Pope Francis calls for hope and says humanity has not reached a dead end

Excavators have been in use for months, but there is still a lot to do. At the end of Via della Conciliazione, the large avenue leading to St. Peter’s Square, workers have uncovered archaeological remains while building a tunnel that will allow pedestrians to travel freely from Castel Sant’Angelo to St. Peter’s Basilica. These discoveries could delay preparations in Rome, where 32 million pilgrims are expected in the anniversary year of 2025. Nevertheless, Pope Francis did not wait until construction was completed to publish the “Annunciation Bull,” an important document to kick off the year-long celebrations on Ascension Thursday, May 9th.

“Hope does not disappoint,” wrote Francis, who titled his 20-page document with these words. The Pope mentions “hope” no fewer than 100 times throughout the text. The anniversary, a major event that the Catholic Church has held since 1300 to mark significant years, is intended to be a sign of hope in a world plagued by uncertainty.

Worrying decline in birth rates

“We often meet people who look to the future discouraged, pessimistic and cynical, as if nothing could bring them happiness,” Francis wrote. In his document, the pope described a world facing an “alarming decline in birth rates” and encouraged Christians to “keep hope as a constant companion,” especially when they are “tempted to believe, overwhelmed by evil and violence.”

For those living in such times, especially young people who are often “hopeless,” Francis recalled that “human history and our own individual history are not doomed to end in a dead end or a dark abyss. “

Against these gloomy prospects, the Pope represented “Christian hope” as the cornerstone. In the name of this virtue – one of the three theological virtues along with faith and charity – the Pope called for support for the most marginalized people in society in 2025. He also urged diplomats to “seek with courage and creativity every opportunity that comes their way” for negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace.

Visiting prisoners and welcoming foreigners

To world leaders, Francis suggested that in the anniversary year “take initiatives aimed at restoring hope,” especially among prisoners, in the form of “amnesty or pardon, designed to help individuals again.” to gain confidence in oneself and in society; and community reintegration programs, including a concrete commitment to respect the law.”

The Pope himself plans to open one of the “holy doors” in a prison through which the faithful will be invited throughout the year.

The Pope called on the “Christian community” to “open its doors wide to welcome migrants.” “May the words of the Lord in the great parable of the Last Judgment always find an echo in our hearts: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’ “For as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, so you did it to me,” he wrote. “The rich must be generous and not take their eyes off the faces of their brothers and sisters.” Sisters in need.”

Generosity should also primarily concern world leaders: the “wealthier” are called upon to “forgive countries the debts they will never be able to repay,” pleaded the Pope. “This is more than a question of generosity, it is a question of justice,” he argued, adding that debt relief was a way to recognize “the gravity of so many of their past decisions” that have hurt the poorest countries .

A text for the Pope’s legacy

The text covers all the important themes of Francis’ pontificate. As he openly prepares his legacy before his close associates, the call to promote hope in an increasingly fragmented world will undoubtedly remain one of the hallmarks of Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s reign. In it, the Pope also praised the virtue of patience, which does him and others much good. “Saint Paul often speaks of patience in the context of our need for perseverance and confident trust in the promises of God. But above all, he bears witness to God’s own patience as “the God of all patience and all encouragement,” Francis wrote.

The papal bull also outlined the benefits of the “plenary indulgence” granted to all participants in the Jubilee Year. For the Catholic Church, this “grace” enables the remission of temporal punishment for each individual’s sin. Catholics are invited to experience this starting December 24, 2024, the official opening date of the Jubilee.

Anniversary calendar

• December 24, 2024. Beginning of the anniversary year with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica by Pope Francis.

• December 29th. Celebrations for the opening mass of the anniversary year in cathedrals worldwide.

• 24th-26th January 2025. First of 36 thematic anniversaries dedicated to the world of communication. More will follow throughout the year, for the sick, artists, deacons, athletes, political leaders or prisoners.

• January 6, 2026. Completion of the anniversary year in Rome.