Goal: To deepen the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures among the faithful, to create an atmosphere of prayer and reflection on the Word of God, to encourage the practice of common and personal reading of the Bible.
10 suggestions for holding the Sunday of the Word of God in the parishes of the UGCC:
Prayerful reading of the Gospel of Mark in the parish
At the centre of the church, place an open Bible on a lectern. Open it to the Gospel of Mark.
Announce to the faithful that they can come up at a time convenient for them and read one or more passages verses. This can happen both at particular times (for example, after the Divine Liturgy) as well as at another random time (e.g. set hours or just an open church that day).
In the church, you can additionally enhance the atmosphere for listening, reflection and prayer (soft light, candles, the smell of incense, turn on quiet spiritual music).
Emphasize to the parishioners the importance of reading and meditation, inviting everyone to participate. Explain that this is both reading and prayer.
After reading each passage, you can offer a moment of silence for personal reflection.
The event should end with a joint prayer and an appeal to read the Bible regularly at home.
Deepening familiarity with the Bible
In the parish hall or some other space (preferably in a place where you can use a projector), hold a discussion about the Bible. To begin with, give a short presentation that will bring out some interesting facts about the Bible, explain what the Bible is, its structure, and also explain how to read and pray with the Holy Scriptures. Then it would be excellent to discuss and share with the faithful about their experiences (what they know about the Bible and how often and in what way they read the Holy Scriptures).
After this, you can have a joint reading of one of the passages of Holy Scripture, followed by a brief explanation of the text and offering answers to the questions of the faithful.
Prepare short quotes from the Bible in advance, printed on separate cards. Before or after the Divine Liturgy, each faithful receives one card with a biblical passage. The priest or catechist explains that this is an opportunity to reflect on the Word of God and share thoughts with others.
The faithful can be invited to discuss the meaning of the passages read in small groups (of family, friends), and then share their reflections or questions.
The faithful can also be invited to take the quiz game โBible Expertsโ and assess their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. The quiz consists of three levels of 10 questions, with the first level being the easiest, and the third requiring more in-depth knowledge. Each question has several multiple-choice options, with only one correct answer. After you have chosen one of the answers, the program shows the only correct one (in case your answer was incorrect).
There are several ways to play the quiz. One of them is to individually pick a category and level (there is a separate one for each level), or scan the QR code and complete all the tasks of each level. Or another option is to test yourself on your knowledge of the Holy Scriptures together with your family or parish community.
Using modern tools, in particular the Kahoot application, you can spend time in an interesting and informative way, and encourage the faithful to study the Holy Scriptures more thoroughly.
Prayerful reading of the Holy Scripture in a group setting
Prayerful reading of the Holy Scripture involves work in a small group (up to 20 people), it can be within the parish community or a family. Prayerful reading consists of preparation, three stages and the conclusion.
Usually, a passage from the Gospel is taken for consideration: either a paragraph or even several verses. After an attentive, thoughtful reading, the participants in the meeting choose the lines that most appealed to them and try to share with others what exactly struck them about these words, expressing their thoughts if desired. [It is important that the prayerful reading of the Holy Scripture meeting in the parish takes place under the guidance of a competent person โ a Pastor, a Sister or a Catechist, who is able to explain difficult-to-understand passages of the Holy Scripture and give good advice. The meeting begins and ends with a prayer together.
Such meetings inspire, unite and enrich, they are a good opportunity for communication. But the main thing is that listening to and reflecting on the Holy Scriptures focuses us on the desire to fulfill the Word of God in our everyday lives, to live by the Word of the Gospel.
If the prayerful reading of the Holy Scriptures is being held for the first time, it is worth having the leader talk about the importance of this practice for Christians and about the method itself.
Participants sit in a basic circle of any shape, with a candle (or lamp) is lit and the leader leads a prayer. The best is to the Holy Spirit (โHeavenly Kingโ, or โOur Fatherโ) or any other prayer, for example from the 1st hour: โO Christ, the true light, who enlightens and sanctifies everyone who comes into the world, mark us with the radiance of your countenance so that we may see the unapproachable light. Let our life be straight along the path of your commandments, through the prayers of your most pure mother and of all your saints. Amenโ.
1st stage of reading: โWhat impressed you the most?โ. The leader reads the selected passage of Holy Scripture for the first time. Then he invites those present to reflect: โLet us try to think for 2-3 minutes in silence about what impressed each of us the most from what was read: a word, a phrase or a sentenceโ.
