By Evelyn Jock
In responds to the call by Rt. Rev. Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom during the opening of the Jubilee Year in St. Mary’s Cathedral on 29 December 2024 for all parishes to conduct their catechesis on the Jubilee Year, Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Simon Kontou conducted catechesis to the parish community on 24 February 2024. He explained that parishioners intending to go on a pilgrimage during this year should understand the origin of the Jubilee Year, what is indulgences and how do we gain indulgences during this sacred year.
Fr. Simon brought us back to the history of the Jubilee Year in the Book of Leviticus, Chapter 25. Jubilee comes from the Jewish word, “yobel” which is a ram’s horn, an instrument used to sound the beginning of the jubilee year during the time of the Israelites. The Jubilee Year used to be celebrated every 50 years and today it has been reduced to 25 years. It is a sacred year in God’s favour. This is a period of liberation from slavery, reconciliation, freedom from debts, land returned to families and restoration. The Catholic Church celebrated the year of jubilee in 1300 under the pontificate of Pope Boniface. People came to Rome to renew and deepened their faith.
The year 2025 has been named Jubilee Year by Pope Francis. This jubilee centers on the theme, Pilgrims of Hope, inviting us to renew our hope in Jesus Christ. We are also invited to go on a pilgrimage to Rome and cross the Holy Door, but because Rome is too far away for most of us, then we can go on a pilgrimage within our own parishes. St. Mary’s Cathedral has been designated as a pilgrimage centre during this Jubilee Year.
To receive graces during this particular year, there are certain responsibilities that we as pilgrims of hope need to know and perform, such as pray the rosary, carry out works of mercy and charity. Fr. Simon Kontou explained that before going on a pilgrimage, we should make our confession and be free of sins, receive indulgences not only for yourself but for others, receive communion, pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be. Indulgences is not a licence to sin but it encourages you not to sin. While on a pilgrimage, one must walk in silence, pray and reflect.
The Jubilee Year would not be possible if not for Pope Francis who proclaimed this year as a year of renewal and hope. He calls us to embrace hope in Christ in the face of global crisis and war. An inspiring sharing by Rev. Fr. Simon inviting us to understand the Jubilee Year’s history and be pilgrims of hope within our parish.