The Journey of Hope Continues

We are still getting used to having a new pope so much so that it has taken me nearly a week to gather my thoughts about this special time in Rome – a moment of grace for the whole Church. I think I share the sentiments of many of those gathered in St Peter’s Square last Thursday when I say that it was like love at first sight when Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost walked out onto the central loggia of the Papal Basilica as the newly elected Pope, taking the name Leo XIV.

Many images have since surfaced on social media platforms telling the story of a seemingly unnoticed prelate, with pastoral and curial experience, from his time as an Augustinian friar, missionary and bishop in Peru, who has travelled around the world including South Africa. This is perhaps a signal that the Lord has been quietly preparing the 69-year-old Pope Leo XIV for his new ministry as universal shepherd of the Church, beginning providentially in this Jubilee Year of Hope, when we will continue to offer prayers and sacrifices for the intentions of the Holy Father.

8 May 2025
First Appearance of Pope Leo XIV
Credit: Vatican Media

There is already a great deal of excitement around what kind of leader the new Pope would be (not that that really matters, afterall the Church belongs to Christ, and as St John XXIII once quipped, Pope Leo could also go to bed at night without much trouble). One thing is sure, the Holy Father has taken up the baton of peace from his predecessor, and indeed, from the Risen Christ, greeting the admiring crowd – peace be with all of you – a message filled with Easter promise!

As he stood on that balcony, visibly moved yet portraying inner strength, he soon resembled the vigour with which the young St John Paul II started his papacy; he even sounded like JPII when he told young people on Vocations Sunday, do not be afraid! Like Karol Wojtyla, he is an alumnus of the Dominican Angelicum University in Rome, where he completed his doctorate on the role of a prior as a servant-leader in an Augustinian community, a hint as to how he would later carry out his own ministry as prior general of the same Order. Pope Leo has already shown that, like the beloved Polish Pope, he has a deep devotion to Our Lady, having already invoked her intercession for the miracle of peace.

Our new Holy Father demonstrates an intellectual affinity with Benedict XVI, as a cooperator of the Truth which Pope Leo will proclaim in love (cf. Eph 4:15). Both would be well-versed in Augustinian thought, which is steeped in contemplation of the Scriptures, the mystery of the Eucharist and the primacy of grace. Like the Theologian Pope, and as a true son of St Augustine, Pope Leo has already been speaking about truth, unity, and charity, attested to in his papal motto, “in the One Christ, we are one”.

Official Portrait and Coat of Arms
Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo certainly uses the language of inclusion so dear to Pope Francis. Prevost served as a missionary in Latin-America, in the manner of Bergoglio, with the smell of the sheep. He is aware, like Pope Francis, that he has been chosen in mercy; the papacy is a grace from God through which Leo would build bridges in the whole Church and in our divided world - unity in diversity.

Though I see some connection between Pope Leo and the three popes of the "New Millenium" (whom Prevost met in his different capacities), I don't think that he'll be a mere “copy” of any of them. Rather, continuing along the path of his predecessors, he will bring the Church into dialogue with the modern world, addressing the present-day social ills, just as the last Pope Leo did at the turn of the twentieth century. But he will do so as Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV. Given his unassuming nature, deep faith and commitment to Christ and his Church, it feels good to watch his papacy unfold, even though it is still early days. I must admit, it’s refreshing that our first North American Pope uses English at the best of times! But we would do well to get to know Pope Leo XIV on his own terms.

Breaking somewhat with the spontaneity of the first papal addresses of his predecessors, Pope Leo had a prepared text for his first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the City of Rome and the World. More like a lamb than a leone, he spoke about the missionary dimension of the Church; as followers of Christ, we will continue walking together, fearlessly proclaiming the Good News, so that peace and justice may prevail in all corners of the globe.

In his homily for the Mass with the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, offered "For the Church", Pope Leo developed what he had said the previous evening. He spoke about the content and the context of the Church's announcement of the gospel. This proclamation is centred on Jesus, he who is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The one Saviour of the world, revealing the face of the Father, says Pope Leo, is 'a model of human holiness that we can all imitate, together with the promise of an eternal destiny that transcends all our limits and abilities'. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, is the content of the Church’s proclamation.

The Pope went on to admit that 'even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure'. Pope Leo sees such situations as the 'contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied. Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed. A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society'. And so, continuing the unbroken chain of apostolic tradition, the message will reach the ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8).