2nd stage of reading: โWhat does God want to tell me?โ. It is advisable for the leader to ask one of the participants to read the same passage of Holy Scripture a second time. After the reading, the leader invites us to reflect again: โLet us reflect now in silence: what does the Lord God want to say to me now? โฆHere and now personally with this word or phrase that He spoke to me through the reading?โ
3rd stage of reading: โWhat do I want to say to God?โ. The leader instructs yet another participant to read the same passage of Holy Scripture a third time. Invitation to reflect: โWhat do I want to say to the Lord in response to His word to me?โ
Closing prayer
The leader concludes the meeting with a prayer. This can be a prayer that everyone knows (e.g. โHail Maryโ), or another prayer:
His in life, so that I may find my happiness in following Him and be, among the brothers and sisters with whom I live, a witness to Your Gospel of salvation. I ask You for this for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.โ
For those wishing to hold regular meetings for prayerful reading of the Holy Scripture, we offer appropriate programs developed by the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission (Ukr)
And, again, see some of the links in โ11. Summaryโ below (English)
Watching films on a biblical themes
Organizing a joint viewing of a film based on biblical stories or events, with subsequent discussion. Such a viewing will help visualize biblical events, better understand the cultural and historical context of the Holy Scriptures, and also promote emotional immersion in its message. This is especially useful for young people and those who are just starting to be interested in the Bible, because such an approach makes it more accessible and understandable.
It is important to choose a high-quality film that does not contradict the teachings of the Church. On the Internet you can find many offers of films on a biblical theme, for example:
We add links to films whose translation was carried out by the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission and the Catechetical and Pedagogical Institute of the Ukrainian Catholic University: โIn the Footsteps of Christโ, โPaulโ. They can be found at the link:
After watching, it is worth making time to invite participants to express themselves: what moments impressed them, what seemed incomprehensible, what lessons can be learned for their own lives. A priest or catechist can summarize the conversation by emphasizing the main idea of โโthe film in the light of faith. Then, participants can be encouraged to read the relevant biblical text at home and reflect on it.
Reading and discussing a book on a biblical theme
The format of reading and reflecting together on the texts of books creates an opportunity for spiritual growth, learning with others and deepening relationships between members of the parish community, discovering new aspects of the Word of God. For your attention, we offer the book by the famous Italian biblical scholar Giorgio Zevini โThe Bible โ Godโs โlove letterโ to peopleโ
You can organize reading and discussion of the book by Giorgio Zevini โThe Bible โ Godโs โlove letterโ to peopleโ in the parish as a series of meetings that combine in-depth familiarization with the text and joint reflection. This book, written by a famous biblical scholar, helps to discover the Bible as the living and relevant Word of God, which carries a message of love for every person. Its accessible style and deep content make it ideal for joint reading in a parish environment. You can get acquainted with the book by clicking on the link:
A more in-depth course for studying the Holy Scriptures
For those who wish to explore and better understand the Word of God, we offer to take the online course โIntroduction to Biblical Studiesโ. The course contains both certain informative aspects and an attempt at theological understanding of biblical issues, in order to encourage the student to further scientific work with the texts of the Holy Scripture.
The course provides general information about the Holy Scripture, its history and context of origin. The specifics of Godโs Revelation in history, its sources, the relationship between Scripture and Tradition are studied, followed by a presentation of theological issues: inspiration, truth and holiness of Scripture, the Canon of the Old and New Testaments.
The course is posted on the online platform of the Ukrainian Catholic University and is open to all who wish to grow in faith and prayer. To take the course, you can follow the link:
At the end of the Sunday of the Word of God, we encourage a joint discussion in the church or parish hall, inviting the faithful to share their impressions and thoughts.
This format will help involve parishioners in the life of the Church, teach them to practice reading and praying with the Holy Scriptures, and help build a vibrant parish community.
Introduction by Bishop Michael on the Occasion of the
Sunday of the Word of God
Dear Fathers, Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Christ is Born! Khrystos Rozhdayetsya!
In our Church, which draws its nourishing strength from the Holy Scriptures, we are called to reflect again and again on the importance of the Word of God in our lives. The Sunday of the Word of God is a special opportunity for all of us โ clergy, catechists, and faithful โ to discover for ourselves the richness and wisdom and holiness contained in Godโs Revelation.
