Molly Fernandes
Almost a month, since the Holy Doors were opened. Yes, Pope Francis delivered “Spes Non Confundit,” (“Hope Does Not Disappoint”) papal bull on May 9, 2024 in front of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. This decree states that the year 2025 will be a year of Jubilee. The doors were opened on Dec. 24, 2024, and will be closed on Jan. 6, 2026.
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The theme is centered around pilgrimage, as Francis states “travel to Rome in order to experience the Holy Year and to all those others who, though unable to visit the city of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will celebrate it in their local Churches.”
A jubilee year is also known as a “Holy year”, a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. It is a time of spiritual renewal, pilgrimage, and reconciliation that occurs every 25 years.
The concept is rooted in the biblical tradition found in the Old Testament, where a jubilee year occurred every 50 years, and was marked by the forgiveness of debts, liberation of slaves, and the return of land to its original owners. The occasion is set by counting off “seven Sabbaths of years,” or seven times seven years. The fiftieth year, then, is to be the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-10). Its purpose was to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. Christian Jubilee formally began in the Roman Catholic church in 1300, instituted by Pope Boniface VIII.
The Jubilee Year invites everyone to an intense experience of God’s love. One of the special signs of the Jubilee Year is the granting of indulgences to the faithful – a priceless gift of God’s mercy. On May 13, 2024, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, the head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, issued a decree providing Catholics with the opportunity to gain indulgences.
A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin. The indulgence applies to sins already forgiven. A plenary indulgence cleanses the soul as if the person had just been baptised. Despite the rule that only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day, the faithful who have carried out an act of charity on behalf of the souls in Purgatory, if they receive Holy Communion a second time that day, can obtain the plenary indulgence twice on the same day, applicable only to the deceased (this must take place within the Eucharistic celebration).
To obtain an indulgence, one has to have detachment from all sin; sacramental confession and Holy Communion; and pray for the intentions of the Pope. These three conditions can be fulfilled a few days before or after performing the works to gain the indulgence, but it is appropriate that Communion and the prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed.
A single sacramental confession is sufficient for several plenary indulgences, but frequent sacramental confession is encouraged in order to obtain the grace of deeper conversion and purity of heart. For each plenary indulgence that is sought, however, a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father are required.
In Goa, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman inaugurated the Jubilee Year on 29 December 2025, at Se Cathedral Old Goa, urging Catholics to embrace the year as a time of spiritual renewal and growth.
The Catholics in Goa can gain indulgence by entering the doors of one of the three Parishes: St Jerome’s Church, Mapusa, Se Cathedral, Old Goa and Holy Spirit Church, Margao. So, during this year, let us nurture the hope and love that is placed into our hearts, gain indulgences and reignite the flame of our faith in our own hearts and share the light of that faith with those in darkness.
