FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01, 2023
Team Herald
MARGAO: Along with churches in India, the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman will inaugurate the Preparations of the Jubilee 2025, on 26 November 2023, Solemnity of Christ the King, at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa. The Jubilee marks 2025 years of the birth of Jesus Christ.
“Since the Jubilee preparations coincide with the preparation for the Solemn Exposition of the Sacred Relics of the St. Francis Xavier, our focus will be on both these events,” said the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, on Friday.
“Integrating the synodal journey, and responding to the invitation of the Holy Father,the Church in India, desires to inaugurate the preparations for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), in its circular dated 26th September, requested to inaugurate the Preparations for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025 in each of the Dioceses on Sunday, 26th November 2023, the Solemnity of Christ the King,” said the Archdiocese.
“Our Diocesan event will take place in front of the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa at 3.30 p.m., the second day of the novena in honour of St. Francis Xavier,” the Archdiocese added.
The Main Coordinating Team for the Synod 2023-24 (MCTS) has been assigned the ministry of animating all the activities related to Jubilee 2025.
“The Jubilee 2025 invites us to ‘remember’ God, to ‘review’ our relation to God and God’s Church, and to ‘restore’ our relationships with God and God’s people. Celebration of Jesus, Church, and the faithful will only happen in the context of the synodal journey in communion, mission, and participation,” said the Archdiocese.
The motto of the celebrations of Ordinary Jubilee 2025 is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
“The Holy Father Pope Francis underscores the importance of hope in Christian life amidst uncertainties and hardships created by the pandemic and wars. Learn, Pray, and Walk – these are the three words that we need to remember as we journey together,” said the Archdiocese.
In the preparatory year (2023-2024), the church shall promote the study of the Four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council: Sacrosanctum Concilium, Dei Verbum, Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes to understand the general themes of the Council, and to explore Jesus, the Church, and Christian living in the world today.
The Dicastery of Evangelization has brought forth 35 booklets giving background information to the Second Vatican Council and to the Four Constitutions.
In the year of prayer, the faithful have been called upon to pray with the Universal Church, in the Local Churches, for the entire humanity. The Church shall reflect on prayer in Christian life, sacraments, sacramentals, pious practices, and popular devotions as well. The Dicastery has published 9 notebooks on prayer.
“In 2025, all faithful will be invited to walk the Jubilee Doors in Rome making a pilgrimage to the Four Basilicas as well to undertake similar pursuit in our Archdiocese of Goa and Daman as per the guidance given by our Archbishop,” said the Archdiocese.
“The faithful are also invited to enter the doors for hope, lighting a ray of hope in prisons, homes for the elderly, the dying and the destitute, the hospitals, the migrants, the marginalised, etc. The Ordinary Jubilee 2025, an integral part of the synodal journey, invites us to be pilgrims of hope, givers of hope, and livers of hope,” the Archdiocese concluded.
