Celebrating a May 31 Mass for The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington’s local observance of the Jubilee Year, Washington Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar called the event “an opportunity to renew our faith,” and he urged Catholics to “journey together as disciples of faith.”
“We hope to carry Christ in our hearts and share His message with others ... to bring Christ into the world,” Bishop Menjivar said. “Jesus told His disciples to be His witnesses to the ends of the Earth ... and now we are bearers of that same mission.”
Bishop Menjivar was the principal celebrant of the Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The Mass was part of the archdiocesan celebration of the Jubilee Year that included a pilgrimage to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine and the basilica.
The jubilee was proclaimed last year by Pope Francis. The late pontiff had declared a “Jubilee of Hope” for the Holy Year 2025 with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Bishop Menjivar reminded the faithful that “Christ is with us. He is our hope.”
“We are all pilgrims on the journey of life moving forward with the promise of Jesus – ‘I am with you always’,” Bishop Menjivar said. “Together we move forward ... (and) bring the hope of Christ to a world that needs it now more than ever.”
Washington Auxiliary Bishop Juan Esposito and about 20 priests concelebrated the Mass, which was offered in both Spanish and English. Prayers of the faithful were offered in additional languages, including Swahili, Mandarin, American Sign Language, Portuguese and Tagalog.
More than 2,000 people attended the Mass.
Addressing his “dear brothers and sisters” in both Spanish and English, Bishop Menjivar urged the faithful to turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary “who guides us with tenderness and compassion.” He called her “a pilgrim of hope” who leads “all members of the Church to be pilgrims of hope.”
“With Mary at our side, let us keep walking in faith, hope and love,” the bishop said.
Remarking that the pilgrimage was held on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the vigil of the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord, Bishop Menjivar said it highlights the “profound message” that through Jesus “the whole of humanity is on a pilgrimage that leads to the Father’s house.”
Prior to the Mass, the faithful gathered at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. Pilgrimage events there included a music concert, English and Spanish catechetical sessions for adults and youth, and opportunities for Confession, prayer and fellowship. The Jubilee Year of Hope pilgrimage and Mass were organized by the archdiocese’s Office of Evangelization.
Because of the threat of inclement weather, a planned Eucharistic procession from the Saint John Paul II National Shrine to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was modified to an indoor procession throughout the National Shrine’s Great Upper Church.
After the procession, the faithful adored Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and sang hymns of praise in various languages.
Josefina Bondoc from Fredericksburg, Virginia, said she was visiting family in the Washington area and decided to attend the pilgrimage because “I wanted to do something to make this (jubilee) year special, and I wanted to offer prayers for our new Pope Leo.”
For Marcelina Acosta, a parishioner at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Gaithersburg, Maryland, the gathering was an opportunity “to learn more about my faith so that I can teach my children and to share this time with other people who share my faith.”
Passing on the faith to his children was the reason why Luis Morales attended the event. The father of five children and a parishioner at St. Catherine Labouré Parish in Wheaton, Maryland, said, “I want to set an example for my children to follow God.”
“This is wonderful ... and I can pray for my children and all my family,” he said.
In greeting the pilgrims, Msgr. Walter Rossi, the rector of the National Shrine, noted “it has been several years since we’ve had the Archdiocese of Washington on pilgrimage, and we are thrilled to welcome you back.”
He added that not all pilgrimages are to distant places. He called the National Shrine “a sacred space” where the faith can be renewed.
