Having officially launched the Jubilee Year in Limerick at a special celebration at St John’s Cathedral last month, Bishop Leahy also dedicated his homily on World Day of Peace to the Jubilee Year, which was officially commenced on Christmas Eve by Pope Francis as he opened the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
He has also released a video on the diocesan website and social media accounts setting out how people can join in the Jubilee Year journey.
Jubilee Years, which happen ever 25 years, are typically associated with mercy and forgiveness and, to that end, Bishop Leahy also celebrated Mass for the men and for the women in Limerick Prison on Christmas Day to mark the opening of the Jubilee/Holy Year of Hope.
The theme for Jubilee 2025 is ‘pilgrims of Hope’, a theme seeking to encourage everyone to be messengers of hope and love on a planet fractured by war, famine and other crises.
People are invited across the world to embark on their own pilgrimages to key religious sites globally, nationally and locally to obtain a plenary indulgence during the year.
At a national level, pilgrimages can be made to Knock, Lough Derg (Donegal) and Croagh Patrick, while here in Limerick, Bishop Leahy has designated St John’s Cathedral, the Killeedy Mass Rock and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Kilmallock as pilgrimage sites.
Bishop Leahy said that Pope Francis’ message is one of hope that the world will have greater peace in 2025.
“Pope Francis has issued a message focusing on forgiveness of our debts as a way to experience God’s peace among us. It’s a powerful message well worth reading in its entirety and is available online. The basic point the Pope makes is that we are all children of God the Father and so sisters and brothers of each other.
“In this Jubilee Year of Hope, the Pope is making a plea to break the bonds of injustice and to proclaim God’s justice. He writes ‘sporadic acts of philanthropy are not enough. Cultural and structural changes are necessary, so that enduring change may come about.' And he makes three proposals. The first and main one has to do with the need by world leaders to tackle the issue of world debt crisis where poorer countries find themselves crippled by the mounting debt to rich countries,” he said.
The second proposal by Pope Francis, Bishop Leahy continued, is that we all make a firm commitment to “respect for the dignity of human life from conception to natural death." In Ireland this resonates for us when we consider proposals to promote assisted suicide, he said.
“A third proposal the Pope makes is to use at least a fixed percentage of the money earmarked for armaments to establish a global Fund to eradicate hunger and facilitate in the poorer countries educational activities aimed at promoting sustainable development and combating climate change,” Bishop Leahy continued.
Bishop Leahy said that the key to achieving the objectives of the Jubilee Year is that we raise a collective voice that speaks of hope, that encourages peace and love to triumph.
“Disarming hearts is where it all begins and that’s where this New Year’s Day gives us a chance to make our proposal for the New Year that we may live with disarmed hearts. It’s about ushering in the dawn of a new world, a world in which we realize that we are different, closer and more fraternal than we ever thought possible,” he added.