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At the beginning of the Jubilee Year, Bishop Marcus Stock, Chair of the Catholic Education Service, wrote to all Catholic schools in England and Wales, inviting them to journey together as pilgrims of hope.
From the start of this journey with the Jubilee Launch Day in January, to schools committing to a Jubilee Pledge this summer, a lot has happened, making it an amazing Jubilee Year so far.
Jubilee for Schools is supported by the Catholic Education Service, CAFOD, Caritas Social Action Network and the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation, providing a framework of activities, events and resources to help schools on their Jubilee journey. In the Jubilee Launch Day film, Cardinal Vincent Nichols encouraged children everywhere to become “agents of change, agents of Christ as disciples of Jesus”. With more than 1,000 Jubilee banners displaying “We are Pilgrims of Hope working together to build a better world” and half a million prayer cards given to pupils, staff and families, school communities were ready to take up the challenge!
Pope Francis encouraged us all to celebrate the Jubilee with “deep faith, lively hope and active charity”. Pope Leo has continued to stress the importance of the Jubilee year and schools have responded to this call from Pope Francis and Pope Leo with great enthusiasm.
Big Lent Walk 2025
With the Jubilee focus on pilgrimage, students have undertaken various pilgrimage journeys, also with their parishes, as active signs of the Jubilee in their community and as a way to live out their Jubilee Pledge. Over 800 schools signed up for the CAFOD Big Lent Walk, fundraising to support communities in Kenya.
Pilgrims of Hope
The Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee journey map has helped schools plan their Jubilee journey, with numerous pilgrim points, or opportunities to put faith into action. The Flame Congress at Wembley is one of these points on the map. 11,000 young people gathered at Wembley Arena for moments of prayer, adoration, music and inspirational speakers.
These included CAFOD partner Brian from Kenya speaking onstage about his faith-inspired work with young people:
So I urge you today, my dear brothers and sisters, to rise up and embrace the call to be unstoppable in your faith, in your love, and in your pursuit of God’s purpose for your life. Let nothing stand in your way, for with God on your side, you are truly unstoppable.
Photo credit: © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk
Cancel debt, choose hope
Taking action for our global family is another point on the Jubilee journey map. Traditionally, as well as people resting and the land recovering, a Jubilee year saw people’s debts cancelled. Schools across England and Wales supported CAFOD’s “Cancel debt, choose hope” campaign, calling for the cancellation of debts crippling progress in more than 50 countries, taking part in workshops and sending letters to the UK government. In addition, more than a hundred pupils lobbied Parliament to “Act Now, Change Forever”, urging MPs to take action.
You can still take part this autumn term and don’t forget to let us know that you have taken part!
Make the Jubilee Pledge
With Jubilee Pledge Day being the summer event marked on the Jubilee journey map, hundreds of school communities made the Jubilee Pledge, a commitment to living out Catholic Social Teaching, marking this historic moment of the Jubilee Year with a long term, whole school promise to stand in solidarity and work together to build God’s Kingdom.
The historic Jubilee year continues, and we’re excited to join schools as we continue our inspirational journey as Pilgrims of Hope this autumn.
Jubilee for schools
Find resources to celebrate as Pilgrims of Hope.