A Jubilee Year is a time in which God’s holiness transforms us. The Bible indicates that the holy year was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. In 1470, Pope Paul II declared that Holy Years would be celebrated every 25 years. Holy Year, or Jubilee Year, includes special celebrations and pilgrimages, strong calls for conversion and repentance, and special opportunities to experience God’s grace through the sacraments, especially confession.
Pope Francis had dedicated this Jubilee Year to “Pilgrims of Hope.”. In the heart of each person dwells the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite not knowing what the future may bring. This Jubilee Year is an opportunity to be renewed in hope, in the hope of “life everlasting.". Through our baptism, we are Pilgrims of Hope, opened to God’s grace, nourished by Jesus Christ, and accompanied by the Holy Spirit. On this journey anchored by unending hope, we patiently yearn to see God as he is, to be living stones transformed into spiritual houses, and to await with creation for God’s redemption. Throughout the Jubilee Year, Catholics in the Diocese of Sacramento are invited to live abundantly in hope, so that we may credibly bear attractive witness to the faith and love that dwell in our hearts, illuminating the hope of eternal life.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ hear us. Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
God, Our Heavenly Father, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Immaculate Mother of Hope—pray for us.
Saint Joseph, Patron and Protector of Steadfast Hope—pray for us.
All Holy Saints and Angels, Reflectors of Heavenly Hope—pray for us.
As pilgrims of hope, we pray... May this special Jubilee Year of grace fan the flame of hope that has been given to us...
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May each of us be given help to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and farsighted vision …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May this be a time contributing greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May we recover 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 …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May the many refugees forced to abandon their native lands be granted unwavering hope as they flee war, hunger, poverty, and persecution …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May the voices of the poor be heard throughout the Jubilee, which is meant to restore equitable access to the fruits of the earth to everyone …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May each of us embrace the calls for conversion in the fundamental aspects of our life in society as part of a coherent whole …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May all of us realize that we are pilgrims on this earth, which God has charged us to til and keep…
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May we never fail during our earthly sojourn to contemplate the beauty of creation and care for our common home as an expression of our faith in God and our obedience to His will …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May all believers celebrate this Jubilee Year with deep faith, lively hope, and active charity …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May this season of grace serve as a significant stimulus to the pastoral outreach of the particular Churches – both Latin and Eastern – to intensify their commitment to synodality …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May this Jubilee express and confirm the shared journey that the Church is called to make in order to be ever more fully a sign and instrument of unity in harmonious diversity …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May we foster a renewed awareness of the demands of the universal call to responsible participation by enhancing the charisms and ministries that the Holy Spirit never ceases to bestow for the building up of the one Church …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
May the pastoral vision of the Second Vatican Council, together with the Magisterium of these recent decades, continue to provide direction and guidance to God’s holy people, so that it can press forward in its mission of bringing the joyful proclamation of the Gospel to everyone …
*Lord Jesus, be our hope!
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and
the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and
peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.
Amen.
1. Pray the Jubilee Prayer.
2. Visit and pray at the pilgrimage sites.
3. Reflect on the Diocesan Themes and share your thoughts with others.
4. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the 24 Hours for the Lord, and more frequently throughout the year.
5. Research the Patron Saint of your parish or school. Who were they? How were they a pilgrim of hope? Share one of their quotes or teachings on social media.
6. Share stories of hope with someone in person or on social media.
7. Invite a family from the parish who you don’t know well to dinner in your home.
8. Take a hike with your family and spend some time along the way in prayer, thanking God for all He has created and all the blessings He has given to us.
9. Attend Jubilee days and events on the calendar and invite someone to join you.
One also receives an indulgence by practicing the works of mercy along with prayer, confession, and the reception of Holy Communion at Mass.