01/08/2025
FROM THE PASTOR
January 5, 2025
Dear Parishioners,
Pope Francis inaugurated a Jubilee Year at Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica when he opened the Holy Doors. Last Sunday Archbishop Gustavo held an Opening Liturgy celebrating the Jubilee Year at San Fernando Cathedral. A Jubilee is a special year of prayer and a time for forgiveness, reconciliation, and pilgrimage and is part of the Catholic tradition.
Jubilees ordinarily take place every 25 years.
The theme of Jubilee 2025 is PILGRIMS OF HOPE. We are all encouraged to participate, either by going on pilgrimage to Rome or in our archdiocese. Millions of pilgrims are expected to travel to Rome to walk through the Holy Doors and participate in Jubilee events.
I hope that, as a parish, we will also go on a mini-pilgrimage to either the Shrine of the Little Flower or San Fernando Cathedral.
During the year themes suggested by Pope Francis will be marked locally. For example, on Sunday, February 23, we will pray for our Deacons and reflect on their ministry. On Sunday, March 9th, we will bring to our attention and pray for Voluntary Workers, while on Friday, March 28th, we will have 24 Hours for the Lord with an invitation to have a day’s retreat and to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
In announcing the Jubilee Pope Francis wrote: “In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future will bring.”
Expressing his desire that the Jubilee might be “an opportunity for us to be renewed in hope,” Pope Francis recalled that pilgrimage is “a fundamental event of every Jubilee,” traditionally associated with the human quest for the meaning of life. In particular, he invited all the particular churches throughout the world to prepare priests and the faithful for Sacramental Confession, which should be readily available throughout the year.
Recalling that 2025 is the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, that of Nicaea, Pope Francis urged expressions of synodality, and renewed efforts to further Christian unity. He appealed especially for progress to be made toward a common celebration of Easter, noting that in 2025, providentially, all Christians will celebrate the Paschal mystery on the same date.
Let’s avail of the opportunity to grow in hope this Jubilee provides. Maybe it would be a good idea to recite a prayer of Hope before each Mass? Faith groups please dive into reflections on and conversations about hope.
There are three things that last: faith, hope and love.
Fr. Neville O’Donohue, SM
Pastor
Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Today's Catholic Newspaper, News & Media Website, San Antonio, TX.
