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What is Jubilee Year?
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.
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Pilgrims of Hope this EasterHappy Easter! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
We are called to be messengers of this Good News and pilgrims of hope this Easter season and throughout the Jubilee Year. We invite you, your family, and your faith communities to dive deeper into the Jubilee Year by checking out the video resources now available on the Jubilee page of the diocesan website. Listen to a homily from our own Bishop Jaime Soto on the Jubilee Year and learn from three great presenters (Fr. MauricioHurtado, Armando Cervantes, and Miriam Sammartino) on how to live out the three diocesan themes of the Jubilee: 1) To see God, 2) To be living stones in His temple, and 3) To unite creation in Christ.
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Pilgrims of Hope – Theme 1: To See God
Previously, we considered hope as something that we might feel as a passion or emotion. But hope is not just a feeling, but also a virtue, and along with faith and charity, it is one of the three theological virtues. The virtue of hope is a capacity in our soul that continuously reminds us of our future life in heaven. It is a habitual recognition that the promise of eternal life makes the daily obstacles of life seem surmountable. Hope is the reason why we continue to follow the Lord, even if we do not see him as the Apostles saw him. In one of his magnificent poems, St. Thomas Aquinas—playing on his own namesake, Thomas the Apostle—wrote, “I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see / But can plainly call thee Lord and God as he.” The hope to one day “see him as he is,” with the same hands and feet that were pierced for our salvation, strengthens us in our earthly trials until we see the Lord face to face.
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Pilgrims of Hope - Theme 2: To Be Living Stones in God’s Temple
As Pilgrims of Hope, we believe: together, we will be living stones in God’s temple. “Like living stones, let yourself be built into a spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5) The Lord compared Himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but which was made into the cornerstone - and upon this cornerstone the Church is built. (Lumen Gentium, no. 6) In Lumen Gentium, we are reminded that “the disciples of Christ, persevering in prayer and praising God, should present themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”. We must “bear witness to Christ and given an answer to those who seek an account of that hope of eternal life which is in them”. (Lumen Gentium, no. 10) The spiritual house of God is a building designed for His glory, and we, the living stones, glorify the Lord in all we do (1 Cor. 10:31, Lumen Gentium, no 10). The baptized have become “living stones” to be “built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood” (1 Pt. 2:9). As living stones, our belief and faithfulness to Christ is strong, firm and not easily moved. To be a “living stone” is to be a “speaker of praise, a declarer of truth and love and light” (1 Cor. 10:31, CCC, no. 1268). By baptism, we “share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal mission”. We must bear witness to Christ and give an answer to those who seek an account of that hope of eternal life that is within them”. (Lumen Gentium, no. 10) Written by Bishop Soto, Jubilee on the diocesan themes for the Jubilee Year. For further reflections on theme 2, please visit www.scd.org/Jubilee2025
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Jubilee 2025 Litany of Hope
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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!
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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!
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Official Jubilee Prayer
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.
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Message From Father EricDear Parishioners,As we continue the Jubilee Year of 2025 Pilgrims of Hope, which I have mentioned a few times in my homilies and at Mass, our Most Reverend Bishop, Jaime Soto, has designated 12 parishes of our Diocese as Pilgrimage Sites for the Jubilee Year. There are brochures and stickers in the back of the church or in the lobby for those who wish to visit the designated sites. The brochure has a letter from Bishop Soto, a map, and more information about the Jubilee Year. The brochure also includes three themes for reflection for the Jubilee Year: to See God, should be reflected on Jan-Mar; To Be Living Stones, should be reflected on Apr.-Jun; and Unite Creation in Christ, should be reflected on Jul-Sept. You can obtain free PDF copies on our Diocesan website of the three themes, HERE. The Bishop has encouraged our entire parish to participate for reflection on the three themes from our parish staff, parish councils, prayer (Bible Study) and catechetical groups, school faculty, and parish and school families.So, please be sure to take a brochure to see how you or your family can prayerfully be involved throughout the Jubilee Year even without doing the Pilgrimage. If you do go on the pilgrimage you can earn partial and plenary indulgences. ( A plenary indulgence is granted by visiting a pilgrimage site and praying the Apostles Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Jubilee Prayer, remembering the intentions of the Holy Father, going to confession, and receiving Holy Communion at mass. One also receives an indulgence by practicing the works of mercy along with prayer, confession, and the reception of Holy Communion at MaSS.)In the coming months, I will announce a date and time in which I will celebrate a special Mass for the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope at St. Joseph.On Ash Wednesday, we will hang the banner for 24 Hours for the Lord. One of our parishes in our deanery will have a special 24 Hours for the Lord, which will be for our Lenten Penance Service for 2025, for St. Joseph, Our Lady of Mercy, Sacred Heart Anderson, and Sacred Heart, Red Bluff.I will continue to offer updates on our parish jubilee activities and liturgical services.Peace of Christ,Fr. Eric
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Nine ways to live the Jubilee Year
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.
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IndulgencesA plenary Indulgence is granted by visiting a pilgrimage site and praying the Apostles Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Jubilee Year Prayer remembering the intentions of the Holy Father, going to confession, and receiving Holy Communion at Mass.
One also receives an indulgence by practicing the works of mercy along with prayer, confession, and the reception of Holy Communion at Mass.
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