Jubilee Indulgences

Did you know that our Church, St Thomas of Canterbury, has been designated by Archbishop John Wilson as one of the Jubilee Churches in our Archdiocese of Southwark? I received the decree from the Archbishop in December. It will be posted in the Church.

This means that, for the duration of the Jubilee Year of Hope (which runs from 24th December 2024 to 6th January 2026), our church, which has the shrine of St Thomas Becket, is one of the places where the faithful — the ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ —will be able to obtain the Jubilee Indulgence granted by the Holy Father. According to the decree, The Indulgence may be obtained by the faithful, who are truly repentant and free from any affection for sin (cf. Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, IV ed., norm. 20, §1), who are moved by a spirit of charity and who, during the Holy Year, purified through the sacrament of penance and refreshed by Holy Communion, pray for the intentions of, Supreme Pontiff, will be able to obtain from the treasury of the Church a plenary indulgence, with remission and forgiveness of, all their sins, which can be applied in suffrage to the souls in Purgatory. This can be done in following ways:

• Coming on Pilgrimage here to St Thomas’ and celebrating Mass
• Participating in a liturgy of the word, reciting the Liturgy of the Hours, walking the way of the Cross, or praying the Rosary
• The recitation of the Akathist hymn (a profound, devotional poem, singing the praises of the Holy Mother, Ever-Virgin Mary)
• Being part of a penitential celebration, which ends with the individual confessions of the penitents
• Likewise, you will be able to obtain the Jubilee Indulgence if, individually or in a group, you devoutly visit any Jubilee site and there, for a suitable period of time, engage in Eucharistic adoration and meditation, concluding with the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, and invocations to Mary the Mother of God, so that, in this Holy Year, everyone ‘will come to know the closeness of Mary, the most affectionate of mothers, who never abandons her children.’

What are the implications for our parish?

a) I have met several priests who tell me that they are planning to bring groups to Canterbury on Pilgrimage during this Jubilee of Hope. We need to be able to cater for an increase in pilgrim visitors.

b) Available in the narthex of the church is a Companion Booklet “The Jubilee” price £1.50. That sets out the Jubilee Year theme of Hope.

c) Our Primary School of St Thomas is having a school Mass on Friday 24th January, to mark the Jubilee Launch Day for schools.

d) At our Parish meeting this coming Monday evening (13th January), we would welcome any more thoughts on how we prepare for, and host, our Shrine in this very special year.