Our Ukrainian Catholic Synod of Bishops encourages all the faithful to experience the Sunday of the Word of God in a special way. This is celebrated in our Church on the Sunday after Theophany, which this year falls on 12 January 2025. This day is a unique opportunity to remember that the Holy Scriptures are not just found in a great book that we read. They are the living and active Word through which the Lord speaks to each of us, guides us and reinforces us in the faith. โReading the Word of God, meditating on it and praying with it, we encounter Christ, come to know and accept Himโ (Message of the UGCC Synod of Bishops in 2018 โThe Word of God and Catechesisโ). His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of Our Church, notes the importance of the Word of God: โThe Lord God speaks to us through His Church, through life circumstances. However, a privileged moment of Godโs communication with man is when we read the Holy Scriptures. This Sunday after Theophany and Sunday of the Word of God, let us respond to this invitation, let us open up the Holy Scriptures and enter into the breath of the Kingdom of Heaven, into the light that wants to shine upon each of us todayโ (Homily of His Beatitude Sviatoslav on the Sunday after the Epiphany, the Sunday of the Word of God, 08.01.2024).
In addition, this year this Sunday is also an opportunity to worthily enter more deeply into the Jubilee Year of Hope by listening to the Word of God, its foundation and nourishment. In order to properly honour the Word of God on this day in our parishes, we offer 10 specific initiatives that will help revive a true love for the Holy Scriptures among the faithful. These proposals include common reading of the Bible, organizing thematic catechesis, involving children and youth through creative tasks and interactive activities.
Dear Fathers, I invite you to muster the zeal and faith to organize this celebration among your people. Dear faithful, I invite you to discover for yourselves the beauty of the Holy Scriptures, to allow the Lord to speak to you through His Word, and to share this message in your families and in your surroundings.
Our catechetical commission has provided some wonderful ideas and resources. Let us not panic, trying to implement everything on the Day of the Word of God, but let this be a starting point for making the Word of God a central part of our daily lives โ personally, in our families, and in our parishes! But may the Sunday of the Word of God become a time of renewal of our faith and a testimony of Godโs love for the world.
Decree On the Proclamation in the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster of JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE CHURCHES for the Jubilee Year of 2025
To the glory of the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-Giving, and Undivided Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pope Francis has proclaimed an Ordinary Jubilee Year of 2025 and has invited the all the faithful of the Church to take full advantage of this renewal of hope. Therefore, by the authority given to us, considering the norm of Canon 191, ยง1-2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, and taking into account the bull of Pope Francis Spes non confundit โ "Hope does not disappoint" (9 May 2024), Art. 6, 23, and the Norms of the Apostolic Penitentiary regarding indulgences for the Ordinary Jubilee Year of 2025 (13 May 2024), I am happy to PROCLAIM โข The Cathedral of the Holy Eucharist in New Westminster, โข The Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Kelowna, and โข Saint Michael the Archangel Church in Nanaimo, INDULGENCE CHURCHES As pilgrimage destinations at which the faithful may receive plenary indulgences every day of this Jubilee Year from December 29, 2024, to December 28, 2025
With great joy, we announce the opening of the "Jubilee Year of God 2025", a sacred time dedicated to renewal, unity, and experiencing Godโs boundless mercy. This special year invites us to deepen our faith, rediscover the transformative power of Godโs grace, and reflect on His eternal love for us.
The Jubilee Year will officially begin on Sunday, December 29, 2024, with a special ceremony led by our Bishop Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski at the Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster (501-4th Avenue). As part of this momentous occasion, the Cathedral, along with our churches in Kelowna (Dormition of the Mother of God, 1091 Coronation Avenue) and Nanaimo (St. Michael the Archangel, 4017 Victoria Avenue), will be designated as "Pilgrimage destinations", with their gates becoming the Jubilee Porta Sancta (Holy Doors). These doors symbolically represent the "Gates of Heaven", opened through Christโs death and resurrection, and invite us to leave behind our sins and step into Godโs heavenly reality even now on earth.
Throughout the Jubilee Year, we are encouraged to reflect on the Virgin Maryโs role as the "Doors of Mercy." Just as she opened her womb to bring the Savior into the world, she continues to open the gates of Divine Mercy to all who seek redemption and healing.
