Consecrated persons and the Jubilee: Embracing hope, conversion and reconciliation

Abstract

The past four years have constituted difficult moments for humanity. Notable is the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2019 leading to the tragedy of death and the uncertainty and fleetingness of existence. During this period, Christians and people of other faiths endured hardships and limitations. Churches remained closed, as did mosques, schools, factories, offices, shops, and venues for recreation. It generated feelings not only of grief, but also, at times, of doubt, fear and disorientation. Within the same period is the war between Ukraine and Russia, and between Israel and Palestine, alongside other conflicts around the world. Pope Francis has declared the year 2025 the Jubilee Year, and he intends that during this year, humanity will move away from a season of tragedy to an epoch of hope. This paper studies the Jubilee Year declared by Pope Francis alongside other jubilee years. While there are several papers on the 2025 Jubilee Year, this work distinguishes itself by focusing on the implications of the Jubilee Year for Consecrated Persons. For the purpose of achieving the aim and objectives of the paper, it adopts the thematic, hermeneutic and historical approaches in research. It concludes that the 2025 Jubilee Year can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust, and a sense of universal fraternity as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that is so urgently desired by the world.