Hope in the Lord! Hold firm, take heart!
A new year, 2025, has dawned, and with it the sun has risen over a Jubilee Year in the Church. Jubilee 2025, where we are called to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, ‘Manene o te Tumanako’.
In what is known as a Papal Bull (document of proclamation), ‘Spes non confundit; Hope does not disappoint’, Pope Francis wrote, “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.”
The flame of faith… help everyone to gain new strength… looking to the future with an open spirit… a trusting heart… and far-sighted vision. These words are not only aspirational, but they are also an antidote to how we may look at the state of our country or the world. An antidote to how we may feel as we read articles or watch or listen to news clips.
We enter a year in which we will be settled at home in our Cathedral church. With some final works to be completed on the structure and the joy of enlivening our life as a parish family and as a home for all in the Archdiocese.
The Jubilee logo presents us with the cross of Christ, both sail and anchor, which guides and directs us in life, the anchor a universal symbol of hope. The four figures represent humanity from the four corners of the world, embracing each other, illustrating the solidarity between the peoples and the hope we receive when we embrace Christ. The rough sea, a reminder that there are difficulties in the life of pilgrimage. Personal and world events press upon us, demanding a greater hope. In this Year of Jubilee 2025 we journey not alone, rather we are together on a pilgrimage, pilgrims of hope, following Christ our hope!
The Jubilee Year began on 24 December 2024 in Rome with Pope Francis opening the magnificent Holy Doors of St Peter’s Basilica. He also opened new Holy Doors in Rebbibia Prison underlining that all people can enter into Christ’s hope. Today, we in the Archdiocese celebrate the opening of the Jubilee Year and with Pope Francis we pray that the Jubilee “can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire.”
With prayers for the year, patrick
