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Celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year 
Pope Francis has designated 2025 as a special ‘Jubilee Year’ in the Church with the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. It’s a great opportunity for Catholics and all people of good will to re-commit to caring for those most in need.
During the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.
– Pope Francis.
What is a Jubilee year?
As the Vatican’s Jubilee website explains, the idea of ‘Jubilee’ years is found in the Bible as a special time to re-establish right relationships with God, with one another, and with all creation. Debts were forgiven, miappropriated land was returned, and fields were given a fallow period.
Since 1300 the Catholic Church has periodically held a Jubilee or Holy Year, normally every 25 years (hence 2025).
Pilgrimage to Rome is encouraged in Jubilee years. Pilgrims pass through ‘Holy Doors‘ at significant locations to symbolise following Jesus who said ‘I am the gate. If anyone enters by me they will be saved” (John 10:9). In recent years it has become common for special churches around the world to have Holy Doors.
Jubilee Year and Social Action
As mentioned above, Jubilee years are recorded in the Bible as special times of caring for the poor and for creation.
Pope Francis, in his letter declaring the Jubilee Year 2025, stresses that the Holy Year is a fresh opportunity to offer hope to those in need. He highlights: prisoners; the sick; the young; migrants and refugees; the elderly; the poor.
The Bishop of Leeds, Marcus Stock, wrote in a pastoral letter preparing for the Jubilee Year: ‘I encourage clergy and faithful alike to ask how, both individually and within our parish communities, we can support the work of Catholic Care, our diocesan Caritas agency, and increase our generosity and service to people who are in need.’
Celebrate with Catholic Care and the Caritas Leeds Network!
The Vatican has published a calendar of events during the Jubilee Year highlighting groups and issues for celebration. Catholic Care and our partners in the Caritas Leeds Network will be marking a number of these with special events.
- 24 January: Jubilee of the World of Communications. Our Communications Manager took part in a gathering of communications specialists from across the CSAN network of charities and organisations involved in social action.
- 8-9 March: Jubilee of the World of Volunteering. We'll be celebrating our volunteers (details TBC) and circulating resources to recruit new helpers.
- 5-6 April: Jubilee of the Sick and the World of Health. Catholic Care's leadership team will be visiting our various services (sites) with Easter gifts.
- 28-30 April: Jubilee of People with Disabilities. Our services (homes) will be visiting each other.
- 30 May: Jubilee of Families, Grandparents, and the Elderly. Events will be held by our community groups and at Eller Beck, our extra care facility in Skipton.
- 20 September: Jubilee for Justice. This large-scale event is being organised by CSAN and taking place in Liverpool.
- 18 October: Caritas Leeds Day of Reflection & Action. Building on the success of our first Day of Reflection & Action in September 2024, this event at Hinsley Hall in Headingley, Leeds, will bring together organisations in the Caritas Leeds Network and anyone interested in Catholic Social Teaching.
- Additional events to be scheduled.
Diocese of Leeds Jubilee Events
- Jubilee Year Prayer Vigil. St. Mary's, Batley, on the first Friday of each month in 2025, focussing on 'the Cross, the Host, and the Virgin Mary', with an opportunity for Confession and receiving the Jubilee Indulgence.
- First Friday Mass & Eucharistic Healing Service. Friday 7th March 2025 at 7pm at St. Aidan's, Fenton Street, Mirfield.
- Forty Hours Devotion. St. Anne's Cathedral will hold the Forty Hours Devotion from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th June 2025, beginning with Mass at 5.30pm on Friday and concluding with an internal Procession and Solemn Benediction after the 11am Mass on Sunday.
- Eucharistic Procession. Sunday 22nd June (feast of Corpus Christi) after the 10.30am Mass at St. Stephen's, Skipton.
- North Leeds Deanery Eucharistic Procession. Sunday 13th July 2025 at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Leeds. Timings to follow.