It does feel good to be Catholic in this moment in history. I will never forget the experience of witnessing that white smoke and the thrill of being in that cheering crowd. The whole world has been focussed on “Vatican Hill”, with the experience of the death of one pope and the election of another. But, Pope Leo (in a meeting with the Cardinals in the days following his election), underlined the fact that the Church is an ark of salvation for many and a beacon of light for all; it is not the grandeur of her monuments but the holiness of her members which makes the proclamation of the gospel credible. 

This is very much in keeping with the Church's emphasis on the universal call to holiness by the Second Vatican Council (cf. Lumen Gentium chapter 5) and the renewed call to announce the gospel proposed by Pope Francis in his first Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel, 24 November 2013). From this document, Pope Leo highlighted the following priorities for the Church's commitment to the gospel: the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation (cf. No. 11); the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community (cf. No. 9); growth in collegiality and synodality (cf. No. 33); attention to the sensus fidei (cf. Nos. 119-120), especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety (cf. No. 123); loving care for the least and the rejected (cf. No. 53); courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities (cf. No. 84; Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 1-2). 'These', Pope Leo stresses, 'are evangelical principles that have always inspired and guided the life and activity of God’s Family'.

With a word of peace on our lips, then, we will continue to live as pilgrims of hope in communion with Leo our Pope in this Jubilee Year. This hope is alive with the desire for justice and peace in our times. It is a pilgrimage together from the earthly city to the city of God, to that place of everlasting peace!

Viva il Papa!

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

15 May 2025

Feast of St Matthias, Apostle

The Final Journey of a Pilgrim of Hope

Last Christmas Eve, Pope Francis became the first pilgrim to pass through the Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica. From the central balcony of that same Basilica, he imparted his blessing "to the city and the world" on Easter Sunday. In the joy of Easter, he returned to the Father's house the following morning, thus completing his pilgrimage of hope in this world. A journey of hope from the crib to the cross - hope in the Risen Lord! 

Pope Francis, who died in the hope of the resurrection, now awaits the resurrection of the body, entombed in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome. He wanted his tomb to be made with material from the land of his ancestors in the Italian region of Liguria. Just before the burial, the pallbearers stopped in front of the icon of Our Lady, Salus Popoli Romani (Health of the Roman People), where Pope Francis prayed on numerous occasions since the beginning of his papacy. In this Holy Year, in which we fulfil the requirements for the Jubilee Indulgence by praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, we can offer prayers and sacrifices for the eternal repose of the soul of Pope Francis.

Among the concelebrating priests
at the Funeral Mass on 26 April 2025
"With Peter and under Peter"
Photo: Vatican Media

The days leading up to the funeral had everyone reflecting on the life and witness of Jorge Mario Bergoglio whose papacy lasted 12 years. From the start when he greeted the world wearing only the white cassock, we knew that things were going to be done a little differently. A pope of firsts, his words and gestures, like that of the humble poverello of Assisi, have been often misunderstood. But there was no stopping to this pope of surprises. Francis the merciful carried out his petrine ministry like one who had a clear mandate - bringing about a revolution of love and compassion. Back home we'd say that Pope Francis embodied ubuntu. We could all take a leaf out of his book to live better the gospel of the Lord Jesus, the face of the Father's mercy.

To understand the late Holy Father's modus operandi, one must consider the context in which the Pope's theological ideas grew and where his understanding of the church matured, rooted in the popular religiosity of the Latin-American people and his own Jesuit formation. The Argentine Pope (who never returned to his homeland after being elected bishop of Rome) embraced a theology of the people of God (of the Second Vatican Council), seeing the church as a community of missionary disciples. Coming from the peripheries, Francis sought to embrace and listen to those on the margins of society, advocating for justice and peace in the whole world. The various Jubilee celebrations throughout this year, including one for the poor, bear testimony to this. 

One could only imagine that the Magisterium of Pope Francis will have a major impact on the theological work of those of us currently studying in Rome. The funeral homily of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re made for a fitting tribute to an intense papacy, inviting us to take up the baton of hope from Papa Francesco in this Jubilee Year. Even after his death, we should remember that "they that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint" (Is 40:31).

