By Evelyn Jock
The Jubilee Year is a universal Catholic celebration observed every 25 years, deeply rooted in the Old Testament traditions of liberation, restoration, and return. It is a sacred time of grace that calls the faithful to renewal, reconciliation, and deeper communion with God and with one another.
The Jubilee Year 2025, inaugurated by the late Pope Francis, officially began on 29 December 2024 with a solemn and grace-filled celebration at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sandakan. This historic occasion coincided with the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Priests, seminarians, and parishioners from across the diocese gathered as one pilgrim Church, symbolising unity, faith, and a shared desire to journey together under the Jubilee theme, “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Throughout the Jubilee Year, the faithful were invited to deepen their spiritual lives through catechesis, prayer, indulgences, and pilgrimages. St. Mary’s Cathedral was designated as the Jubilee pilgrimage site for the Diocese of Sandakan, becoming a place of profound encounters with God’s mercy, spiritual renewal, and reconciliation—both with God and among the faithful. During this sacred year, St. Mary’s Cathedral welcomed more than 3,000 pilgrims of all ages from the Dioceses of Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, and Sandakan. The Jubilee also drew pilgrims from Kuala Lumpur, Australia, and Germany, reflecting the universal nature of the Catholic Church. Some pilgrims undertook a prayerful pilgrim walk from St. Joseph’s Church to St. Mary’s Cathedral, including a climb up Marian Mount—also known as the Rosary Corridor, within the parish vicinity. This physical and spiritual journey became a powerful expression of faith, sacrifice, and hope.
After a full year of grace, the Church reached a meaningful threshold with the closing of the Jubilee Year 2025. On 28 December 2025, the Diocese of Sandakan, led by Rt. Rev. Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom, celebrated the solemn closing Mass of the Jubilee Year. Priests from various parishes, seminarians, local and outstation parishioners gathered for this significant occasion, which once again coincided worldwide with the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
In his homily, Bishop Julius reflected on the Holy Family as a model of Christian living. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, a simple yet holy family, lived in total obedience to God’s will. Forced to flee to Egypt, they experienced displacement in a foreign land, trusting firmly in God’s protection. Mary’s faith prevailed amid uncertainty, while Joseph relied on God’s guidance to lead his family to safety. What is truly extraordinary is that God chose an ordinary family as the instrument of salvation. Bishop Julius reminded the faithful that each of us may face “moments of Herod” in our lives, pressures from culture, work, or family responsibilities that can undermine our sense of the sacred. Yet faith calls us to trust in God’s providence and guidance, even when it leads us through inconvenient or challenging paths. He urged families to embrace their imperfections, recognising that it is within these realities that God’s grace and blessings are often revealed.
Bishop Julius emphasised the importance of prayer within the family, noting that when families pray together, they establish something powerful, something the world cannot give or explain. A genuine relationship with God enables authentic relationships with one another. Like the Holy Family of Nazareth, families today are called to cultivate sacred spaces amid chaos and uncertainty. Just as Mary and Joseph did in Egypt, we are invited to create homes rooted in faith, trust, and love. He further encouraged the faithful not to look inward alone, but to be attentive to those around them, especially the poor, immigrants, the homeless, and the lonely. While the Jubilee Year draws to a close, its fruits are meant to continue bearing life in the hearts of the faithful. By emulating the Holy Family, we are called to become bearers of hope through compassion, faith, and service. Like Joseph’s courage and Mary’s steadfast faith, we are invited to trust God even when the future is unclear, confident that He is walking with us and guiding our steps.
The Jubilee theme, “Hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5), served as a guiding light throughout the year, urging the faithful to journey toward Jesus, the source of our salvation. Inaugurated by Pope Francis, the Jubilee Year addressed global concerns and uncertainties, encouraging people everywhere to receive hope in times of suffering and to share God’s light with the world. Through participation in the Jubilee, many experienced spiritual renewal, forgiveness through indulgences, and a restored relationship with God.
The Jubilee Year also called the faithful to become witnesses of faith and hope, reminding them of their responsibility to care for God’s creation and to serve others through acts of kindness and charity—bringing hope to those most in need. As the Jubilee Year concludes, the Church gives thanks for the graces received and looks forward with hope to the next Jubilee, to be opened 25 years from now with a new theme. The Church is reminded that hope is not merely an abstract idea but a mission. The call to be Pilgrims of Hope continues beyond the Jubilee—lived out daily through compassion, solidarity, and unwavering faith.