2025
Jubilee Year
On this page you will find information and useful resources on the Jubilee Year including information from the Catholic Bishop England and Wales, The Diocese resources, information and summaries from our Parish Discussions and key dates for the diary including youth events, and events such as pilgrimages and walking tours you may be interested in.
What is the Jubilee Year?
The Jubilee Year happens every 25 years. The Holy Father has confirmed 2025 is a year of Jubilee, with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, and is a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of COVID-19 pandemic, and a climate crisis.
Preparations for the 2025 Year of Jubilee began in Advent 2023, which marked the start of a year of prayer. The Bishops’ Conference have produced resources for the preparatory year of prayer, focusing on the Our Father, as well as resources about Jubilee in the Catholic Church.
2025: Pilgrims of Hope
For use by parishes, priests, religious, laypeople, and more, these resources will help guide you as you ready yourself for this most vital year in the Church’s life.
What is the Jubilee Year?
A Letter from Pope Francis
Unpacking the Jubilee Year
Pilgrims of Hope and what it means for me?
The Jubilee Hymn
The Jubilee Year Prayer
Jubilee Year - Ealing Abbey Parish
Parish Meetings
We were provided with the following guides as the basis of discussion which set the tone for meaningful conversations around the Jubilee Year.
- Scripture
- Sub-themes
- Agenda(s)
- Points for discussion
Jubilee Year Parish Discussions
In October 2024 and January 2025 we held meetings to discuss the Jubilee Year and key sub-themes. The initial meeting in October was to find out more about the Jubilee Year and encourage discussions around scripture and the 6 sub-themes. January was a follow-up building upon October’s conversations, and what we are currently already doing in Ealing Abbey and ideas on what more we can do and how to bring these to life. Meeting minutes from both meetings are available below.
Parish Gathering October 2024
See below a summary of Parish Discussions held 2nd October 2024 across two sessions.
Parish Gathering January 2025
See below a summary of Parish Discussions held 8th and 15th January 2025.
Jubilee Year - Parish Goals
Parish Goals
Goals for Jubilee Year 2025 ‘Pilgrims of Hope’
Projects
Benedict Renew –
In conjunction with Renew Wellbeing team, provide a weekly safe space, place of Hope for people to come to at Ealing Abbey Wednesdays 10am-12pm. Build volunteer team to run a weekly safe space in 2025 (Rest and Worship)Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter
(Lenten project 2025)Ealing Foodbank
(recruit more volunteers) – Tie in with Food Poverty SubthemeActon Homeless
(one Sunday a year to bring things needed in the Parish) Date tbc – Tie in with subtheme, Poverty
Promote Volunteering opportunities to help the Homeless – see page hereBe a Pilgrim of Hope through Volunteering: Volunteers page – Publish ways parishioners can get involved and volunteer – see page here
Pilgrimages :
A Parish Pilgrimage and join with Diocese Pilgrimages / arrange local pilgrimages
– Rome (Nov 17th-21st)
– Diocesan Pilgrimage to Willesden (Holy Door)
Art Competition and Exhibitions
– St Gregory’s School Jubilee Year Art Competition on theme and sub themes of The Jubilee Year. Competition closes Friday, 12th March 2025. Winners announced, Friday 21st March 2025.
– Art Exhibition showcasing winners artwork from St Gregory’s Junior School Competition and art produced during The Jubilee Year by our Art & Prayer workshop community groups, in Ealing Abbey. Date TBC. To be showcased at Ealing Abbey as part of The Open House Festival – Sep 2025
Jubilee Year Liturgy
A special Jubilee Year Liturgy in September. Date TBC, potentially Saturday, 20th September 2025
Volunteering Opportunities
Volunteer and serve at Ealing Abbey Parish
Roles available here
Jubilee Volunteer Fair – Volunteer with Caritas
EVENTS - JUBILEE YEAR
Jubilee for the Youth - Event(s)
Join in the upcoming Jubilee for the Year events listed here
Jubilee Year Pilgrimages - Dates for your diary
This section highlights details of our Parish Pilgrimage to Rome in November 2025, as well as other pilgrimages throughout the year, organised by The Diocese.
Parish Pilgrimage – Ealing Abbey
Parish Jubilee Year Rome Pilgrimage with Tangney Tours : 4-night stay 17th – 21st November 2025
Ealing Abbey are organising a Parish Pilgrimage for 4 nights during 17th – 21st November 2025, kindly organised by Greg Smith. If you would like to join this, please email Chelle, Pastoral Coordinator at: chelle@ealingabbey.org.uk or call 020 8194 2302 to express your interest. Limited spaces available, we are looking at booking ASAP please contact if interested.
