Jubilee Year of Hope
Pope Francis has declared 2025 the Jubilee Year of Hope
The Holy Father has said that this is an "event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church." He wrote that it is to be “planned and celebrated with deep faith, lively hope and active charity”.
Please find below the news of local events in our Diocese of Cork and Ross...
Jubilee of Hope launched at Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne
The inclement weather did not dampen the spirits of those gathered for the diocesan launch of the Jubilee of Hope at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on Sunday, January 5th. Bishop Fintan, in solidarity with Pope Francis, and bishops worldwide, launched the Jubilee and called on the faithful to become "messengers of hope" in a troubled world.
In his homily, Bishop Fintan urged the faithful to renew their faith, rekindle their hope, and deepen their love for God and one another. He encouraged each one to become a "Pilgrim of Hope," bringing hope to those in need in our families, Parishes and Families of Parishes, and to the wider community.
“It is providential," said Bishop Fintan, "that our Year of Prayer, Listening, and Discernment which began last September, coincides with the Jubilee of Hope." He noted that both initiatives are rooted in the foundational hope brought by faith in Jesus, urging the faithful to embark on this year with hearts open to God’s direction.
Luan, Beatriz, Jessica, Monaliza, Valdenir(members of the Brazilian Community) with Bishop Fintan after the Jubilee Mass.
The Jubilee Year will be launched at the North Cathedral
(image by Paul O'Flynn)
Cork's Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne is the location for the launch of the Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Cork and Ross.
Bishop Fintan Gavin will be the principal celebrant at Mass at the Cathedral on Sunday Jan 5th at 11.30am.
The Jubilee Year was inaugurated by Pope Francis in Rome on Christmas Eve when he opened the Holy Door for the year.
Pope Francis has announced that the theme for the Jubilee Year is Hope.
"During the Holy Year," the Pope has prayed, "may the light of Christian hope illumine every man and woman, as a message of God’s love addressed to all! And may the Church bear faithful witness to this message in every part of the world!"
Each diocese around the world will host its own Jubilee Year events during the year.
Celebrating the Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Cork and Ross
The Diocese of Cork and Ross joins the universal Church in celebrating the Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by Pope Francis with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope."
Rooted in the ancient biblical tradition of jubilees, this sacred year invites all Catholics to a time of pilgrimage, prayer, reconciliation, and spiritual renewal.
The Jubilee Year is a unique moment of grace in the life of the Church, occurring every 25 years. It is a time for the faithful to come together in unity, to reflect on God’s mercy, and to deepen our commitment to living as witnesses of Christ’s hope in the world.
What Does the Jubilee Year Mean for Us?
Pilgrims at Gougane Barra for the annual Gougane Sunday MassPhoto: Sheila Kelleher | Diocese of Cork and Ross
The Logo shows four stylized figures to indicate all of humanity from the four corners of the earth. They are each embracing another, indicating the solidarity and brotherhood that must unite peoples.
It should be noted that the first figure is clinging to the cross. The underlying waves are choppy to indicate that the pilgrimage of life is not always on calm waters. Oftentimes personal circumstances and world events call for a greater sense of hope. This is why the lower part of the Cross is elongated turning into an anchor, which dominates the movement of the waves.
As is well known, the anchor has often been used as a metaphor for hope. In fact, in maritime jargon, the hope anchor is the name given to the spare anchor, used by vessels for emergency manoeuvres to stabilize the ship during storms. It should be noted that the image shows how the pilgrim's journey is not individual, but rather communal, with the signs of a growing dynamism that moves more and more toward the Cross.
The Cross is by no means static, but it, too, is dynamic, bending toward and meeting humanity as if not to leave it alone, but rather offering the certainty of its presence and the reassurance of hope.
Finally, the Jubilee 2025 Motto, Peregrinantes in Spem (Pilgrims of Hope) is clearly visible in the colour green.
Jubilee Year 2025 LogoYear 2025
Jubilee Year of Hope
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