The nine days of mourning from the day of the Pope's burial also serves as a novena in preparation for the Conclave (set to begin on 7 May). At least 18 cardinals from Africa, including South Africa's Stephen Brislin, will be part of the 135 trusted men (exceeding the usual number of 120) from around the world who will, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, elect the 266th successor of the Apostle Peter. Christ, the Chief Shepherd, does not abandon his church. We might never have another Franciscus but we will certainly have another Pope with whom we will continue our journey together as the people of God on mission in the world.

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

28 April 2025

Christ our Hope is Risen. Alleluia.

As the world mourns the passing on of Pope Francis, I share with you my Easter Sunday reflection in which I referred to the Holy Father’s words about the effect of the Resurrection of the Lord on our journey of faith:

Our annual Lenten Pilgrimage has culminated once again in the solemn celebration of the Sacred Paschal Triduum. Renewed by the Spirit, we are now able to sing joyfully our alleluias. ‘We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song’ (St John Paul II). Christ our Hope is risen! ‘Through him you now have faith in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory for that very reason – so that you would have faith and hope in God’ (1 Pet 1:21).

The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, that tomb given to Jesus on loan, is still empty. We cannot find him among the dead for he is risen in the flesh and lives forever. Providentially, in this Jubilee Year of Hope, in the Lord’s City, the Resurrection of Christ is observed on the same day by Catholic and Orthodox Christians. One great “alleluia” resounds throughout the world, leaving reverberations of hope in its sway.

Pope Francis, pointing us to the Risen Christ, the hope which does not disappoint, says: ‘Hope is born of love and based on the love springing from the pierced heart of Jesus upon the cross: “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:19). That life becomes manifest in our own life of faith, which begins with Baptism, develops in openness to God’s grace and is enlivened by a hope constantly renewed and confirmed by the working of the Holy Spirit…The death and resurrection of Jesus is the heart of our faith and the basis of our hope’ (Spes non confundit, nn. 3, 20).

As pilgrims of hope, we were led into our darkened churches last by the light of the Paschal Candle during the Easter Vigil; we followed that flame of hope as if following the Lord Jesus himself, the conqueror of sin and death. He has opened for us the way to eternal life.

Just as the pilgrimage through the Holy Doors of the Eternal City ends with the Profession of Faith, our experience of forgiveness and conversion in these days, prepares us for the Profession of Faith holding lighted candles with little flames from the Easter Candle, proclaiming the one faith of all the baptised, who then celebrate together the Easter Eucharist, the banquet of unity and peace.

On Easter night, when Holy Mother Church rejoices in the re-birth of her children, modelling the ancient practice of Rome, the liturgy of baptism includes a dialogue by which we boldly profess with a three-fold assent - I believe – I believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. With this profession of faith comes a three-fold renunciation of Satan, sin, and the works of darkness.

Faith in the Risen Christ thus has a very real and life-changing effect on my life and the way in which I see the world. I give myself over to God and to the Church. Faith ‘is not something thought up by myself; it is something said to me [hence the question, do you believe], which hits me as something that has not been thought out [by myself] and could not be thought out and lays an obligation on me’ (Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, Introduction to Christianity). That is why my own I believe becomes the we believe of the Church.

Our faith in the Risen Lord prompts us, who have been raised with Christ in baptism, ‘to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at God’s right hand’ (cf. Col 3:1-4). The hope which we carry within us then helps us to confront the tombs which we encounter along the journey of faith. We cannot help but tremble before the senselessness of violence and war in our world today. Indifference in the face of such suffering would be like living among the "tombs". So, even in towns and villages which have been reduced to ruins, the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord brings healing and hope to the destitute – where Easter joy bursts through the rubble!

We have all faced some dead end at one point or another. But, as witnesses of the resurrection, we face these challenges bearing the cross, a symbol of victory, singing in our hearts the Jubilee refrain: ‘Like a flame my hope is burning, may my song arise to you: Source of life that has no ending, on life’s path I trust in you.’ Jesus, I trust in you!

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

Easter 2025

Joy and Hope

The fourth Sunday of Lent is also known as Laetare Sunday – the Sunday of Joy. It coincides with the Jubilee of the Missionaries of Mercy taking place this weekend in Rome, the sixth of the major events of the current Holy Year. The Missionaries of Mercy are a group of confessors commissioned by Pope Francis during the last Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy of 2016 with a special task of bringing the joy of God’s forgiveness to a world in need of reconciliation.

