Latest news with #JubileeYearofHope
Herald Malaysia
12 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
Australian sister reflects on graces of jubilee pilgrimage
Traveling more than 10,000 miles to take part in this weekend's Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities, Sister Therese Mills, MGL, spoke to CNA of her great joy as she joined tens of thousands of other pilgrims in Rome. Jun 09, 2025 Sister Therese Mills, MGL, traveled from Australia to attend the Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities in Rome, June 8, 2025. | Credit: Sister Therese Mills By Kristina Millare Traveling more than 10,000 miles to take part in this weekend's Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities, Sister Therese Mills, MGL, spoke to CNA of her great joy as she joined tens of thousands of other pilgrims in Rome. A leader of the Missionaries of God's Love Sisters, a charismatic Catholic group founded in Australia in 1987, Mills said her pilgrimage to Rome during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope has been a time of refreshment and renewal. She described the 'amazing' experience of walking through the Jubilee Door of St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday, the first day of the special jubilee dedicated to new Catholic movements and associations. Mills recalled 'just opening my hands and just praying that the Lord would refresh and renew my heart and refresh and renew my faith.' 'The thing that blew me away — and what I loved the most — was we were all on this journey together but everyone was speaking and praying in different languages,' she shared with CNA on Pentecost Sunday. Mills called her visit to the Blessed Sacrament chapel inside the papal basilica a 'God moment' that she will not forget. 'I just sat before Jesus and bawled my eyes out to be honest,' she said with a laugh. 'I was very overwhelmed with his love … the gift of being with him in this place, and with the universal Church.' The approximately 70,000 pilgrims participating in the weekend jubilee had the opportunity to explore different churches in Rome and attend music and entertainment events organized by various ecclesial groups. A few of the hundreds of new Catholic associations taking part in the June jubilee include the Neocatechumenal Way, Catholic Action, Communion and Liberation, the Catholic Shalom Community, the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Focolare Movement, and CHARIS International. During his homily at the Vigil Mass, Pope Leo described the new and diverse Church communities gathered around him as 'the fruits of the Second Vatican Council' who are 'grounded in the one Lord Jesus Christ' entrusted with 'a single mission.' Mills attended both Pope Leo's Pentecost Masses — the Vigil on Saturday night and one on Sunday morning. 'I really love being part of a universal Church, being united as one, and coming together to pray for the Spirit,' Mills said. In the days leading up to the official jubilee festivities, Mills undertook a pilgrimage to holy sites in Rome linked to patron saints of her Australian-based community, including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Catherine of Siena. The first Missionaries of God's Love Sisters household was formed in the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn in 1988. Since then, the religious sisters have lived and ministered in the Australian cities of Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, and Sydney, and led outreach missions around the country and in other Asia-Pacific nations, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea.--CNA
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Church Abuse Survivors Dismayed By New Zealand Catholic Bishops Pastoral Statement On Fighting Hopelessness
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops published a Pastoral Statement, 22 May 2025, on 'Fighting Hopelessness in the Jubilee Year of Hope.' Survivors of abuse respond. For the New Zealand Catholic bishops to speak up for the cause of peace and justice while denying peace and justice to victims of abuse within the Catholic Church of New Zealand is a far cry from genuine faith, justice, compassion, and hopefulness. Church leaders moralising on the world stage when their actions do not align with their words makes their pastoral statements hypocritical, sanctimonious, and insincere. For the New Zealand Catholic bishops to hide their actions behind prayer and press releases while ignoring the plight of victims and survivors within their dioceses makes their pastoral statements nothing more than hollow words. Denying a compassionate response to complainants, not treating victims with respect and fairness, blocking proper investigations into abuse complaints, setting lawyers onto victims, and name-calling survivors, negates the bishops' moral credibility for a pastoral statement on fighting hopelessness. The time has long passed for church leaders to practice what they preach. Victims and survivors of church-based abuse deserve the 'compassion, respect, and fairness' promised by the New Zealand bishops, in positive actions and not in meaningless pastoral statements. This positive action is needed from all people of goodwill as spoken about in the bishops' Pastoral Statement. The social sin of Catholics themselves to not hold their church leaders to account remains a major problem.
