In the Roman Catholic tradition, a Holy Year, or Jubilee, is a great religious event. It is a year of forgiveness of sins and also the punishment due to sin; it is a year of reconciliation between adversaries, of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters. A Jubilee year is, above all, the year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity (Vatican.Va).

Traditionally, a Jubilee Year takes place every 25 years unless otherwise declared by the Holy See.

Pope Francis stated in his February 2022 letter announcing the Jubilee 2025, Pilgrims of Hope: “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire…” (USCCB)

The Glossary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that an indulgence is “the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt has already been forgiven. In other words, we can receive from God a partial or complete canceling of our “purgatory time” by gaining an indulgence.

A plenary indulgence can be gained only once daily, but partials are unlimited. In order to obtain the Jubilee plenary indulgence, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of grace:

1. Visit one of the designated Jubilee churches or shrines. Or perform the prescribed act.
2. Receive the Sacrament of Penance by going to Confession. (The Sacrament of Penance may be received several days before or after performing the prescribed acts.)
3. Receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
4. Be truly free from all willful attachment to sin.
5. Make a Profession of Faith. (Recite the Nicene or Apostles Creed)
6. Pray for Pope Francis’ intentions for the Church and for the world. (Recite the Our Father)

**To receive these special graces, one must be truly free from all willful attachment to sin.

Living as a faithful Catholic is an intense way of life that orients us towards striving to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Living to receive indulgences is already “waiting well” and living in hope.

The Gift of Indulgences:
The marvelous thing about fulfilling the requirements to receive an indulgence is that we trust that the Lord will draw from His infinite merits, won by His passion, death, and resurrection, special graces for the person who is asking for them. Christ has given the Catholic Church the power to forgive sins (John 20:21-23) and the power to bind and loose (Matt. 18:18). Building a habit of receiving indulgences eliminates the temporal punishment due to sin (purgatory time) and cooperates with God’s grace to be in deeper communion with Him.

A plenary indulgence can be gained only once daily, but partials are unlimited. In order to obtain a Jubilee plenary indulgence, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of grace:

1. Visit one of the designated Jubilee churches or shrines. Or perform the prescribed act.
2. Receive the Sacrament of Penance by going to Confession. (The Sacrament of Penance may be received several days before or after performing the prescribed acts.)
3. Receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
4. Be truly free from all willful attachment to sin.
5. Make a Profession of Faith. (Recite the Nicene or Apostles Creed)
6. Pray for Pope Francis’ intentions for the Church and for the world. (Recite the Our Father)

**To receive these special graces, one must be truly free from all willful attachment to sin.

How Do We Know If We Have Received the Plenary Indulgence?
God knows, and that is Who matters. The act of fulfilling these requirements hopefully helps us begin forming new habits and breaking old bad habits that lead to sinful behavior. The hardest requirement to fulfill may be the last one noted: to have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin. That means a person needs to hate all their sins and be willing to renounce their attachment to them. If a person is unwilling to at least try to amend their situation, they may be attached to that sin. This is distinct from human weakness when a person might repeatedly fall to a sin. A daily self-examination of conscience helps an individual discern what their particular sins and attachments might be.

Besides the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, Bishop Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay designated two other Jubilee Sites within the Diocese of Green Bay. These are:

• St. Francis Xavier Cathedral – Green Bay, Wisconsin
• St. Pius X Parish – Appleton, Wisconsin

A plenary indulgence might be obtained by devoutly visiting any of the Jubilee pilgrimage sites.

There are many beautiful Shrines and devotional areas that have been designated as Jubilee Pilgrimage Sites.

Those not able to pilgrimage to Rome may also obtain a Jubilee Indulgence by making a pious pilgrimage to a sacred Jubilee site, including any national minor basilica, Marian sanctuary, or national sanctuary.

Some Other Wisconsin Sites Include:

• Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe – La Crosse, WI
• National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians – Hubertus, WI

To see more US Jubilee Sites, please visit catholicshrines.org/jubileeofhope.