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Jubilee Pilgrimage sites announced

May 22, 2000
The Jubilee year 2000 has been called by Pope John Paul II in the hopes of a "new springtime of Christian life" (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, On the Coming of the Third Millennium) in which there would be "an increased sensitivity to all that the Spirit is saying to the Church". The Pope's primary objective in designating the year 2000 as a special holy year of grace is the "strengthening of faith and of the witness of Christians." During a Jubilee year, people are urged to rest in the Lord by going to another place to meditate and renew, to forgive what they are owed, to seek justice and to rejoice in the Lord. Since the beginning of Christianity, the faithful have visited holy places outside of their own familiar surroundings in order to give focus to the state of their relationship with God. Most of us will not have the opportunity to travel to Rome or Jerusalem in pilgrimage to the basilicas during the Great Jubilee. A spiritual journey closer to home, however, can also provide a change of perspective and sharpen the senses that help us draw closer to Jesus. Bishop Patrick R. Cooney has designated three Jubilee Pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Gaylord: * St. Mary Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Gaylord * Our Lady of the Lake in Prudenville * Cross in the Woods Catholic Shrine in Indian River The church of St. Mary Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was first established in 1900 and became a cathedral parish on July 20, 1971, when the Diocese of Gaylord was formed. The cathedral church is the symbol of the "Mother Church" for the entire Diocese of Gaylord. The parish at Indian River was established in 1946. Its first pastor had read about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha who was noted for her deep prayer life. Her practice of placing crosses throughout the woods to serve as outdoor chapels inspired the construction of the fifty-five foot wooden cross which is viewed by many thousands of visitors of all faiths from throughout the world each year. Our Lady of the Lake, Prudenville was established in 1940. Due to the large number of tourists each summer, the church was enlarged in the late 1950's. In 1987, the church was renovated again and added the magnificent stained glass windows depicting Our Lady of the Lake facing the water over which she was named patroness. Groups or individual Catholics are encouraged to make pilgrimages to these sites throughout the Jubilee Year 2000. Posters and brochures are available in every parish of the Diocese. Special accommodations for groups or tours may be arranged by calling in advance. Those who fulfill the prescribed guidelines may be given a plenary indulgence during this holy year. What exactly is an indulgence and how is the celebration of the holy years linked to them? It was a desire for a full remission of sins on the part of the pilgrim crowds in 1299 that prompted Pope Boniface VIII to call the first holy year in 1300. The theology of indulgences has often been misunderstood. The power of forgiveness of sins is present in the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit, and is not a human work at all. The sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance is a gift of God for release, forgiveness, and healing. Once sin has been forgiven or pardoned through the sacrament of reconciliation, there is still a rupture or a disorder in the human person's relationship with God. This "remnant of spiritual disorder" has traditionally been called temporal punishment and its remission has traditionally been called an indulgence. The sin is definitely forgiven, and yet a deep interior renewal of the person is still needed. The beginning and foundation of any indulgence is an authentic conversion to God through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what it means when it is said that the granting of an indulgence confirms the spirit of conversion. Any indulgence presupposes a penance through the sacrament of reconciliation and actions like works of mercy, fasting, alms giving, prayer, and pilgrimage. An indulgence is a grace obtained through the concrete exercises of faith, hope, and charity. It is meant to re-order one's relationship with God and also to repair the effects of disorder caused by sin. This deep conversion is a process that continues throughout the Christian life. The journey of conversion consists in a pattern of recognition of sin, contrition, repentance, forgiveness, and ongoing personal renewal and healing. To take advantage of the Jubilee 2000 Indulgence in the Diocese of Gaylord: * Visit of the of Jubilee Churches * While at the Jubilee Church, pray for Pope John Paul II, for the ongoing conversion of all Catholics and for the conversion of our culture Other requirements are: * Receive the Sacrament of Penance * Participate in the Eucharist * Commit oneself to personal and social conversion * Participate in at least one act of charity; i.e. fee the poor, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked In the Pope's document, it is clear that Jesus personifies the Jubilee. Reflecting on the prophecy of Isaiah 61, Jesus announces that his mission is to touch all of human life with his redemptive work. He will heal, free, and redeem people, meeting them in their deepest vulnerabilities and greatest pain. This holy year of Redemption is not simply an anniversary for the sake of Christian nostalgia, but it is a challenge to repentance, renewal, and reconciliation. We must recommit ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ and re-dedicate ourselves to prayer, conversion, and witness to Christian faith, hope, and charity. A Jubilee pilgrimage is a good way to enhance that process.