Don’t forget the Jubilee: Making the most of a Holy Year

While the Catholic world is swept up in the excitement of a new pope, the Jubilee Year of 2025 quietly continues, now entering its second half. Declared by Pope Francis as a Jubilee of Hope, this Holy Year is more than a series of Vatican events. It’s a global invitation to renewal, mercy, and mission.

So if you’ve been meaning to do something for the Jubilee but haven’t yet, there’s still time. And no, it doesn’t require a plane ticket to Rome (though that’s always an option).

Here’s how to make the most of the Jubilee Year — wherever you are.

Traditionally, Jubilee pilgrims walk through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica or one of the other major basilicas in Rome. But Pope Francis also designated Holy Doors in cathedrals and shrines around the world. Check with your local diocese—your nearest pilgrimage site may be just a drive or train ride away. Walking through a Holy Door is a powerful symbol of entering into God’s mercy.

For those able to travel, Rome is offering a full calendar of Jubilee events, including special Masses, catecheses, and processions. Visit the official site for details and registration.

Jubilees are rooted in biblical traditions of release and restoration (Leviticus 25). That spirit is lived out today through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Whether you’ve been away from confession for months or decades, this is the moment to go. As Pope Francis reminded us, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy” (Evangelii Gaudium, 3).

Confession isn’t about shame—it’s about starting over. Let the Jubilee be your clean slate.

The Jubilee indulgence—granted to pilgrims and penitents during the Holy Year—is not only spiritual. It’s linked to tangible acts: visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked. These corporal works of mercy are timeless, and they offer a way to embody the Jubilee’s theme of hope. Find a local charity, write to someone in prison, offer a ride to a neighbor. Each act builds the Kingdom.

If you’re already planning a summer holiday, consider adding a spiritual layer. Visit a monastery, a Marian shrine, or a church with deep cultural roots. Cities like Lourdes, Fatima, and Kraków are rich in Catholic heritage—but so are lesser-known places like the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montserrat in Spain or the Abbey of Saint-Maurice in Switzerland. Wherever you go, there’ll surely be one. Let your trip be both restorative and sacred.

Think of this Holy Year as a spiritual reset. Is there a habit you want to change? A part of your prayer life you’ve neglected? Choose one area of personal transformation and make it your Jubilee intention. That focus might be attending daily Mass once a week, reading a Gospel each month, or volunteering consistently. Small steps matter.

A Jubilee is both a celebration of mercy and a call to renewal. As we pass the halfway mark, don’t let this holy time slip by unnoticed. The door is still open—literally and spiritually. Walk through it.