• Departure: Monday 17th Nov – Check-in 08.45, BA554 10.45am departure from London Heathrow, arrival: 14.20 Rome Fiumicino Airport
• Accommodation and meals: Staying at Hotel Olympic, Half Board basis (Breakfast and evening meal)
• Return : Friday 21st Nov – Transfer to Rome for return flight to the UK check-in 14.25 (BA Flight BA555 departs 16.25), arrival: London Heathrow Terminal 5 arrives 18.10
• A full itinerary and programme will be organized including: Daily Mass including early morning Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, attendance at Papal Audience in St Peter’s Square, a half day guided tour of the City with coach – as it is a Holy Year suggested a visit St Paul’s Outside the Walls Basilica, then on to St John Lateran and from there the group would walk to St Mary Major in order to Process through the Holy Doors – an application for this will be submitted on behalf of the group – return to the hotel on foot or by taxi if required (taxi charges paid locally by passengers)
• Walking tours will also be undertaken with your courier – to places of interest.
Diocese Pilgrimages
1) Jubilee Walking Pilgrimage – Walking to Tyburn
Saturday, 22nd March 2025
Londoners, you are invited to join Mgr Keith Barltrop on a Jubilee Pilgrimage to Tyburn to celebrate and honour our Martyrs on Sat 22nd March. Mgr Barltrop will administer brief Healing Ministry with Anointing, Laying of Hands after 12noon Mass in Crypt!
If interested in attending, please contact :
Mgr Keith – keithbarltrop@rcdow.org.uk
brendawalsh@hotmail.com or call/text 07578 504 407
Click here for details of the day, or on the poster below
2) Pilgrimage to St Edmund’s College – Saturday 12th July
The Cardinal will lead a Pilgrimage to St Edmund’s College, Ware on Saturday 12 July and we are encouraged and invited to attend. The day will commence with Mass in the grounds at 12 noon.
3) The 2025 National Jubilee Walking Pilgrimage of Hope.
Saturday, 13th September 2025
Guest editorial: Dr Phil McCarthy –
The Holy Year is underway with its motto ‘pilgrims of hope’. As Christians we should be hopeful, but when we look at our country and our world it would be easy to despair. Jubilees are years of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. The 2025 Jubilee has especial significance in England & Wales as it commemorates 175 years since the restoration of our Catholic hierarchy.
The Pilgrimage of Hope will be a way for Catholics to witness to their hope in the crucified and risen Christ across England & Wales. It is a national walking pilgrimage with four main Ways converging at the Cathedral of St Barnabas, Nottingham, on Saturday 13th September 2025, the eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Ways start at the Catholic cathedrals in Cardiff, Leeds, Norwich and London and will bless our nations with a Sign of the Cross. A small group of ‘perpetual pilgrims’ will walk the full distance of each Way, with day pilgrims joining. There are feeder routes from the other Catholic cathedrals.
Pope Francis has written:
“Pilgrimage is of course a fundamental element of every Jubilee event. Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life. In the coming year, pilgrims of hope will surely travel the ancient and more modern routes in order to experience the Jubilee to the full.” [Spes Non Confundit, Bull of Indiction of the 2025 Jubilee, p5].
Members of the Catholic Union are invited to become pilgrims of hope and so experience the Jubilee to the full!
Dr Phil McCarthy, the author of ‘Hearts in Search of God.’ This national pilgrimage takes four routes to Nottingham, which all arrive there at St Barnabas Cathedral on 13 September:
https://www.pilgrimways.org.uk/national-pilgrims-of-hope-walking-pilgrimage
It will be possible to join the pilgrimage for a day of walking if you are not able to devote more time.
The southern route (St John) will pass through this diocese. Please see the excellent website above for further information.
4) The Westminster Way,
A gentle (ish) walk of about 5 miles from Tower Hill to the Cathedral, passing through Moorfields, Charterhouse, Ely Place, Maiden Lane and Westminster.
Approx 2.5-3hours
There are good resources to use, including the Leaders guide and Passport, all available on the Diocesan Website here
If you are planning to take a large group, it would be a kindness if you would make the various churches on the route aware of your impending visitation. It will also ensure that their buildings are open and ready to receive pilgrims. Thanks to the clergy and staff in these places for their assistance and cooperation.
You may also be aware that the Cardinal will lead a Pilgrimage to St Edmund’s College, Ware on Saturday 12 July and we are encouraged and invited to attend. The day will commence with Mass in the grounds at 12 noon. I will soon be in contact again with a poster and further information about this.
5) Walsingham Abbey
TBC – Saturday, 20th September 2025
The Jubilee Year Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Pope Francis
‘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; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope. This will indeed be the case if we are capable of recovering a sense of universal fraternity and refuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty that prevents millions of men, women, young people and children from living in a manner worthy of our human dignity. ‘
Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church
The 2025 Jubilee, which has the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope” will be a year of hope and trust for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased threats to the climate.
Intended as a time of conversion and emphasis on God’s mercy and forgiveness of sins, Jubilees begin with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica. Holy Doors at each of the four papal basilicas in Rome are destination points for pilgrims, who pass through seeking special graces.