In 2025, we are celebrating the regular Jubilee of the Church, proclaimed by Pope Francis, with the theme of ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
Sisters Marie So-Wha and Marie Prabha, who are in charge of the Global Network theme and technology in the General Government, and Sister Marie Joanne, who works as the Congregational webmaster, had the pleasure of attending the first of the Jubilee events, the ‘Jubilee for the World of Communications’.
On January 24, the Basilica of St. John Lateran hosted a welcome, penitential liturgy, and inaugural Mass. The penitential liturgy was held with the relics of the saint Francis de Sales, patron saint of Journalists and writers, on the altar. A beautiful hymn was performed as a liturgy of the word, followed by time for individual confessions. After that, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome, celebrated the inaugural Mass.
The next morning, the 25th, we headed to the Vatican. The pilgrimage to the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Peter began at the Piazza Pia, at the end of the Via Conciliazione. There was a prayer form prepared for us to follow as we walked Via della Conciliazione to the Holy Door of the Basilica. Except for the three of us, everyone else was a stranger to each other, but we prayed with one heart and one voice as we walked.
We were then guided to the Paul VI Audience Hall. The hall was filled with people from 138 countries. The first speech by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa was short but powerful and resonated deeply with us. This was followed by a lecture by world-renowned author Colum McCann. Then came an audience with Pope Francis. The Pope cited St. John the Baptist, the “great prophet of hope,” as an example and urged us to “make this Jubilee an opportunity to renew our faith and practice fraternity.”
On the 26th, the last day of the World Communication Jubilee event, the Sunday Mass of the Word of God, presided over by Pope Francis, was celebrated at the Basilica of St. Peter. During the Mass, the Pope conferred the ministry of Lector on 40 lay people from 11 countries.
We hope that each of us, as communicators of this era, becomes ‘pilgrims of hope who put their hope in the Word of God’ and communicates closely with God, this world, the community, and ourselves.
by Dreamhost