changed by Pope John Paul II. Prior to this change, it was every 50 years beginning back in 1470. A Pope can also proclaim an Extraordinary Jubilee, like the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015.
The Jubilee Year will officially open on December 24, 2024, at 7pm with a Mass presided by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. For local Churches in the world and in our Diocese and all parishes, the opening will be on December 28, 2024, the Feast of the Holy Family.
This Jubilee Year will conclude on the 6 of January, 2026.
How are we going to prepare for this Holy Year?
Pope Francis has asked that the preparation be marked in a particular way by rediscovering the teachings of Vatican II, in particular the 4 Constitutions, (Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy, Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, Constitution of Divine Revelation and Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.), and prayer.
You can also participate on an on-line discussion as provided by the Diocese of Hamilton. Just go to the Diocesan webpage, www.hamiltondiocese.com, find the link wherein you can register and join.
Now in our parish, just as we desire to make you well-inform for this Jubilee Year, we ordered copies of the study guide containing the 4 Dogmatic Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council. We strongly encourage our small prayer groups and religious organizations to please consider to discuss this as our preparation for this great event of the whole Catholic Church.
We will be providing whatever copies are requested for small prayer groups, for our religious organizations and individual study. Copies can be obtained at the back of the Church or the parish office, just ask.
Thank you!