Jubilee Year comes to an end at closing Mass with Bishop Iffert

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Bishop John Iffert celebrated the closing Mass for the 2025 Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope, Dec. 28, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. The Jubilee Year was opened by Pope Francis one year prior on the eve of Christmas, with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. This, in a special way, connected the Jubilee Year and the celebration of the first coming of Christ at Christmas.

The Jubilee Year called the faithful to focus on the indulgent love of Christ and the pouring out of his love onto his people, said Bishop Iffert, in the same way that God’s love was brought into the world through the Christ child.

“The celebration of the Jubilee shares something with the Christmas celebration … Every day we remember that the Lord Jesus dwells with his people, comes to us and empties out his love for us every day. And Christmas, we remember that in a particularly poignant way,” said Bishop Iffert.

It is this indulgent love of Christ that Pope Francis called into focus through the jubilee theme, “pilgrims of hope.” The theological virtue of hope, Bishop Iffert said, “is certainty in the mercy of God and in his victory over the Kingdom. That’s what this Jubilee Year has been for us, a walking in that confidence in the divine love to strengthen our community.”

“Even though we don’t live in the fulfillment, the perfection, of that kingdom right now, even though we live in a time where that kingdom has been introduced by the first coming of Jesus, we await the second coming of Jesus for its perfection and fulfillment, even now, because we are people of hope,” said Bishop Iffert.

Though the Jubilee Year has ended, the message and invitation it espoused, to follow God, and trust in his infinite wisdom, still rings true.

“The Jubilee celebration draws our attention and focus to the indulgent mercy of God; it doesn’t control that mercy. In closing out the Jubilee we do not end the river of God’s mercy that flows down upon us. God’s mercy is constant,” said Bishop Iffert. “This Jubilee year has been for us a walking in that confidence in the divine love to strengthen our community as we journey together throughout the world.”