Herald Malaysia
09-05-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
At jubilee, teens urged to listen
What began as a joyful pilgrimage for thousands of teenagers marking the Jubilee Year of Hope became a profound moment of mourning, as news broke of Pope Francis' death on April 21. May 09, 2025 Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former Vatican secretary of state, receives the gifts offered by a group of young people while celebrating Mass on the second day of the 'novendiali' – nine days of mourning for Pope Francis marked by Masses in St Peter's Square at the Vatican April 27, 2025. (CNS photo/Pablo Esparza) VATICAN: What began as a joyful pilgrimage for thousands of teenagers marking the Jubilee Year of Hope became a profound moment of mourning, as news broke of Pope Francis' death on April 21.'We've been preparing since January,' said 22-year-old Vincenzo Pirico from Pisa. 'The spirit with which we participated truly changed.' Many young pilgrims felt they were not just celebrating faith, but also honouring the memory of a pope who deeply loved and listened to Molina from Ecuador called the news 'a cold shower,' yet said being in Rome allowed his group to say a final goodbye to 'a pope very much loved, especially in the Hispanic community.'The Jubilee had planned to include the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Though Pope Francis approved the decree in May 2024, the closing Mass instead became a memorial for the late pope. His funeral on April 26 marked the start of nine days of the spirit of hope endured. Around 200,000 teenagers gathered in St Peter's Square, waving flags and singing hymns. Archbishop Nelson noted, 'Pope Francis said young people are the now of God — and they're showing it today.'Many teens had known no other pope. Béatrice, 14, from France, said, 'We wondered if the Jubilee would still happen… Luckily, it did!' Anna from Switzerland added, 'It became a time of mourning and thanksgiving. The Pope was close to young people. I remember his smile.'Fr Andrea Filippucci, from the US Virgin Islands, said his group of 100 pilgrims shifted focus from indulgences to reflection on St Peter, 'a man who failed but was still loved.' Youth pilgrim Briah Ryan said, 'Despite the sadness, I was grateful. I'll remember this for the rest of my life.'On Divine Mercy Sunday, Cardinal Pietro Parolin urged the youth to carry on Francis' legacy: 'In mercy, we discover the path to peace.'A final word came from Pope Francis himself, in a video recorded January 8 and released posthumously. 'Dear boys and girls… one of the most important things in life is to listen,' he said. 'Listen, listen a lot.' As teenagers continued their pilgrimage, they bore witness to Francis' final message: listen, love, and walk together. --CNS
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Prayer Carrying Cardinal Dew Towards Start Of Conclave
Press Release – New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference One of the main aspects of the cardinals daily meetings has been sharing their perspective on the needs of the Church and the world, and the qualities a Pope would possess to meet those needs. Cardinal John Dew said he is relying on prayer – his own, and that of others – in helping him prepare for the 'immensity' of the task of being one of 133 people about to elect Pope Francis' successor. On Wednesday, Cardinal Dew will become the third New Zealander to enter a conclave, following Cardinal Reginald Delargey (two conclaves in 1978) and Cardinal Thomas Williams (2005). He said on Monday that the daily Masses of mourning, which concluded on Sunday, and the daily meetings of the cardinals have narrowed their focus on the task at hand. 'I think the fact that we are all together, and we're talking about the one thing – electing a new bishop of Rome, electing a successor of St Peter – has really helped all of us,' Cardinal Dew said. One of the main aspects of the cardinals' daily meetings has been sharing their perspective on the needs of the Church and the world, and the qualities a Pope would possess to meet those needs. 'Listening to what everyone is saying and the kind of person they're looking for, and the needs of the Church, it's been quite inspiring, really, to hear the passion that people have for spreading the work of the Gospel,' Cardinal Dew said. The former Archbishop of Wellington has had the chance to address the cardinals on that question, and he spoke about Pope Francis' 'gift to the world' of the Jubilee Year of Hope. 'I think one of the things that a new pope will need to do is to continue to try and give hope to the world,' Cardinal Dew said. 'But as well as being the leader of the Church, he needs to be a world leader who's prepared to speak out and, in this world of disinformation and misinformation and sometimes lies, someone who stands up for the truth.' In a society where there is 'turmoil and turbulence', Cardinal Dew said the Church – and the Pope – has a role 'to bring peace and harmony and to get the message through that we are all sisters and brothers of one another, no matter what part of the world we might live in'. Pope Francis was someone who helped offer hope and joy to the world. Cardinal Dew hopes his successor can do the same. Finding that successor among a sea of faces and names is causing Cardinal Dew some 'apprehension', he conceded. 'The immensity of the task, the fact that this only happens once every few years, and it has incredible consequences for the Church and for the world, and that I'm part of that, it makes me a bit apprehensive,' he said. The process being 'steeped in prayer' is giving Cardinal Dew a sense of comfort as the preparation for the conclave continues. 'One of the parts of Scripture that I often think about in terms of prayer is responding to the invitation of Jesus in St John's Gospel to 'remain in my love',' he explained. 'We can think about that as just for the time of prayer, but that's going to be for all this time – being aware we are all surrounded by the love of the Lord.' Like most of the cardinal-electors, Cardinal Dew will be participating in a conclave for the first time. From among those who have voted in a papal election before, their explanation of how the process is divinely inspired has offered some insight. 'A couple of the cardinals actually said you can go into the conclave and even have some ideas, but it's only after a vote or two that things start to clarify,' he recalled. 'When Francis was elected, people hadn't thought of him, but it became very clear that he was the one. They described that as the work of Holy Spirit. 'And the fact that you're in a place where you have no contact with anybody else – no cell phones, no computers, no iPads – the whole thing becomes a bit like a retreat and a real time of prayer.' Cardinal Dew expressed his gratitude to the Catholic community in New Zealand for their prayers for him and the other cardinals. He mentioned in particular the uptake of the Litany of the Saints prayer prepared especially for the Church in New Zealand and for the intention of the conclave.
