By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic

The faithful of the Diocese of Dallas gathered Dec. 29, 2024, at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the opening Mass of the Jubilee Year of Hope. Bishop Edward J. Burns presided over the celebration on the feast of the Holy Family, delivering a homily filled with reflections on faith, renewal, and the enduring message of hope.

“Hope is the central message of this jubilee,” Bishop Burns said. “It is an opportunity for genuine personal encounter with Jesus Christ, the door of salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always and everywhere.”

In his homily, Bishop Burns highlighted the universal nature of the jubilee year, reminding those in attendance who packed the pews of the national shrine of Pope Francis’ call for all dioceses to join this celebration.

“Not all can travel to the Vatican to walk through the Holy Door, but here in our diocese, the door of our cathedral becomes significant,” Bishop Burns said, noting the special tradition of opening the Holy Door to symbolize the spiritual renewal offered during the jubilee. “We have that opportunity to be one with each other in this Jubilee Year of Hope here in the Diocese of Dallas.”

In Dallas, the cathedral shrine as well as Nuestra Señora del Pilar Catholic Church in Dallas and St. Mary Catholic Church in Sherman have been designated as pilgrimage churches for the Jubilee Year.

The bishop shared moments from his ministry that reflected the hope rooted in the Christian life. Bishop Burns spoke of blessing expectant mothers and fathers, celebrating the gift of new life with them.

“In my prayer, I always pray for the mother, the father, and for the family who are preparing themselves for the new gift of life in their home as they are filled with hope,” he said, drawing a parallel to the anticipation of Christ’s birth celebrated during the Christmas season.

He also recounted his recent Christmas morning visit to the inmates at the Hutchins State Jail.

“On a day filled with despair for many who are separated from their families, these men also find hope in the promise of Christ’s love and forgiveness,” Bishop Burns reflected.

The Jubilee Year of Hope is particularly significant for the Diocese of Dallas as it follows the completion of the diocesan synod assembly held in early December.

“We here in the Diocese of Dallas are filled with hope about what the future has in store for us as a diocese,” the bishop said, “and as this diocese continues to grow, we know that our goal is to instill in the hearts of every man, woman, and child that Jesus Christ established this Church to be with us forever, that we may in turn instill hope in the heart of all those who believe.”

As the Jubilee Year begins, Bishop Burns encouraged the faithful to embrace their mission to be witnesses of hope in their communities. Quoting the Rite for the Opening of a Jubilee Year, he urged, “May hope spread to all who anxiously seek the Lord. May the way we live our lives speak to them so that they are open to the Lord, hold firm, take heart, and hope in the Lord. May the power of hope fill our days as we await with confidence the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and praise.”

A jubilee or holy year is a special year in the life of the Church currently celebrated every 25 years. The most recent ordinary jubilee was in 2000, with Pope Francis calling for an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015-2016.

Jubilee years have been held on regular intervals in the Catholic Church since 1300, but they trace their roots to the Jewish tradition of marking a jubilee year every 50 years.

According to the Vatican website for the jubilee, these years in Jewish history were “intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.”

On Dec. 24, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to launch the Holy Year. Coinciding with other diocesan celebrations Dec. 29, Cardinal Baldo Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, opened holy doors at St. John Lateran, the pope’s cathedral.

Holy doors also were opened at Rome’s two other major basilicas, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls, Jan. 1 and Jan. 5 respectively. Pope Francis also opened holy doors Dec. 26 at Rome’s Rebibbia prison, which Vatican officials said was a papal first. Unlike the practice in the Year of Mercy, diocesan cathedrals will not designate their own holy doors.

Worldwide, the Jubilee Year of Hope will be marked by special liturgies, pilgrimages, and acts of service throughout 2025, offering opportunities for the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ and share His hope with the world. Visit dallascatholic.org/jubilee2025 for information and updates on the Jubilee Year of Hope celebrations and events in the Diocese of Dallas.

Editor’s note: Maria Wiering of OSV News contributed to this story.

Cutline for featured image: Bishop Edward J. Burns leads prayers on the steps of the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe prior to processing inside for the celebration of the opening Mass for the Jubilee Year of Hope on Dec. 29, 2024. (Michael Gresham/The Texas Catholic) Find more images from the celebration of the opening Mass for the Jubilee Year of Hope at https://thetexascatholic.smugmug.com/Opening-Mass-for-Jubilee-Year-of-Hope