The concept of Jubilee, a time of pardon, liberation, and renewal, resonates deeply within the human spirit. It is a moment of grace offered to the entire Church, a chance to experience God’s mercy in a profound way.
The concept of Jubilee, a time of pardon, liberation, and renewal, resonates deeply within the human spirit. It is a moment of grace offered to the entire Church, a chance to experience God’s mercy in a profound way.
What a moment of grace it was to be able to attend the Jubilee Inauguration Mass held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt (St Mary’s) in Cape Town on Tuesday 31 December 2024, and what a wonderful start to the Jubilee 2025 Year. Our outgoing Archbishop, Stephen Cardinal Brislin, was the main celebrant, and the Mass was concelebrated by our Auxiliary Bishop Sylvester David OMI, together with His Excellency Archbishop Henryk Jagodinski – Apostolic Nuncio (the Pope’s representative to South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana), Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio – the President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, Father Robert Bissell – Administrator of St Mary’s Cathedral, and all the priests, religious and deacons of the Archdiocese. Lay representatives of all parishes also attended the Jubilee Inauguration Mass.
The music for the Mass, organised and led by Father Rohan Smuts, was sublime. The exceptional pipe organ, played by Father Rohan, filled the Cathedral with an awe-inspiring depth of sound, and the voices of all in the congregation were raised in song for the sung Mass and hymns, representative of the three languages of the Archdiocese.
Archbishop Pennacchio presented the Archdiocese with a beautiful gift, Relics of Pope Saint John Paul II, which were blessed at the beginning of the Mass and will be enshrined in the Cathedral for veneration.
Jubilee candles were blessed and every church in the Archdiocese of Cape Town, as well as all religious houses and schools, will receive a candle as we celebrate the theme of the Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope”.
