From the Pastor December 28/29

The Jubilee Year Begins

Pope Francis opened the Jubilee Door at St Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve and began the Holy Year 2025. This Holy Year’s theme is “Pilgrims of Hope”. A Holy Year held every twenty-five years has been a Church tradition since 1300, and its roots are in the Jewish tradition of a jubilee year when debts were forgiven and forfeited land was restored to its original owners. Occasionally, popes have declared extraordinary Holy Years. Pope Francis did that in 2015.

Since the Holy Year emphasizes forgiveness and restoring our relationship with God, a primary focus is on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Pilgrims to Rome who walk through the Holy Year Doors at one of the four major basilicas, St. Peter’s, St John Lateran, St. Mary Major, or St. Paul Outside the Walls and celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist receive a plenary indulgence. 

During the last Holy Year, Pope Francis encouraged local bishops to designate a door of their cathedral as a Holy Year Door. That will not be the case this year. Only the doors at the four traditional basilicas and one at Rebibbia Prison have been designated as Holy Year Doors this year. Pilgrims will need to travel to Rome to receive the indulgence.

Pope Francis is, however, asking each local bishop to celebrate Masses to mark the beginning of the Jubilee year. Bishop da Cunha will do that this Sunday, December  22, at 3 p.m. in St. Mary’s in Fall River. All are invited to participate. 

If you go to Rome, pilgrims should expect it to be even more crowded this year than in the last few years when tourism has been booming. In preparation for the celebration, Rome is being transformed by restoration and renewal projects. Italian tourist officials expect 35 million visitors to Rome. That is more than triple the 13 million tourists in 2023. 

In the papal bull announcing the Holy Year, Pope Francis expressed the desire that the year would call Christians to action to bring world peace, openness to life, and responsible parenthood. He hopes that as a result of the year, we grow closer to prisoners, the poor, sick, young, elderly, migrants, and all people in difficult situations. Francis has encouraged affluent countries to forgive the debts of poorer ones and to address the ecological debts.

A special feature of this Holy Year is that it coincides with the 1700 anniversary of the beginning of the Council of Nicaea. This council was only the second Ecumenical Council for the church. It formulated the Nicaean Creed, our Christian statement of faith we recite at every Sunday Mass. Serendipitously, this year, the date of Easter aligns for the Roman and Orthodox Churches. Pope Francis is advocating for an agreement between all Christian churches to establish a uniform date for Easter since that was also one of Nicaea’s major tasks. Western churches make the date of Easter according to the Gregorian calendar, and Eastern or Orthodox churches make it according to the Julian calendar. 

The Holy Year’s focus on the Sacrament of Reconciliation encourages us to reflect on our use of that Sacrament. A few weeks ago, Holy Redeemer conducted our Advent Reconciliation Service. About twenty parishioners attended. That was disappointing. Fr. Sullivan is in the Reconciliation Room every Saturday from 3:00-3:45. Sometimes, no penitents come to confess. We’d like to believe no one in Holy Redeemer parish sins, but that obviously isn’t the case. Come, Lent, Fr. Sullivan and Deacon Art LaChance will preach on Reconciliation. 

This Holy Year will probably also focus on the two thousandth anniversary of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection coming up in 2033. Even if we can’t go on a pilgrimage to Rome for the Holy Year, we can still observe it by growing closer to God by seeking God’s pardon and mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and, having received forgiveness, offer it to our brothers and sisters. 

Advent Giving 

The Christmas Season is a time of giving. We thank parishioners for donating to the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Giving Tree. Funds from this activity help the society support the needy of our parish. It is wonderful to see the tree almost covered with white tags representing the many intentions of the donors. 

Also, we hope parishioners are participating in the Reverse Advent Calendar. Each day, the calendar suggests a food or healthcare item you can contribute to the Chatham Food Pantry. These efforts bring comfort to those in need right in our backyard. You can begin to bring your items to church next weekend, January 4-5. 

Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass

Married couples celebrating a significant wedding anniversary in 2025 are invited to renew their wedding vows with Most Rev. Edgar M. DaCunha, S.D.V., D.D., at the Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass, Sunday, February 9, 2025, at a 3:00 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of the St. Mary of the Assumption, 327 Second Street, Fall River, MA 02721. To register, please contact the Parish Office at 508-945-0677. 

Baby Bottle Boomerang 

January is Sanctity of Life Month. Next month, we pray for respect for life from conception to natural death. While we rejoice in the Dobbs case reversing the Roe v. Wade abortion decision, we recognize we have much work to do to protect life against abortion and euthanasia. It is very possible that the Massachusetts Legislature will consider legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide in the coming year. It is an issue all Catholics must be aware of and ready to fight against.

Holy Redeemer has held a fundraiser called the Baby Bottle Boomerang for the past several years to benefit Your Options Medical Centers. Your Options is an agency that offers pregnant women services such as ultrasound tests and counseling to help women considering abortion know all their options. Pro-life people need to be ready to help women with problem pregnancies with prayerful and financial resources. We need to meet our words with action.

Parishioners participate in the Boomerang by taking a baby bottle, filling it with the loose change we receive during the month, and returning it in early February. Take a baby bottle as you leave Mass today and help support Holy Redeemer’s effort to support pregnant women. 

Christmas Thank-You

Thank you to those parishioners who sent the parish staff a Christmas card or shared one of their holiday baking traditions. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated. May you receive God’s blessings in 2025.