This is a special moment. We are celebrating a Jubilee. It is when the Holy doorway, the Porta Sancta of each of the four major Basilicas in Rome are opened. This happens every 25 years. The last jubilee these doorways were opened was for the turn of the Millenium 2000. For this jubilee year the Holy Father in Rome, Pope Francis, invites the world and the faithful into a Pilgamage of Hope.

Our Lent 2025 theme is Journey of Hope: Patient Trust in the Light of Christ. It draws inspiration from this year’s Jubilee theme Pilgrimage of Hope.  A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred and holy place.  Our journey of faith and our Lenten journey can be looked at as a pilgrimage.

This year we chose a piece of art from the artist John August Swanson called Festival of Light. Notice the year this art was created. Here are some thoughts from John August Swanson about this particular piece: 

I thought about liturgical processions I had seen. I remembered walking with groups in candlelight for peace in Central America. The symbol of candles shining in the dark night is powerful to me. Star-filled nights are images that help give me a sense of the place we are in the universe.

My original thought was that this would be a procession of children from every city and town. The children would bring light and peace to the world. They would gather from many places, joining an unending procession towards peace and nonviolence for all children of the world.

This piece evokes this idea of pilgrimage, movement and light.  All of us are on the journey of faith, a pilgrimage that began in the waters of baptism when Grace was poured out, when we were blessed, clothed, anointed and given the light of Christ.

This Lent we invite you into a Journey of Hope:

A jubilee pilgrimage through the doorways of our faith and a time of renewal, prayer, patient trust and hope in Christ. 

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