Eparchy of New Westminster
June 28-29: Eparchial Pilgrimage to Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Grindrod
Main Jubilee Year Pilgrimage Destination: Holy Eucharist Cathedral, New Westminster
Special Conditions and Graces
One of the greatest blessings of this Jubilee Year is the opportunity to receive a "Plenary Indulgence". This indulgence is a grace granted by the Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to cleanse the temporal consequences of sin.
To obtain this special grace, the faithful are encouraged to fulfill the following conditions:
1. Pilgrimage to a Designated Holy Site: Visit a pilgrimage church or shrine with the intention of experiencing spiritual renewal.
2. Sacramental Confession: Approach the Mystery of Penance to reconcile with God and receive forgiveness for sins.
3. Holy Communion: Worthily receive the Most Holy Eucharist to unite with Christ.
4. Prayer for the Popeโs Intentions: Pray for the successor of the Holy Apostle Peter, offering prayers for unity and the intentions of the Holy Father.
For those who cannot physically travel to a pilgrimage site due to illness or other circumstances, the Church invites them to take part in the spiritual movement of the Jubilee Year. They are encouraged to unite their sufferings with Christ, offer their daily prayers, and participate in the Eucharistic celebration, even from home.
Opportunities for Renewal
The Jubilee Year is more than a celebration; it is a journey of faith, sacrifice, and mercy.
This sacred time invites us to:
- Embrace the Sacraments: Recommit to regular participation in Confession and the Eucharist.
- Acts of Faith: Undertake personal or group pilgrimages as an act of devotion and spiritual growth.
- Pray for the Deceased: Offer prayers for the souls in purgatory, maintaining the bond of love between the Church on earth and the Church triumphant.
Let us take full advantage of the opportunities for spiritual renewal during this holy year. As pilgrims of hope, may we joyfully share our faith and become living witnesses of Godโs mercy.
May this Jubilee Year fill your hearts with peace, hope, and renewal. Together, let us walk through the Holy Doors and embrace the promise of eternal life.
To the Very Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Religious Sisters and Brothers, Seminarians and Laity of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada
Glory to Jesus Christ!
โHope does not disappoint us, because Godโs love
has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit who has been given to us.โ (Romans 5:5)
Dearly Beloved in Christ!
Pope Francis has declared 2025 to be aย Jubilee Yearย with the uplifting theme of โPilgrims of Hopeโ. This is surely a providential declaration as we see that the whole world certainly needs and hungers for a reason for hope and a new beginningย which is at the very heart of a โjubileeโ year. This is truly a very exciting time for us and the world in which we live!
The concept of a jubilee year is found in the Holy Scriptures from ancient times as a year of freedom and homecoming. On the fiftieth year the trumpet was to be sounded throughout the land, thus ushering in a time of renewal and forgiveness, (cf. Leviticus 25:9 ff) a time of reconciliation and honesty. It was a time to show due glory and gratitude to the Lord God Who grants us every blessing and grace. It was not just a special year, but a new beginning between rich and poor, weak and strong, as well as a reason for moving past fears and grudges held far too long.
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ directly alluded to the new beginning that a jubilee initiated when He shocked and inspired the people in His crowded hometown synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21). There He read the ancient Scriptures of the Prophet Isaiah Who foreshadowed an even more profound Jubilee at the coming of the Christ Who will free Israel from all oppression (Isaiah 58:6; 61:1 ff). When Jesus came, He proclaimed the Good News of faith and freedom that went far beyond the freeing ofslaves and captives and physical healing, and the alleviating of the material burden of the poor. He offered Himself as the only suitable sacrifice that released all from the slavery of sin and granted life eternal.
In this spirit of offering a fresh new beginning for all peoples of the earth, the Church revived the concept of a Jubilee year of favour back in the year 1300. Jubilee years were called for by the Popes of Rome to be held every 100 years, then 50 and even every 25 years. Circumstances sometimes disrupted the scheduling of a jubilee year. However, Jubilee years of grace and celebration were also declared for special occasions or anniversaries. Besides the 25-year intervals, Jubilee Years were also declared to commemorate the anniversary of Christโs saving passion, death and resurrection โ for example in 1933 and 1983. Our present Pope Francis declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the close of the Second Vatican Council. This coming year we have the joy of the first quarterly Jubilee of the 21st Century. We want to fully understand the opportunities that this year brings to have maximum benefit of the grace that it offers.
