Diocese celebrates ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ at Jubilee Year Mass

Catholics of the Diocese of Metuchen gathered in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi Dec. 28 were united in joy with brethren from around the world as they declared they were “Pilgrims of Hope” at the start of the 2025 Jubilee Year.

Bishop James F. Checchio served as principal celebrant and homilist for the liturgy – celebrating the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – which began in the cathedral’s narthex. Concelebrating with the Bishop were Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, vicar general; Father Timothy A. Christy, Cathedral rector, and priests of the diocese. The priests carried a larger-than-life crucifix commissioned for the Jubilee Year, which thereafter would designate the Cathedral as an official pilgrimage site for the Metuchen Diocese.

“In fellowship with the universal Church as we celebrate the love of the Father that reveals itself in the flesh of the word made man, and in the sign of the cross, the anchor of salvation, we solemnly open the jubilee year for the Church of Metuchen,” the Bishop prayed. “This rite is for us the prelude for a rich experience of grace and mercy. We are ready always to respond to whoever asks us the reason for the hope that is in us … May Christ our peace and our hope be our compassion on the journey in this year of grace and consolation, and may the Holy Spirit who today begins this work, both in us and with us, bring it to completion in the day of Christ Jesus.”

The Gospel reading from St. John wherein Jesus assures his disciples that he was the way and the truth and the life was proclaimed, and excerpts from the papal bull of indiction of the Jubilee Year Spes Non Confundit (Hope Does Not Disappoint) were shared with the congregation. The blessing of water in the Baptismal font and the sprinkling of the people at their renewal of Baptismal promises preceded the clergy’s procession to the altar.

In his homily, Bishop Checchio stated that generations of faithful throughout the history of the Church heard the message “be not afraid,” and no matter how long it seemed, God’s timetable was his alone.

“In some way, it will all be clear to us,” the Bishop said. “Salvation comes to us through Emmanuel. God is with us in Jesus’ birth. We are to rejoice and live in joyful hope.”

He continued, “Today we start this Jubilee Year, and the theme chosen by our Holy Father is ‘Pilgrims of Hope.’ Hope is one of the most essential characteristics of the people of God in the scriptures. Christ founded his Church to be an instrument of hope in the world. You and I are now the body of Christ; we must cultivate this hope in our lives and share it with others.”

Bishop Checchio concluded, “God is continually working out his plan for us, sustaining our faith and offering hope. If we take the time to listen to him, the Lord will speak those words to us: be not afraid… As we begin this Jubilee Year of hope, remember God’s greatest desire is to be with us. Let us make a pledge to do something more for him: in this year of hope, let us share love and hope from him with others.”

Following the liturgy, Father Toborowsky reminded the congregation that, on Christmas Eve in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Pope Francis had opened the Holy Year Jubilee doors “and the ripple effects have made their way here now and in all the cathedral churches around the world,” he said. “As we now enter into this sacred time, this Jubilee Year, we are to be pilgrims of hope to others, a foretaste of what waits for us in heaven.”

Gesturing towards the Jubilee Cross standing before him, the vicar general explained, “What you see here now, this beautiful work of art commissioned for this Jubilee Year, is the Jubilee Cross which is traditionally the focal point of a cathedral church.” Rather than designate holy doors in all cathedrals around the world as did Pope St. John Paul II a quarter-century before, the Vatican has issued specific instructions to require “a cross of significance to the diocese” be used in the liturgy.

“The treasury of the Church is the jubilee indulgence,” Father Toborowsky continued. “It is a privilege to pray not only for ourselves but for those gone before us.” To obtain the jubilee indulgence, he stated, faithful must receive Holy Communion, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, receive the Sacrament of Confession, and participate in religious activities pertaining to the Jubilee Year.

Though the documents consider the Cathedral to be the main place to come and make our pilgrimage, Bishop Checchio has designated three additional shrines of the Diocese as places of pilgrimage: the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan; the National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Washington, and the National Shrine of St. Lucy Filippini inside St. Mary of Mt. Virgin Church, New Brunswick.

Father Toborowsky announced the creation of a new website filled with a wealth of information on the Jubilee Year. Available at diometuchen.org/jubilee-2025, it includes links to resources from the Holy See and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; a copy of the papal bull of indiction; a Jubilee prayer and information on where and how to obtain an indulgence during the Jubilee Year. The Diocese of Metuchen will make available a schedule of upcoming events during the Jubilee Year online, and a Jubilee app for smartphones is in the development phase.