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Year of Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope

WelCom November 2024

“…May the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus…” – Pope Francis, Spes non Confundit

Pope Francis has declared 2025 as a year of Jubilee with the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. In his February 2022 letter announcing the Jubilee 2025 the Holy Father stated: ‘We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire…’.

The Jubilee 2025 will offer the faithful opportunities to participate in various jubilee events at the Vatican and in their own dioceses. The tradition of opening the Holy Door will begin when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica on 24 December 2024. Other holy doors will be opened at the Rome basilicas of St John Lateran, St Mary Major and St Paul Outside the Walls. The Holy Doors, present in each of the four papal basilicas in Rome, are destination points for pilgrims who travel to Rome during a Jubilee and who pass through seeking special graces and God’s mercy. 

For pilgrims who cannot travel to Rome, bishops around the world are expected to designate their cathedrals or a popular Catholic shrine as special places of prayer for the Holy Year 2025, offering opportunities for reconciliation and other events to strengthen and revive faith.

Archdiocese of Wellington programme

Lucienne Hensel

The Jubilee Year of Hope is an opportunity to pause, make time for renewal and reconciliation, and enter more deeply into the mystery of the hope we have in Christ. Traditionally, the Jubilee Year is marked by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door at St Peter’s, while on pilgrimage in Rome. Few of us will travel that far, but all are invited to set out on pilgrimage, to cross boundaries and be open to a new experience of conversion. Our physical distance from Rome is no barrier to the abundant graces God offers us in this Jubilee Year, and several events and opportunities have been planned so that all may experience those graces.

A calendar of Jubilee events for the Archdiocese of Wellington, sent to parishes in September, is on our website. Key events, such as the opening of the Jubilee Yearon Sunday 26 January, will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral while others will be celebrated in parishes or other sacred sites. 

Pilgrimage is an important element of the Jubilee Year. Visiting our sacred sites helps us to dig deeper into our Catholic story, remember those on whose shoulders we stand and be inspired by their faith and courage. There are a number of sacred sites around the Archdiocese, such as Pukekaraka Hāto Mere Parish in Ōtaki, St Mary of the Angels National Shrine, Garin Chapel in Nelson and many more. Parishes are encouraged to identify any sacred sites within their geographical boundaries and organise local pilgrimages. A pilgrimage resource will be available early in 2025.

The worldwide ‘24 Hours for the Lord’ will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March. This event will bring Catholics around the globe together in Spirit to pray for signs of hope in our hearts, our families, our nations and our world. May we, in this Jubilee Year, become signs of hope for the world around us.

For more information, please visit wn.catholic.org.nz/jubilee-2025/ or contact Lucienne Hensel, pastoral ministry adviser, Church Mission, at l.hensel@wn.catholic.org.nz

Diocese of Palmerston North programme

The Diocese of Palmerston North is currently finalising their Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope programme. Details are expected to be advised to parishes and on the diocesan website this month. 

Towards the Jubilee

Pope Francis wants 2024 to be dedicated to prayer for the Jubilee of 2025. He invites the whole Church to a time of intense commitment in preparation for the Opening of the Holy Door on 24 December 2024. A prayer booklet can be downloaded from: tinyurl.com/Teach-us-to-Pray-booklet 

The Dicastery for Evangelisation’s 24-page booklet On the path towards the 2025 Jubilee: Useful Information can be downloaded from: tinyurl.com/Jubilee-Useful-Information

Further information about Jubilee events and materials are on the Vatican Jubilee 2025 website: iubilaeum2025.va/en.html and local diocesan websites. 

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