Dindigul Jubilee Yātra

Most Rev. P. Thomas Paulsamy, Bishop of Dindigul, inaugurating the Jubilee Yātra in the Diocese of Dindigul, on Saturday, 25 November 2023, at St. Joseph's Cathedral Campus, said, "The Universal Church has completed the First Session of the XVI General Assembly of the Synod for a Synodal Church. The Synthesis Report calls for discernment at the Local Churches on communion, mission, and participation. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), integrating the Synod for a Synodal Church, invites us to prepare for the Jubilee 2025 through a year of learning and praying (2024). May the Holy Year 2025 be a year of renewal of faith in the Diocese of Dindigul and may we journey as pilgrims of hope joining hands with all."

Rev. Msgr. T. Sahayaraj, Vicar General, Rev. Fr. A. Samson Arockiadass, Procurator, Rev. Fr. P. John Peter, Chancellor, Rev. Fr. R. Maria Ignaci, Dean of Saint Joseph's Vicariate and Diocesan Contact Person for the Jubilee 2025 organised the event, which was attended by 210 priests and religious. 

The National Facilitating Team (a) introduced the highlights of the Synthesis Report of the Synod; (b) spelled out the scope and the significance of the Ordinary Jubilee 2025; and (c) proposed ways and means to partake in the Jubilee 2025 Preparations and Celebrations.

Deacon John Bosco, pointing at the presence of progressive and conservative trends in the Documents of the Second Vatican Council, asked how the present study of the Documents will help us resolve the tension.

Sr. Rajeswari OSM, a participant, interrogated on the change of synod tagline from 'communion-participation-mission' to 'communion-mission-participation.'

The parish priests and the heads of the religious institutes assured that they would take the themes of the Documents of the Second Vatican Council to the lay faithful and the community members. The following novena themes were proposed to the parish priests:

1. The Second Vatican Council: Scope and Impacts.

2. Divine Revelation and Human Response.

3. Sacred Liturgy: Mystery of Faith and Mystical Body of Christ.

4.  Identity and Vocation of the Church: The Call to the People of God to Holiness.

5. Reading the Signs of the Times in the Light of the Gospel.

6. Religious Freedom and Unitive Relationship: Paths and Avenues for Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue.

7. The Apostolates of the Lay Faithful: in the Church and the Society.

8. Office of the Bishops, Ministry and Life of Priests: Renewal.

9. Missionary Activities of the Church: New Perspectives.

10. Journey towards the Synodal Church: Moving Forward

The Diocese of Dindigul is the first Diocese in the Tamil Nadu Region to initiate the Jubilee Yātra. Our sincere appreciation and thanks to His Excellency Most Rev. P. Thomas Paulsamy, Bishop of Dindigul.

Pontifical Mission Organizations on Jubilee Yātra

"The real life-realities invite us to make response; We are mission, not we have mission; and Today's context is Glocal (global and local combined)," said Rev. Fr. Dr. Ambrose Pitchaimuthu, Director of the Pontifical Mission Organizations (PMO), India, as he inaugurated the Jubilee 2025 Yātra, at the National Meeting of the Regional Secretaries of the Commission for Proclamation and Regional Directors of Pontifical Mission Organizations, on Wednesday, 22 November 2023, at Pastoral Orientation Centre (POC), KCBC Secretariat, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala.

Earlier, stressing on the importance of evangelization, Most Rev. Alangaram Arokia Sebastin Durairaj, Archbishop of Bhopal and Chairman of the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and Pontifical Mission Organizations India, said that all the ministries of the Church are aimed at evangelization, i.e., proclamation of the joy of the gospel. The Jubilee 2025 is an occasion to renew the spirit of proclamation.

The meeting was attended by 27 regional secretaries and directors. The National Facilitating Team for the Jubilee 2025 proposed different ways and means of integrating the insights of the Second Vatican Council into the ministry of proclamation.

The Pontifical Mission Organizations refer to a group of Catholic missionary organizations that operate under the authority of the Holy See (the Pope). These organizations are responsible for coordinating and supporting various missionary activities of the Catholic Church globally.

The Pontifical Mission Organizations are:

1. Propagation of the Faith (Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, now Dicastery for Evangelization): Also known as the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, this organization was founded in 1822 by Pauline Jaricot. Its primary purpose is to promote and support missionary work and evangelization in areas where the Catholic Church is not well established.

2. Missionary Childhood Association (Holy Childhood): This organization focuses on involving children and young people in the missionary efforts of the Church. It encourages them to pray, sacrifice, and offer financial support for the benefit of children in mission territories.

3. Society of St. Peter the Apostle: Founded in 1889, this organization is dedicated to supporting the education and training of local clergy and religious in mission territories. It provides financial assistance for the education of seminarians and religious novices.

4. Missionary Union of Priests and Religious: Established in 1916, this organization promotes a missionary spirit among priests, religious, and consecrated individuals. It seeks to deepen their commitment to missionary work and foster collaboration with the universal mission of the Church.

These organizations work together to raise awareness, funds, and support for missionary activities, with a focus on areas where the Catholic Church is not well-established or faces challenges. The Pontifical Mission Organizations play a crucial role in advancing the Church's mission to spread the Gospel and provide humanitarian assistance in diverse cultural and social contexts around the world.

The Jubilee Yātra was organised Rev. Fr. Dr. Ambrose Pitchaimuthu, Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and the Director of PMO India, and Rev. Fr. Raju Mathew, Associate Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Proclamation. The sessions were facilitated by Rev. Prof. Dr. Yesu Karunanidhi.

Proclamation Commission Jubilee Yātra

At the meeting of the Leaders and Animators of Initiatives in New Evangelization in India, organised by the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and Pontifical Mission Organizations India, held on 20-21 November 2023, at Christeen, Kottayam, Kerala, the National Facilitating Team of the CCBI for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025, introduced the scope and the significance of Jubilee 2025 for the Evangelisation ministry in the Church.

As many as 135 regional secretaries, diocesan directors, team-leaders of different initiatives in New Evangelisation attended the Jubilee Yātra.

The outline of the presentation held at the meeting is: (i) Bible - First Things First; (ii) Proclamation - Charism and Renewal; (iii) New Evangelization - Not a New Coke! (iv) Synod for a Synodal Church - where have we come from? where are we going? (v) Jubilee 2025 - what? why? how? and (vi) Joining Hands - collaboration and networking.

The participants of the Jubilee Yātra resolved that they would incorporate the Year of Learning-Praying into their ministry in the year 2024, and will prepare the people of God for entering the Holy Door in 2025. 

The CCBI Commission for Proclamation, as the main member of the National Facilitating Team for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025, has been engaged in (a) preparing the novena themes (in English) based on the Documents of the Second Vatican Council; (b) writing and publishing two books in English: 365 Prayer Intentions, and 25 Forms of Prayer; and (c) Animating training programs to conduct retreats on prayer, and prayer services.

The Pontifical Mission Organizations India, along with Communio, is a partner for the Jubilee 2025 Preparations and Celebrations in India.

The Jubilee Yātra was organised Rev. Fr. Dr. Ambrose Pitchaimuthu, Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and the Director of PMO India, and Rev. Fr. Raju Mathew, Associate Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Proclamation. The sessions were facilitated by Rev. Prof. Dr. Yesu Karunanidhi.