In the past, who were those most thrilled and relieved by the declaration of a Jubilee Year? Why, those who had fallen into bad times: those who had lost land or were about to lose it; those sold into slavery, and those who were surrounded by hopelessness.
It is much the same for a Jubilee Year declared by the Holy Father. He announces a new Jubilee Year, and we rejoice at a renewed chance for true conversion and great changes!
We begin with Confession and Holy Communion
Among the greatest treasures with which the Lord empowered the Church and thus gave the mandate to โgo and teach all peoplesโ (Matthew 28:19-20) and bring them into the fold of Christ โ are the Mysteriesโฆ i.e. the Sacraments. The โSacraments of Initiationโ and that of โPenanceโ are surely essential to our salvation and our ongoing strength and happiness throughout this life and onto life eternal. The Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation, we receive when we enter into the Church. By these mysteries we โput on Christ. Alleluia!โ The most awesome Mystery, that of the Holy Eucharist - the living body, blood and divinity of Christ - completes these Sacraments of initiation.[i] The Eucharist we may, and are encouraged to receive often as we make this earthly pilgrimage through life - even daily.[ii] Through the Holy Eucharist we are nourished and strengthened to live our own life in Christ, and fulfil our calling to Evangelize those around us. To receive the Holy Eucharist worthily and to simply maintain ourselves in the favour of the Lord, we also turn to the Mystery of Penance by which we are reconciled to our Lord through what we commonly call โConfessionโ.
These two Mysteries/Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion have a central role in the Jubilee Year. Perhaps as an encouragement, making a good Confession and receiving Holy Communion worthily are tied to receiving the Jubilee โplenary indulgenceโ.
A Sacrifice, An Offering, An Act of Faith
Becoming an authentic follower of Christ and then living the life of a follower, requires making a sacrifice (often an ongoing sacrifice) and actively witnessing to our faith.
Jesus very clearly spoke of the need to โdeny yourself, take up your cross and follow meโ (Matthew 16:24). It also sometimes means showing your faith, even when that seemingly poses a risk. The blind men shouting at the side of the road (Matthew 20:29-33), the woman touching the hem of His cloak (Mark 5:25-28), the many people who travelled far to Jesus in hope (Mark 3:7-10): all made the effort to come to Jesus, but also risked not receiving what they had hoped for. The Lord wants us to understand that we stand to receive much more than what we may hope for as did the paralytic whose friends wanted him to receive physical healing. Jesus granted him the much greater and eternal grace of forgiveness of his sins (Mark 2:5). When we make the effort to make our way to the Lord by a physical pilgrimage/journey and ultimately by an act of our hearts and souls, we will never go away empty handed. Again, an offering of time and prayer and a โpilgrimageโ of one kind or another are also linked to receiving a โplenary indulgenceโ for ourselves or for another.
The Jubilee Indulgence
One of the special graces of this Year of Hope involves what is known as a โPlenary (i.e. full or total) Indulgenceโ. This is certainly a longtime western tradition, but Eastern Catholics have also undertaken the practice as a unique impetus for prayer and personal renewal. The basic definition of this is, โa grace granted by the Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to make reparation in the event of temporal punishment for sinโ. This is how we understand it.
When we sin, we want to seek forgiveness as soon as possible. When we are forgiven, we are truly forgiven. However, there are always consequences for our sin. Damage, especially spiritual, has been done. We seek forgiveness for our sin through Confession - the Mystery of Penance. The Lord through His Church forgives us. However, the consequences remain and must be addressed. We will atone for those consequences in this life or in the next (cf. Purgatory) so that we may enter purified into the presence of God. The Church, by the authority given by Christ, calls for reparation for sin, encouraging all the faithful to observe some very important, but quite easily achievable conditions, to receive the Holy Sacraments of Penance and the Most Holy Eucharist. Also, crucial elements here are a Pilgrimage of Hope and prayer for the successor of the Holy Apostle Peter, who is called by Christ to be among the brothers a sign of Unity, because the Lord willed it so!
Praying for the Deceased
For the Lord, all his children are alive, and for the wandering Church it is important not only to maintain unity with the Church Triumphant but also with the Church suffering, where in prayer we maintain the bond of love between us,[iii] through the Holy Spirit. In his Jubilee declaration, Pope Francis more than once asks that we remember to pray for the souls who have departed from this earthly life.[iv]
Jubilee Pilgrimages
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, will officially open the Jubilee Year in Rome on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord โ 24 December 2024. After that Christmas celebration of Hope, eparchies and dioceses and shrines around the world will open the Jubilee Year locally on Sunday 29 December 2024. The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchies across Canada will join in this latter initiative with a Special Divine Liturgy at their respective Cathedrals.
