The Holy Year of Hope 24 December 2024 – 23 December 2025

The Holy Year of Hope 24 December 2024 - 23 December 2025

On 24 December 2024, Pope Francis inaugurated the Holy Year of Hope when he opened the door of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. On Sunday 29 December, Bishop Alan inaugurated the Holy Year in the diocese during the 11.30am Mass at the Cathedral. He also issued a pastoral letter (see here).

Catholics can receive the special grace known as a plenary indulgence during the Jubilee Year 2025 is by making a pilgrimage to one of the four major papal basilicas: St. Peter’s, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major or St. Paul Outside the Walls. As many Catholics will not be able to travel to these basilicas, provision is made by designating the local Cathedral and one or more local churches as places with Holy Doors. In our diocese these are our Cathedral of St Mary & St Helen, Brentwood, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, Clacton and our own St Antony of Padua, Forest Gate.

In addition to making the pilgrimage to a place with a Holy Door, a Jubilee Year plenary indulgence is obtained by praying, fasting, making a donation, or performing a work of mercy — always under the usual conditions of detachment from all sin, sacramental confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Pope.

Let’s pray that this Holy Year will be a year of grace for the whole Church.

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