Closing the Jubilee Year: A Time to Renew and Reflect
In just a few short months, the Jubilee Year of Hope will come to a close. On December 24, 2024, we were invited to become “Pilgrims of Hope,” sharing the message of hope in Christ in our families and our communities, and growing in that hope in our own lives. Throughout the Diocese we began this Jubilee Year with a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Parkes on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. At that Mass, our Bishop reminded us that, “As pilgrims of hope, we are called to live out the call to seek Christ, the source of our hope and the source of the meaning for which we long, in all that we do and in every moment of our lives.”
In just a few short months, the Jubilee Year of Hope will come to a close. On December 24, 2024, we were invited to become “Pilgrims of Hope,” sharing the message of hope in Christ in our families and our communities, and growing in that hope in our own lives. Throughout the Diocese we began this Jubilee Year with a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Parkes on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. At that Mass, our Bishop reminded us that, “As pilgrims of hope, we are called to live out the call to seek Christ, the source of our hope and the source of the meaning for which we long, in all that we do and in every moment of our lives.”
Here in our local Church, we have had the opportunity to see Christ in a particular way. Bishop Parkes continued, “Brothers and sisters, the Lord is here! This means that in order to find our rest in Him we must allow ourselves to be moved by Him, to go out of ourselves in search of Him in the many ways that He is at work in our midst, and to be with Him there.”
As a result, Bishop Parkes designated six pilgrimage sites for the faithful. He encouraged us to visit these holy places as an invitation to deepen our faith, encounter God’s boundless love and mercy, and renew our commitment to living the Gospel with courage each day.
The designated sites are St. Benedict Catholic Church in Crystal River, St. Stanislaus Chapel in Brooksville, St. Leo Abbey Church in St. Leo, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Tampa, Espiritu Santo Catholic Church in Safety Harbor, and our own Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit these sites, I would encourage you to do so before the close of the Holy Year on the upcoming Feast of the Epiphany, January 4, 2026. There, you are invited to reflect on this pilgrimage journey and the ways you can continue to grow closer to Christ. Visiting these sacred sites during the Jubilee Year also grants the opportunity to receive indulgences — the remission of all temporal punishment due to sin. In this grace, we come to experience more deeply the Lord’s desire to remove every obstacle that prevents us from being fully transformed in Him.
In that homily, Bishop Parkes also said that our pilgrimage calls us to go forth as people transformed by the love and mercy we have received and to share those gifts with others. He explained that during this Jubilee Year, the faithful are invited to practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy with greater intention. By living out these Works of Mercy, Bishop Parkes noted, we bring hope to those in need and reflect Christ’s love to the world.
In light of this, our diocese has embarked on a 1,000,000 Works of Mercy Challenge, inviting all the faithful to make God’s mercy manifest in our communities. This opportunity to be tangible signs of hope for our brothers and sisters is an excellent opportunity to spread hope in these final months of the Jubilee Year.
I pray that these months have been fruitful for you and your families. But know that it is not over yet. There is still time to take advantage of the spiritual riches available to us during this Jubilee Year of Hope. In the words of our late Holy Father, Pope Franics, at the beginning of the Jubilee, “For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope.”
Explore pilgrimages and live out mercy
Visit the six pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg
Find addresses and open hours for each church here: gulfcoastcatholic.org/pilgrimage.
Learn about pilgrimages around the world
Discover international pilgrimage experiences at: insidethevaticanpilgrimages.com.
Get involved in ministries and works of mercy
Start by contacting your local Catholic parish to learn how you can serve, pray, and grow in faith.
For a full directory of parishes in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties, visit DOSP.org/parishes.
