The Holy Father Pope Francis has announced that 2025 will be a Jubilee Year, something which happens every 25 years. The theme for Jubilee 2025 is “Pilgrims of Hope.” What is a Jubilee Year? A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on the spiritual life. In the Hebrew tradition, as recorded in Leviticus, a Jubilee was celebrated every 50 years with the freeing of slaves and the forgiveness of debts. In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee, and since then the Church has designated each new Jubilee as a special year of grace and forgiveness, offering the faithful an opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. 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; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope. This will indeed be the case if we are capable of recovering a sense of universal fraternity and refuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty that prevents millions of men, women, young people and children from living in a manner worthy of our human dignity.” – Pope Francis, Letter for the Promotion of the New Evangelization for the Jubilee 2025 The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Doors of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father and will end in Rome on January 6, 2026. Jubilee Year 2025 in the Diocese of Fall River On Sunday, December 29, in union with bishops throughout the world, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., celebrated a special Mass in St. Mary’s Cathedral to open the diocesan observance of the Jubilee Year 2025. Jubilee Year Pilgrimage With the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” the Jubilee Year invites the faithful to go on a pilgrimage to enhance one’s faith journey and will offer opportunities for reconciliation, indulgences, and other events intended to strengthen and revive faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “Pilgrimages evoke our earthly journey toward heaven and are traditionally very special occasions for renewal in prayer.”(CCC 2691) Pilgrims across the Diocese of Fall River are invited to travel to Vatican City to pass through the Holy Doors of the Jubilee, but they are also invited to answer the call of the Holy Father to participate in a pilgrimage close to home. For those seeking a local pilgrimage, Bishop da Cunha has named pilgrimage sites throughout the Diocese of Fall River, where the faithful can pray and unite themselves with all pilgrims. They are as follows: Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption327 Second St., Fall River, MA 02721 National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette947 Park St., Attleboro, MA 02703 St. Francis Xavier Church347 South St., Hyannis, MA 02601 Our Lady of Mount Carmel ChurchCorner of Rivet and Bonney Sts., New Bedford, MA 02744 More information about Jubilee 2025 To pray and download the Prayer for Jubilee 2025, click here. To learn about the meaning of the logo for Jubilee 2025, click here. To listen to the Official Hymn for Jubilee 2025, lick here. Vatican Jubilee 2025 Site U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Jubilee 2025 Site