There is a striking phrase in the gospel for Laetare Sunday this year, uttered by the Prodigal Son (cf. Lk 15:11-32), “I will arise and go to my Father”.  This follows, if you like, a sincere examination of conscience and a moment of inner conversion. Having come to his senses, “he arose and came to his father”. This is what Lent is all about – returning to the merciful Father. Just as the Lord God took away “the reproach of Egypt” from the Chosen People (cf. Jos 5:9-12), so He takes away our shame in the sacrament of Confession, lifting us up so that we may participate at the 'banquet of the reconciled' as children of God. The Church continues Christ’s mission of mercy, and in this Lenten Season “it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God” (cf. 2 Cor 5:17-21).

Springtime in the Eternal City

Arise and go – isn’t this the project of the Holy Year? Many have been wondering whether the Jubilee would continue while the Pope recovers from his recent illness. There is also uncertainty whether the Pope would preside over the Holy Week ceremonies. Yet every day hundreds of pilgrims arise and go through the Holy Door as if returning to the Father. This is why Pope Francis has encouraged the Missionaries of Mercy in a written message to bear witness to the paternal face of God, infinitely great in love, who calls everyone to conversion and constantly renews us with His forgiveness.

Staying, then, with the image from today’s parable for our reflection at the half-way mark of Lent 2025, perhaps we could ask ourselves which are the doors that still need opening? As we reflect on our lives as Christians, what are the things which prevent us from opening ourselves up to the great love of God? Do I arise and go to Holy Mass more frequently? Have I opened the door to reconciliation through Confession? Have I been able to open the door of my heart, in love for God and my neighbour, with more intense prayer, fasting and works of mercy? An honest look at our Lenten journey could, in fact, fill us with hope. When sin seems to be holding us back, we should have the courage to arise and go!

This is also the time in which the catechumens are preparing more intensely to enter the Church through that door to the sacraments, baptism, and so take on a new life in Christ at Easter. Together we arise and go towards the coming Easter celebrations, carrying “the joys and the hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the men and women of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted” (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 1).

 

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

30 March 2025

Pray. Hope. Don't worry.

It seems like we're having a longer winter in Rome this year. But braving the elements, many of the faithful have been gathering on the evenings of this week in St Peter's Square to pray the Rosary together for the good health and well-being of Pope Francis who has been hospitalised since February 14. This came after a rather intense start to the Holy Year. Despite his health challenges, the 88-year-old Pontiff kept up with his usual work and the special Jubilee audiences until he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection which required complete bed rest:

Among the hundreds of well-wishers, many priests, religious and seminarians studying in Rome have been joining the Cardinals, collaborators of the Roman Curia and the Diocese of Rome, to share in a moment of intense prayer for Pope Francis. 21h00 is prime study-time for many of us. But somehow, we feel compelled to respond to this call to prayer.

Under the watchful gaze of the Mother of the Church:
Cardinal Parolin leads the faithful
in the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis
 (Photo: Vatican Media)

At times, the media has levelled a seemingly progressive Pope Francis against the seemingly regressive "millennial" clergy, creating an imaginary disconnect between the Pope and younger priests. But if you are privy to our conversations at the dinner table, you'd quickly realise that this is far from the truth. In fact, at least in our missionary colleges, where most of us hail from the so-called "new churches", the Argentine Pope represents the unity and universality of the Church which is experienced in a unique way here in Rome. 

Anyone who has faced the declining health of a grandparent which comes with the burden of old age, would be moved by the situation of our Holy "Grandfather" Francis. The often-short updates from the Holy See Press Office on the Pope's condition has had everyone on edge. So, one can imagine that this is a moment of great suffering for Pope Francis but also a moment of profound spirituality. It is thus a moving experience to stay close to him in prayer at this time. After all, the Pope has never missed an opportunity to invite the faithful to pray for him. 

A pope carries with him the concern for all the churches, offering personal prayer and sacrifices for the flock of Christ, while encouraging the brethren. We are now living through a moment of grace in which we can all join in a chain of intercessory prayer for our Holy Father. Of course, every day the whole Church prays for the Pope wherever the Holy Mass is offered. In a special way, during this Jubilee Year, a prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father accompanies our spiritual exercises, adding a different dimension for the pilgrims passing through the Holy Doors of the Papal Basilicas in these days. We remain, therefore, pilgrims of hope.

