By Zoebelle Bean, Catholic Editor
The 2025 Jubilee Year official signage – Photo by Aquinas College
The 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” has just begun with the declaration of Pope Francis and the opening of the Holy Doors to Saint Peter’s Basilica on December 24, 2024. Recognized in the Catholic community as the 25th liturgical Jubilee Year, the tradition is celebrated as a way of remembering this Jewish holiday from the Bible. This year, the Jubilee Year has been named “Pilgrims of Hope” to look to the future with certainty in restoring a climate of hope and trust, according to the inauguration of the Jubilee Year from Pope Francis.
As a way of educating the Aquinas community and heralding this new year on campus, Sister Barbara Reid gave a talk on “Pilgrims in Hope: A Biblical Reflection.”
Sr. Barbara presenting in Donnelly – Photo by Emily Klein
Ever since 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII announced the first Jubilee Year, the Catholic church has recognized this event roughly every 25 years by granting indulgences and supporting pilgrimages to the Holy Land during these years. “This tradition can be found in Leviticus 25,” Sr. Barbara said, “celebrated every 50 years so slaves could be freed, the land could lie fallow and uncultivated, seen in Deuteronomy 25, all lands sold could be redistributed and redeemed… and all slaves who were released could be treated humanely.”
The crowd was full of sisters, friars and students who found the talk to be foundational in their understanding of this new year. “I thought that Sr. Barbara Reid’s presentation was very enlightening,” junior Annalisa Maichele said. “I did not know much about the Jubilee Year and its historical significance and so that was very interesting to learn about. I also loved how she translated it into what we can do as a Church to celebrate the Jubilee in these modern times.”
According to Sr. Barbara’s talk, more recently, this joyful year has already arrived and become a permanent way of being with Jesus after his declaration in Luke 4:20: “He has sent me to proclaim…the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus’ ministry started with him proclaiming a Jubilee year, which means that the whole of Christian life should be driven by a spirit of joy.
“[The talk] was a lot about love; caring for the earth around us. Living in joy is such a beautiful thing and it is important because we are so loved and He is so merciful,” sophomore Emily Klein said.
The theme of Hope in this Jubilee Year is meant to inspire justice and mercy across the globe. Pope Francis is asking everyone to allow themselves to be “mercied,” according to Sr. Barbara, because justice and mercy are not contradictory- they culminate in love.
“About Hope: we are speaking of a theological virtue, not of optimism or of normal human gutsiness,” Father Bob Keller, O.P., said. “Hope is infused by God, and it seems to me it consists of the overarching awareness of God being the ultimate cause of life and liberty.”
Sr. Barbara ended by inviting the crowd to internalize jubilee living. It invites everyone to rethink, radically, justice throughout the world and the idea of jubilation, so Catholics can live lives in joyful freedom.
The Saint 