Jan 2025 Mid-Month Update

Jubilee Year 2025 Masses

Pope Francis declared 2025 to be a Holy Year, a jubilee for the Church. The theme of the Jubilee Year 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope,” is uniquely captured in the prayers, readings, and options of the Mass for the Holy Year. Approved by the Holy See on May 13, 2024 in eight languages, the Mass for the Holy Year may be used in the liturgy for the duration of the Jubilee, celebrated in the dioceses of the United States from December 29, 2024 to December 28, 2025. It contains three formularies, a set of Lectionary readings, five sets of tropes for the Penitential Act, and four sets of introductions, responses, and conclusions for the Universal Prayer (Prayer of the Faithful).

Ash Wednesday Liturgy of the Word

Because Ash Wednesday is NOT a day of obligation to attend Mass, it may be pastorally useful to include not only Eucharistic liturgies but also Liturgies of the Word outside of Mass with the distribution of ashes in the schedule for Ash Weds in a Family of Parishes.

This can be led by a deacon or qualified lay minister. A ritual text is available on the ODWS website. More resources for preparing the liturgies of the Paschal Cycle (Lent, Triduum, and Eastertide) will be available in the coming weeks.