Perhaps the sentiments of Padre Pio express the faith of all those who are keeping vigil with Pope Francis: "Pray, hope and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer"!

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

26 February 2025

Live Hope. Together.

Dear Pilgrims of Hope, at the close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, St John Paul II invited all the faithful to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm, and to look forward to the future with confidence. This sentiment can be summarised by the key word of the present Jubilee – hope.

Living the present with enthusiasm: The first month of the Jubilee Year in Rome and in the local churches has certainly reignited a sense of hope. Hope is alive in the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all walks of life who have been descending upon the Eternal City to pass through the Holy Door. Pilgrims of hope never journey alone. Hope is therefore alive in the Christian communities around the world singing the same Jubilee Hymn in their local languages. Between the two Jubilees of the Third Millenium, these are concrete responses to the invitation to live hope together.

Inauguration of the Jubilee Year
in the Diocese of Port Elizabeth, South Africa
(Lisa Faith Fotography)

Those following the Jubilee events in Rome via social media would have discovered that a special Jubilee Audience with the Pope takes place every Saturday, in addition to the weekly Wednesday General Audience. This gives pilgrims an opportunity to reflect together with the Holy Father on the theme of hope. The first major event of the Jubilee took place last weekend, around the Sunday of the Word of God, for all those involved in Communication, an invitation to live and communicate hope even in the digital world. 

Remembering the past with gratitude: This event coincided with the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25 January). During this annual event, the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea was recalled which took place in the year 325 and which approved the Creed. Later this year, the Church will also recall the anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Nicaea was concerned with the content of the one true faith, in the one Lord of all, based on the one baptism (cf. Eph 4:5-6). Vatican II was concerned with living this faith in the modern world as the pilgrim people of God.

Looking forward to the future with confidence: Perhaps what both of these monumental councils have in common is the theme of unity among Christians, especially the churches of the West and the East. Without going into the history of the rifts in the unity of the Church, it is best to recall the efforts made towards Christian Unity since Vatican II. Providentially, in this Holy Year, all Christians can live hope together in the celebration of Easter on a common date, in both the Gregorian and Julian Calendars, followed and West and East respectively. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is, after all, the foundation of our faith. In Christ, we continue to pray that they may all be one (cf. Jn 17:20).

Could we once again live as common witnesses of hope? Recalling today the martyrdom of South Africa’s first blessed, Tshimangadzo Samuel Benedict Daswa, have you reflected on the models of hope in your life? Like all the Christian martyrs, Daswa was ready to give an account of the hope that was within him (1 Peter 3:15-17). May he inspire both young and old to keep the flame of hope alive throughout the Jubilee Year.

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

1 February 2025 

Memorial of Blessed Benedict Daswa

The Hope of Forgiveness

Dear Pilgrims of Hope, by now all the Holy Doors have been opened in Rome. Like the Magi, guided by a star to Bethlehem to worship the Messiah, we continue our journey through this Holy Year guided by Christian hope. Here’s how you can participate more fully in this period of renewal and obtain the Jubilee Indulgence, wherever you are:

Pardon and reconciliation is the aim of the Holy Year. For Catholics, penance is a path which leads us to an encounter with the mercy of God. Passing through the Holy Door is seen as a step towards forgiveness and healing. In Lent last year, a conference was held in Rome for recently ordained priests, in preparation for the Jubilee Year, with an emphasis on the correct and generous administration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This took place at the Apostolic Penitentiary, which is the Vatican’s “Court of Mercy”, responsible for matters relating to the “Internal Forum” and the granting Indulgences, intimately connected to the effects of penance. God has entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church (cf. 2 Cor 5: 18-21).

The Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica, Rome

Indulgences: An indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment as a result of sins committed but already confessed. Sin has its consequences, both for the individual and the community. That is why we confess our sins to a priest, who acts as an ambassador of Christ, and represents the Church, assigning a penance to the penitent in the confessional, as part of the satisfaction for sins. We should never doubt that we are forgiven in Confession. Atoning for our sins, which we have confessed, takes place either in this life or in Purgatory, through penance. Fulfilling one's penance means taking responsbility for the consequences of one's sinful acts, trusting in the loving Lord, in whom justice and mercy meet. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, nn. 1471-1479) explains Indulgences in reference to the merits of Christ and the saints: 'An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints’ (n. 1471).

