Every recent Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church, celebrated every 25 years, witnessed significant events that lifted up the beauty and truth of our faith, canonized new saints, or animated the evangelizing mission of the Gospel.
In 1925, Pope Pius XI canonized Ss. Thérèse of Lisieux, John Vianney, and John Eudes, three of my favorites who have much to teach us about the spiritual life.
Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Doctrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be infallible teaching in 1950.
St. Paul VI ordained hundreds of priests in Saint Peter’s Square, canonized Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first saint from the United States, and issued Evangelii Nuntiandi, his post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, on the primacy of evangelization as the fundamental mission of the Church in 1975.
St. John Paul II viewed the Jubilee Year of 2000 as the keystone of his entire pontificate, a moment of grace and renewal for the entire Church, as we moved into the third millennium of Christianity.
What will this Jubilee Year bring to us? Many special events, for certain, but some new saints particularly stand out to me.
Two significant canonizations that Pope Francis has announced for 2025 are those of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Both Italians who lived the faith intensely and died young, these two modern saints have much to say to the youth of today.
Blessed Carlo used his computer skills to assemble the first definitive exhibition of Eucharistic miracles. He also loved the Lord joyously, helped the poor and sick, and brought his family to the practice of the faith.
I was blessed to pray before his incorrupt body in Assisi last April.
A great outdoorsman, Blessed Pier Giorgio was profoundly devoted to the Eucharist and had a tremendous heart for the needy and the suffering.
Tens of thousands of people attended his funeral procession in Turin, so well known and loved was he within the city.
Role models for our youth
These two new saints, canonized for us in this Jubilee Year of Hope, show us the path of true holiness.
Their spiritual simplicity, infectious joy, and profound love for God and others, all attained in their youth, serve as inspiring models of virtue for the young people of today.
I encourage the youth in our diocese to study their lives and example and to put into practice the power of the Catholic faith which they so remarkably embraced in their short time on Earth.
I am impressed with the faith of so many young people in our diocese — children, teenagers, and young adults, who love the Lord and are faithful to the Church.
Despite the moral confusion and secular influence of our culture, many young people have grasped the wisdom of the saints, knowing God to be our supreme and absolute Good and seeking to live their Catholic faith with devotion and generosity.
They stand as points of inspiration to all of us and witness to the perennial call of Christ, echoing down the centuries: “Come Follow Me!”
Amidst all of the societal noise of the moment, this gentle, yet urgent voice of the Lord continues to resonate in young hearts.
The spiritual success of Camp Gray, Love Begins Here, Frassati Fest, and Totus Tuus all attest to the holiness and goodness of our young people.
I encourage the young people of our diocese to continue to fall in love with the Lord! Give your hearts to Him.
Spend time every day in prayer, especially with the Scriptures and the Rosary. Be faithful to Mass and Confession.
Don’t be discouraged by your failures or weaknesses! God is always there so turn to Him when you need grace, forgiveness, and strength.
In this Jubilee Year, meditate on the hope that our faith in Christ gives us, a hope grounded in the promise of Heaven, which is a sure and steady anchor to navigate the storms of this life, as well as to carry us into eternal life.
Many people in our world today have given into a depressing despair.
Without God and faith at the center, life is overwhelming and meaningless, and the turn to escape such darkness takes the form of drug usage, promiscuity, materialism, or even suicide.
Young people want to give themselves heroically to a noble cause, and there is no greater mission than that of Jesus Christ, who saves us from sin and death.
Our Catholic faith gives us sure and lasting answers regarding our identity, our mission, and our destiny.
We are beloved children of God, entrusted with the mission to know, love, and serve God in this life, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.
Hang onto this radical hope, so that when the trials of life get us down, or others tempt us to turn away from the Lord, we can rest our souls in the loving Heart of Jesus, and there know peace, joy, and love.
My most ardent prayer for this Jubilee Year of Hope is that many hearts will turn to Christ and many souls will return to the Church and the practice of the Catholic faith.
Leaning on strength
I especially pray for our young people so that all of you can be strong in the Lord, growing as His disciples, and becoming ever more the great saints that He has called you to be.
Do not be afraid of becoming saints!
The Apostles were young men when Jesus called them. Many of the martyrs and saints only lived for a brief period, yet reached great heights of holiness in a short time.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us!
Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us!
Ss. Thérèse, John Vianney, John Eudes, and Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us!