Translation of the article into Italian
A few weeks ago, Omnes announced in the digital edition the theme of the next Jubilee of the universal Church to be celebrated in 2025, Pilgrims of Hope. The information, little reported by other media, had emerged in a private audience that Pope Francis held with the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, Rino Fisichella.
In mid-February, it was the Pontiff himself who announced it, publicly communicating for the first time some details and wishes about the upcoming Holy Year, in a letter addressed to Bishop Fisichella himself and made public by the Holy See Press Office.
In our anticipation, we pointed out that, in addition to the theme and the logistical aspect of the preparation of an event that will see millions of faithful from all over the world converge in Rome, the center of Christianity, it was also necessary to reflect on the path of spiritual preparation that will accompany it.
The most immediate precedent, the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, had in fact been prepared by St. John Paul II six years earlier, in 1994, with the famous Apostolic Letter Tertio Millenio Adveniente.
The text recently published by Pope Francis goes precisely in the direction of safeguarding and enhancing the spiritual dimension of the Jubilee, an event that must be lived "as a special gift of grace, characterized by the forgiveness of sins and, in particular, by the indulgence, a full expression of God's mercy.The "Holy Year", as it has always been since the first Holy Year of 1300 convoked by Pope Boniface VIII.
Faith, hope and charity
Precisely for this reason, the Holy Father suggests that the Dicastery for Evangelization find the most suitable ways and forms to live the long-awaited experience ".with intense faith, lively hope and active charity".
The general motto will be, as Omnes also anticipated, Pilgrims of hopeThe Pope writes in his letter to Fisichella: "It is intended to be the sign of a new era.of a new renewal that we all feel as urgent". Precisely because we are coming from two years characterized by an epidemic that has also altered the spiritual well-being of people, bringing death, uncertainty, suffering, loneliness and limitations of all kinds. Francis also cites as examples the churches that are forced to close offices, schools, workplaces and leisure facilities.
"We must keep the flame of hope that has been given to us burning, and do everything possible so that each one of us regains the strength and certainty to look to the future with an open mind, a trusting heart and a broad vision."is the perspective proposed by the Holy Father. A vision of openness and hope, in fact, that can only be achieved by rediscovering an effective universal fraternity, materialized first of all by listening to the poorest and most disadvantaged, who should be the privileged audience of the Jubilee of 2025.
"These fundamental aspects of social lifeThe spiritual dimension of the "..." should therefore be combined with the spiritual dimension of the "...".pilgrimageThe "beauty of creation and the care of the common home must not be neglected, through which - as demonstrated by many young people in many parts of the world - it is also possible to show the essence of the "common home".of faith in God and obedience to His will".
The four of the Second Vatican Council
At this point, Pope Francis proposes to take the four constitutions of the Second Vatican Council as a model for the path of preparation, Dei Verbum on divine revelation, Lumen Gentium on the mystery and conformation of the Church and the People of God, Sacrosanctum Concilium on the liturgy and Gaudium et Spes on the projection of the Church in the contemporary world, enriched by all the magisterial contribution of the last decades with the successive pontiffs, up to the present time.
A great symphony of prayer
Pending the reading of the Bull with the specific indications for the celebration of the Jubilee, which will be published later, the Pope suggests that the year preceding the Jubilee event be dedicated to "to a great 'symphony' of prayer"because before setting out for the holy place it is necessary to "regain the desire to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to Him and worship Him.".
Ultimately, prayer must be the first step in the pilgrimage of hope, through an intense year "in which hearts may be opened to receive the abundance of grace, making the 'Our FatherThe prayer that Jesus taught us, the program of life of each of his disciples, the prayer that Jesus taught us, the program of life of each of his disciples".
A first assessment of the synodal journey
With regard to the listening and universal involvement of the whole Church, the synodal process, which in this first year is involving the local Churches, is moving forward with satisfaction. A recent note from the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops states that 98 % of the Bishops' Conferences and Synods of the Oriental Churches throughout the world have appointed a person or a team dedicated to the synodal process.
According to data collected in various online meetings with those responsible for the synod, there is also great enthusiasm on the part of the laity and consecrated life. "It's no coincidence."reads the note, "that countless initiatives have been carried out to promote consultation and ecclesial discernment in the different territories".. Many of these testimonials are collected in a timely manner on the web site www.synodresources.org.
The multimedia initiative dedicated to prayer for the Synod is also proving to be a success. www.prayforthesynod.va - which has been set up in conjunction with the Pope's World Prayer Network and the International Union of Superiors General, which also uses an app called Click to PrayPrayer intentions written by monastic and contemplative communities are proposed, which can be meditated on by anyone.
There is no shortage of challenges on the synodal journey, among them "the fears and reticence of some groups of the faithful and the clergy"and a certain distrust among the laity".who doubt that their contribution is really being taken into account". Added to this is the persistent pandemic situation, which still does not favor face-to-face meetings, which are undoubtedly much more fruitful for sharing and exchange. It is no coincidence, reflects the Synod Secretariat, that the consultation of the People of God "... is not a matter of chance".cannot be reduced to a simple questionnaire, since the real challenge of synodality is precisely mutual listening and communal discernment.".
This also recalls four aspects that should not be underestimated: specific formation in listening and discernment, which is not always the norm; the need to avoid self-referentiality in group meetings, valuing instead the experiences of each baptized person; greater involvement of young people, as well as those who live on the margins of ecclesial realities; trying to overcome the disorientation expressed by a part of the clergy.
In short, in addition to the joy and dynamism that the newness of the synodal process undoubtedly inspires, it is necessary to work patiently throughout the process, so that each baptized person can truly rediscover himself or herself as an essential member of the People of God.
