The Michigan Area’s final event of 2024 was also the opening of a new year: The 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, announced by Pope Francis with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”
On Sunday, December 29, at the invitation of Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, GCChC, Michigan Area members participated in the solemn Opening Mass for the Jubilee Year at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. The archbishop is the Michigan Area’s principal chaplain.
Also participating were members of the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary.
Pope Francis designated the Feast of the Holy Family, December 29, as a time for all bishops throughout the world to lead their churches into the Jubilee Year, which will run through January 6, 2026.
Archbishop Vigneron, who celebrated the Mass, said that the most important way to experience the virtue of hope is through the Eucharist: “Because in the Eucharist is made present Jesus’ own victory over sin and death. Christ is present in the assembly, in His victory, under the appearances of bread and wine, giving us even a taste of the future … nourishing our hope, inflaming our hope. He makes here the offering … by which we are made ready for eternal life.”
The archbishop also encouraged the faithful to seek plenary indulgences, which are abundantly given during a Jubilee Year. The usual conditions of a plenary indulgence are receiving Holy Communion, Confession (within a reasonable period of time), praying for the Holy Father’s intentions, and giving up all attachment to sin.
In addition, pilgrimage sites have been designated throughout the world for reception of plenary indulgences during the Jubilee Year. Archbishop Vigneron has designated 12 Detroit-area pilgrimage sites for the Jubilee Year, including the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
After Mass, Michigan Area members met briefly with Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Cepeda, who concelebrated the Mass.
Participating Dames and Knights included Ed Jelonek, KM; Marcia McBrien, DM; Eileen Newell, DM; Chris Rutkowski, KM; Michigan Area Chair Andy Smith, KM; John Trupiano, KM and Kathryn Trupiano, DM; and Barbara Wilson, DM, and Robert Wilson, KM. Also attending were Members in Formation June Rutkowski and Sean Shriner.
Shortly before Mass, Fr. J. J. Mech, rector of the Cathedral, blessed the Michigan Area members with St. Charbel’s Oil, made by monks in the St. Maron Monastery in Annaya-Lebanon where St. Charbel lived. The process involves steeping relics of the saint in pure olive oil. The oil was brought to the Cathedral by the Wilsons, as a result of a connection made by Andy Smith last year with a monk from the monastery. Robert Wilson is distantly related to St. Charbel.
The Michigan Area’s first event of 2025 will be its January 4 First Saturday at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The featured speaker will be Fr. Dave Tomaszycki, who will discuss the book On the Demonic, a collection of writings by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, compiled and edited by Fr. Tomaszycki.
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