Indulgences, which are free, can be applied to the living and the dead, and are received by those truly sorrowful, inspiring works of mercy within them. Of course, we cannot deny the controversy surrounding Indulgences given the abuses and misconceptions of the past. In the lingua of the Jubilee, we could try to understand Indulgences as the sure hope of forgiveness. The normal way to obtain an Indulgence is detachment from all sin, sacramental confession, the reception of Holy Communion and the prayer for the intentions of the Pope (usually an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be). Indulgences are either Partial or Plenary, as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. Indulgences are associated with certain devotions, such as the First Friday, as well as the observance of certain feasts, and in particular, the Jubilee Year.

"Crossing the Threshold of Hope"
6 January 2025 

The Jubilee Indulgence: Coinciding with the official announcement of the Holy Year 2025, a decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary set out the norms for obtaining the Jubilee Indulgence, a plenary indulgence:

Pilgrimages: to Rome, at least one of the four major basilicas; to the Holy Land; or to other ecclesiastical areas such as a cathedral, some church or sacred place designated by the bishop for the Jubilee; the plenary indulgence can be obtained here in the usual way.

Pious Visits to Sacred Places: like a designated Jubilee site in Rome or in other places of the world (in Italy, Assisi, Loreto, Pompei, Padua; or any minor basilica, cathedral church, co-cathedral church or Marian Shrine). Here the pilgrim should spend some time in Eucharistic adoration and meditation, concluding with the Our Father, Profession of Faith and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Works of Mercy and Penance: the fruit of penance, and indeed the Jubilee Indulgence, is mercy. Noting the penitential character of Fridays, the Vatican has encouraged the faithful to carry out the traditional corporal and spiritual works of mercy (cf. Mt 25:31-45). We can recall here the words of Mother Teresa, the Saint of Calcutta, ‘At the end of our life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in”’. Hope produces charity in the hearts of those who have obtained the grace of God’s forgiveness, 'bearing fruit that will last' (Jn 15:16).

Fasting: In the age of social media, the faithful are encouraged to fast at least one day of the week from "futile distractions" (such as social media, television, video games, certain phone apps). Holy Year challenge accepted?!

Diocesan or parish jubilee events: participating in spiritual exercises, missions, or formation activities based on the documents of the Second Vatican Council or the CCC. This brings the Jubilee into our local churches and parish communities.

Indulgences can be applied to the faithful departed, in particular the holy souls in purgatory, who died in the hope of the resurrection. Having confessed their sins, they are undergoing a period of purification before entering fully into the beatific vision and everlasting communion with God. Since we believe in the “Communion of Saints”, we can help them with our prayers and sacrifices, just as Our Lady and the saints assist us with their prayers before the throne of God in heaven. In the Jubilee Year, a double indulgence is granted per day, when a second act of charity is carried out on behalf of the souls in purgatory, for the faithful who, receiving Holy Communion, apply it to the deceased.

This is how the CCC summaries the Church's teaching on the practice and application of Indulgences: ‘The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man"’ (CCC 1473). The decree on the Jubilee Indulgences, then, brings together all the major themes of a Holy Year: Pilgrimage (to designated sacred places), the Holy Door (in Rome), Reconciliation (Confession), Prayer (for the Holy Father's Intentions), Liturgy (especially the Eucharist), the Profession of Faith (the Apostles Creed), and Indulgences (which leads to Charity). 

In the Diocese of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), where the Holy Year will be solemnly inaugurated on Friday, 10 January 2025, Bishop Zungu has designated the following places of pilgrimage for the Jubilee: St Augustine’s Cathedral and St Luke’s Retreat Centre in the deanery of Port Elizabeth; Immaculate Conception and St Pius Retreat Centre in the deanery of East London; Sacred Heart on Albert Street in Qonce, St Patrick’s in Makhanda and the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven in Sommerset East for Border/Midlands deaneries respectively.

The Jubilee Indulgence, then, can be obtained by those who may not be able to make a pilgrimage to Rome or pass through the Holy Doors here. It is, after all, a year of hope for all the faithful. By simply and sincerely making recourse to the treasures of our faith, a door of hope is opened to all.

The Pilgrim

Fr Runaine James Radine

6 January 2025

The Epiphany of the Lord