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Prayer Carrying Cardinal Dew Towards Start Of Conclave
Cardinal John Dew said he is relying on prayer – his own, and that of others – in helping him prepare for the 'immensity' of the task of being one of 133 people about to elect Pope Francis' successor. On Wednesday, Cardinal Dew will become the third New Zealander to enter a conclave, following Cardinal Reginald Delargey (two conclaves in 1978) and Cardinal Thomas Williams (2005). He said on Monday that the daily Masses of mourning, which concluded on Sunday, and the daily meetings of the cardinals have narrowed their focus on the task at hand. 'I think the fact that we are all together, and we're talking about the one thing – electing a new bishop of Rome, electing a successor of St Peter – has really helped all of us,' Cardinal Dew said. One of the main aspects of the cardinals' daily meetings has been sharing their perspective on the needs of the Church and the world, and the qualities a Pope would possess to meet those needs. 'Listening to what everyone is saying and the kind of person they're looking for, and the needs of the Church, it's been quite inspiring, really, to hear the passion that people have for spreading the work of the Gospel,' Cardinal Dew said. The former Archbishop of Wellington has had the chance to address the cardinals on that question, and he spoke about Pope Francis' 'gift to the world' of the Jubilee Year of Hope. 'I think one of the things that a new pope will need to do is to continue to try and give hope to the world,' Cardinal Dew said. 'But as well as being the leader of the Church, he needs to be a world leader who's prepared to speak out and, in this world of disinformation and misinformation and sometimes lies, someone who stands up for the truth.' In a society where there is 'turmoil and turbulence', Cardinal Dew said the Church – and the Pope – has a role 'to bring peace and harmony and to get the message through that we are all sisters and brothers of one another, no matter what part of the world we might live in'. Pope Francis was someone who helped offer hope and joy to the world. Cardinal Dew hopes his successor can do the same. Finding that successor among a sea of faces and names is causing Cardinal Dew some 'apprehension', he conceded. 'The immensity of the task, the fact that this only happens once every few years, and it has incredible consequences for the Church and for the world, and that I'm part of that, it makes me a bit apprehensive,' he said. The process being 'steeped in prayer' is giving Cardinal Dew a sense of comfort as the preparation for the conclave continues. 'One of the parts of Scripture that I often think about in terms of prayer is responding to the invitation of Jesus in St John's Gospel to 'remain in my love',' he explained. 'We can think about that as just for the time of prayer, but that's going to be for all this time – being aware we are all surrounded by the love of the Lord.' Like most of the cardinal-electors, Cardinal Dew will be participating in a conclave for the first time. From among those who have voted in a papal election before, their explanation of how the process is divinely inspired has offered some insight. 'A couple of the cardinals actually said you can go into the conclave and even have some ideas, but it's only after a vote or two that things start to clarify,' he recalled. 'When Francis was elected, people hadn't thought of him, but it became very clear that he was the one. They described that as the work of Holy Spirit. 'And the fact that you're in a place where you have no contact with anybody else – no cell phones, no computers, no iPads – the whole thing becomes a bit like a retreat and a real time of prayer.' Cardinal Dew expressed his gratitude to the Catholic community in New Zealand for their prayers for him and the other cardinals. He mentioned in particular the uptake of the Litany of the Saints prayer prepared especially for the Church in New Zealand and for the intention of the conclave.
