Good evening, dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ.
The 2025 Jubilee which has the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope” will be a year of hope and trust for a world suffering in many ways. With the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica by our Holy Father Pope Francis on Christmas Eve, pilgrims may now pass through, seeking special graces by imploring God’s mercy and forgiveness.
In the BULL OF INDICTION OF THE ORDINARY JUBILEE OF THE YEAR 2025 Pope Francis says “My thoughts turn to all those pilgrims of hope who will 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.
So, in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, the:
- Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, KL
- Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Negeri Sembilan
- Jesus Caritas Church, KL
- Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Cheras, Selangor
- Church of St. Thomas in Kuantan, Pahang
have been designated as pilgrim churches for the Jubilee Year 2025.
Additionally, the Petaling District Pastoral Council agreed that all six churches in the district will open their doors to pilgrims over the course of the Jubilee year. So, on the 19th of February next year, the Senator for Petaling District, our dear Rev Fr George Harrison will celebrate mass at CDM and launch the Petaling District Pilgrims of Hope initiative. Pilgrims may experience the uniqueness of each parish through events, programs or activities catering to family life, environment, youth and human development, amongst others. The six churches will welcome pilgrims as follows:
- Church of the Divine Mercy – April to May
- Church of St. Thomas More – June
- St. Ignatius Church – July
- Church of the Assumption – August
- Church of St. Francis Xavier – September
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church – November to December 2025
During our pilgrimages, let us remind ourselves what we are called to do and are called to be – to give hope for the imprisoned, hope for the poor, hope for our youth, hope for an end to wars and strife, hope for an end to famine and destruction of society, hope for unity in our families, and especially for unconditional love and forgiveness.
In our own Church of the Divine Mercy, our Parish Priest together with the Parish Pastoral Council and all ministries in the Parish Coordinating Council and BECCOT will plan programmes and activities that will build upon the outcomes of our Parish Pastoral Assembly, and whilst emphasizing on the theme “Celebrating, Listening and Walking as Pilgrims of Hope”, we shall address issues and concerns with regard to the family, church, ecology and society. These four key thrusts will be our priorities in the next years to come and our Parish Priest and Parish Pastoral Council will lay out a plan soon. So kindly look out for the details in the weeks that will follow.
In the Bull of Indiction, Pope Francis says “In our journey towards the Jubilee, let us return to Scripture and realize that it speaks to us and encourages us to never lose the hope we have been given, to hold fast to that hope, and to find in God our refuge and our strength”.
Thank you and may God Bless all of us.
Dionysius Sharma, PPC Chairman