Chicagoland

Cardinal Cupich opens holy year in Archdiocese of Chicago

By Joyce Duriga | Editor
Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Cardinal Cupich opens holy year in Archdiocese of Chicago

Cardinal Cupich celebrated the opening Mass for the Jubilee Year of Hope at Holy Name Cathedral on Dec. 29, 2024. Pope Francis opened the holy door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) marking the official start of Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope. This special jubilee, from Dec. 29, 2024, through Jan. 6, 2026, is a time for renewal, reflection and spiritual growth, offering Catholics an opportunity to deepen their faith and experience God’s grace in profound ways. The pope prayed that the Holy Year would be marked by “deep faith, lively hope and active charity.” (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich reads from the papal bull declaring the start of the jubilee year. Cardinal Cupich celebrated the opening Mass for the Jubilee Year of Hope at Holy Name Cathedral on Dec. 29, 2024. Pope Francis opened the holy door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) marking the official start of Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope. This special jubilee, from Dec. 29, 2024, through Jan. 6, 2026, is a time for renewal, reflection and spiritual growth, offering Catholics an opportunity to deepen their faith and experience God’s grace in profound ways. The pope prayed that the Holy Year would be marked by “deep faith, lively hope and active charity.” (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Deacon Dan Welter proclaims the gospel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Parishioners begin procession to the altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Lombardo blesses the congregation after they renewed their baptismal vows. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Deacon Welter incenses the gospel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich delivers the homily. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich receives the gifts. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Participants pray the Our Father. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Priests, deacons and bishops join Cupich at that altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Father Greg (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic) assists the Cardinal.
Sakowicz administers Communion. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Ministers process out of Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Pouring rain did not stop Cardinal Cupich and the Archdiocese of Chicago from formally ushering in celebrations for the Jubilee of Hope during Mass at Holy Name Cathedral on Dec. 29, 2024.

Before the start of Mass, Cardinal Cupich, who was joined by Auxiliary Bishops Robert Casey and Robert Lombardo, recited prayers to open the jubilee locally and a minister read part of the papal bull calling for the holy year.

Next, the cardinal led a procession to the altar and a commemoration of baptism. Bishops Lombardo and Casey then walked through the congregation and blessed everyone with holy water.

On Dec. 24, Pope Francis formally launched the jubilee year when he opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Opening the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica has been a fixture of the Catholic Church’s celebration of jubilee years since the Holy Year 1450, according to the Vatican.

This special jubilee, from Dec. 29, 2024, through Jan. 6, 2026, is a time for renewal, reflection and spiritual growth, offering Catholics an opportunity to deepen their faith and experience God’s grace in profound ways.

A holy year or jubilee is a time of pilgrimage, prayer, repentance and acts of mercy, based on the Old Testament tradition of a jubilee year of rest, forgiveness and renewal. Holy years also are a time when Catholics can make pilgrimages to designated churches and shrines, recite special prayers, go to confession and receive Communion to receive a plenary indulgence, which is a remission of the temporal punishment due for one’s sins.

The Archdiocese of Chicago has identified 24 jubilee pilgrimage sites at local parishes for the faithful who cannot travel to Rome to obtain a plenary indulgence. At these sites, the faithful experience and obtain the indulgence by spending time in prayer, adoration before the Blessed Sacrament or participating in the celebration of the Eucharist or reconciliation or other scheduled liturgies, as well as making a profession of faith and praying for the pope’s intentions. 

Unlike in previous jubilee years, the only holy doors that will be open are in Rome at St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls. Pope Francis also opened a holy door in Rome’s Rebibbia prison complex on Dec. 26, 2024.

In his homily, Cardinal Cupich said the Holy Family provides a good example of how to be pilgrims of hope.

“They are pilgrims. They are always seemingly on the move,” the cardinal said.

At all times, the Holy Family is filled with hope that God is with them on their journeys, he said.

“My hope and prayer is that we will all be changed as we take up our pilgrimage of hope, but it will also be an opportunity for change to take place in our families that they’ll grow stronger as we share our faith,” Cardinal Cupich said.

For more information, visit pvm.archchicago.org/jubilee-2025.

Topics:

  • jubilee of hope

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