Each of our Eparchies has a special Jubilee plan to allow and encourage all the faithful of each eparchy to fully enjoy the benefits of the Jubilee Year and to share the message of hope in many ways. These plans will continue to be developed over the year, so please check the eparchial websites.
The Archeparchy of Winnipeg
June 27: Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky Shrine at St. Joseph church, Annual Pilgrimage
July 12: Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olga - Praznyk
August 15-17: Immaculate Conception Church and Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes (Cooks Creek) - 71st Annual pilgrimage
Eparchy of Edmonton
June 22: Eparchial Pilgrimage to Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Mundare, Annual Vidpust
Travelling Miraculous Pilgrimage Icon โ Our Lady of Hoshiv, Basilian Monastery, Mundare; parish to parish in 2025.
โAlways Our Parishionersโ Pastoral Initiative; weekly visits by local pastor and lay extraordinary Eucharistic ministers to sick and shut-ins.
Pilgrimage to Blessed Vasyl Shrine and other holy sites in Winnipeg
Eparchy of Toronto
Every Deanery will have a designated Pilgrimage Church so that the Faithful may easily travel to a nearby Jubilee site.
Eparchy of Saskatoon
June 14-15: CudworthPilgrimage, Our Lady Sorrows
September 13-14: Millenium Pro-Life Cross Pilgrimage
Eparchy of New Westminster
June 28-29: Eparchial Pilgrimage to Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Grindrod
Main Jubilee Year Pilgrimage Destination: Holy Eucharist Cathedral, New Westminster
โAll-Churchโ and International Events
There will certainly be more Jubilee Year events in each of the Eparchies, as well as Ukrainian Catholic events in Rome for the year. Throughout the year, our faithful will be participating in local, national and international events. There are already plans for members of our Church to travel to Rome for various special gatherings, including:
โข The Jubilee for Eastern Churches (May 12-14);
โข the Jubilee for Bishops (June 25),
โข Jubilee for the Ukrainian Catholic Church (June 28);
โข the Jubilee for Youth (July 28-August 3);
โข Jubilee for Catechists (September 26-27), etc.
The Jubilee Year Committee for our Ukrainian Catholic Church has posted information about several exciting events organized! Among them:
โข Online Encounter of Youth from around the World! (December 31);
โข The Word of God Day (January 12);
โข Catechism for Families (February 15);
โข World Jubilee Day for the Elderly (October 7);
โข Jubilee Week for Families (May 11-17); etc.
Those interested in participating in international events may contact their respective eparchial Chancery office and monitor the eparchial website for information.
The Jubilee is for Everyone
It must be clearly stated, that those whose health or other circumstances will not permit them to travel far to the major churches and shrines or even to nearby designated Jubilee sites should not be dismayed. Those individuals or families who cannot afford the travel or afford the time, should know that the Church wants them to experience the Lordโs mercy and obtain the grace of the Jubilee Year no less than anyone else. The Vatican Jubilee Year website (www.iubilaeum2025.va) and our Churchโs excellent website (https://ugcc.ua/iubilaeum2025) address this matter very succinctly: โ โThose who cannot make the Jubilee pilgrimage due to illness or other circumstances are nonetheless invited to take part in the spiritual movement that accompanies the Jubilee year, offering up the sufferings of their daily lives, and participating in the Eucharistic celebration.โ Even if making a pilgrimage is not possible, the other conditions for the Plenary Indulgence and a prayerful journey deeper into a life of faith with Jesus are doable. Speak with your parish priest. We believe that he will be happy to arrange something with you so that no one is left out of reach the gift of the Jubilee!
The Jubilee Year calls upon us to take full advantage of the opportunities provided for our own spiritual renewal. We are also called to become true Pilgrims of Hope for the world โ especially others around us who too are daily seeking a stronger and more vibrant faith. The Jubilee Year calls us out to do something for ourselves and for others by acts of mercy, indulgences, and joyfully sharing our hope and faith. This Jubilee can be a new, refreshing beginning for each of us and for our Church as a whole!
May we all have an amazing and fulfilling Jubilee Year!
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