Dear Parishioners of Tredegar, Rhymney, and Ebbw Vale,  

The term “Jubilee” refers to a special year, and its name comes from the instrument used to announce its beginning. In this case, the instrument is the yobel, the ram’s horn, which was blown to proclaim the Day of Atonement, also known as Yom Kippur. While this Jewish holiday occurs every year, it holds even greater significance when it marks the start of a Jubilee year. We find its roots in the Bible, where a Jubilee year was to be celebrated every 50 years—an “extra” year that followed seven cycles of seven years, totalling 49 years (see Leviticus 25:8-13). Though challenging to organize, the Jubilee was meant to be a time to restore right relationships—with God, with one another, and with all of creation. It involved forgiving debts, returning land to its rightful owners, and allowing the fields to rest.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes His mission using the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord,” (Luke 4:18-19; see also Isaiah 61:1-2).

Jesus lived out these words in His daily life, through His encounters and relationships, bringing liberation and conversion to all He met.

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a “Holy Year,” a time when God’s holiness transforms us. Over the centuries, the frequency of Holy Years has changed. Initially celebrated every 100 years, Pope Clement VI reduced the interval to 50 years in 1343, and later, in 1470, Pope Paul II set it at 25 years. There have also been “extraordinary” Holy Years, such as in 1933, when Pope Pius XI commemorated the 1900th anniversary of the Redemption, and in 2015, when Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of Mercy. The way Jubilee Years are observed has also evolved. Originally, the Holy Year involved a pilgrimage to the Roman Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul. Later, additional signs, such as the Holy Door, were introduced. By participating in a Holy Year, we are granted a plenary indulgence, a beautiful opportunity for spiritual renewal.

As we reflect on the meaning of Jubilee, let us consider how we, too, can restore our relationships with God, with one another, and with creation, embracing the spirit of forgiveness, justice, and renewal that it calls us to.

May this reflection inspire you in your faith journey, dear brothers and sisters of Tredegar, Rhymney, and Ebbw Vale. Let us strive to live out the mission of Jesus, bringing good news, liberty, and healing to our communities.

Blessings to you all