A Jubilee Year is a significant period of celebration and forgiveness observed every 25 years in the Catholic Church. This sacred time provides a unique opportunity for spiritual renewal, where individuals and communities can reflect on their faith, seek forgiveness, and restore relationships. The essence of the Jubilee is rooted in the themes of mercy and hope, inviting everyone to partake in the grace of God and the joy of reconciliation. Pope Francis has called for a year of jubilee with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope” 
The Jubilee Years, referred to as Holy Years, commenced in the year 1300 AD and commemorate the significant jubilee of Israel. This period is characterized by the resting of the land and the cancellation of debts, during which God invites individuals to reconcile with one another and with Him.
 
In preparation of this significant event, Pope Francis has proclaimed a “Year of Prayer” leading up to the Jubilee in 2025. The faithful are invited to enter into a Year of Prayer to ensure that the Jubilee Year 2025 is a spiritually enriching experience for the Church.

The Jubilee Year will run from Tuesday 24 December 2024 to the Feast of Epiphany 2026. 
 
The 2025 Jubilee will officially open on December 24, 2024, at 19:00 with a Mass presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City. 
 
The rite of the Opening of the Holy Door will follow. For the faithful around the world, the local diocesan Masses are to be held on December 29, 2024. Save the date December 29th, 2024! The Archdiocese of Saint Boniface Local Mass will be at Saint Boniface Cathedrale at 15:00, on December 29th, 2024, presided by Archbishop Albert LeGatt, D.D. All are welcome! 

“TEACH US TO PRAY” 

As we move closer to the Jubilee of 2025, Pope Francis wants 2024 to be dedicated to prayer. Thus, he is inviting the whole Church to a time of intense commitment in preparation for the Opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s in Rome, on December 24. The Jubilee will involve not only the city of Rome, but will extend far beyond, as God’s mercy is proclaimed to the whole world, thus becoming a great opportunity for evangelization. As Christians, we are invited to bear witness as authentic “Pilgrims of Hope” walking toward the Lord, who opens his merciful and forgiving arms to us, as well as to our brothers and sisters who are still waiting for the Gospel to be proclaimed to them. Prepared by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, “Teach Us to Pray”, is a resource aide, inspired by the magisterium of Pope Francis, intended to be used by the faithful during this time of preparation for the opening of the Holy Door. It is an invitation to intensify prayer as a personal dialogue with God. 

• Pilgrimage
• Holy Door
• Reconciliation
• Prayer
• Liturgy
• Profession of Faith
• Indulgences

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

• Organize a Jubilee celebration
• Arrange talks on the Jubilee themes
• Designate times of Adoration, reconciliation, or create a Jubilee prayer-focus
• Implement a parish or school project during 2025
• Bless and serve your community

In addition to the regular Jubilees, the Catholic Church has occasionally proclaimed Extraordinary Jubilees, which are not tied to the 25-year cycle but are called for specific reasons. One was celebrated in 1933, for example, to mark the 1,900th anniversary of Christ’s resurrection. Another extraordinary Jubilee is planned for the year 2033, to commemorate the 2,000-year anniversary of Christ’s death and resurrection, as well as the descent of the Holy Spirit.