Jubilee Year 2025
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JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE -
"The Jubilee year will be a time of hope, conversion, renewal, and evangelization. our diocese will unite with our holy father and catholics all over the world in celebrating this special year of grace and favor." -Bishop Gregory parkesThe practice of a jubilee year has ancient roots. In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee, a year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on the spiritual life. Since then the Church has designated each new Jubilee as a special year of grace and forgiveness, offering the faithful an opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. Originally occurring every 5o years, today this practice is observed every 25 years, and serves as a reminder of God’s love, mercy, and continual call to conversion.
The 2025 Jubilee will be centered on the theme
“Pilgrims of Hope.”
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Discover Pilgrimage Destinations
Around the Diocese-
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St. Jude Parish officially became the Cath
edral of St. Jude the Apostle with the appointment and installation of Bishop Charles B. McLaughlin of North Carolina as the first Bishop of St. Petersburg on May 8, 1968.One striking feature of the Cathedral’s architecture is the 24-foot-high stained-glass window behind the altar. A circular glass motif serves as a backdrop for the cathedral’s gold-plated tabernacle. A beautiful dome is supported by massive steel beams. Some of the notable works of art include a stunning mosaic depicting the landing of Father Juan Xuarez in St. Petersburg in 1528. The Spanish missionary priest was the first Catholic bishop who was appointed to serve in the United States.
5815 5th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710
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In 1549, Father Luis de Cancer, a Dominican missionary sailed into Tampa Bay to spread the Gospel. For six weeks, he made numerous contacts with the native peoples. Twenty years after that, a Jesuit priest built a small chapel nearby for another short-lived missionary endeavor. Four hundred years would pass before a parish would be built on the site of these ancient Spanish missionary efforts. The contemporary church with its large Father Luis de Cancer stained-glass window, pays tribute to those initial efforts of evangelization. A Florida historical marker may be found at the entrance to the church.2405 Philippe Parkway Safety Harbor, FL 34695
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The “ecclesiastic jewel of Downtown Tampa,” Sacred Heart Catholic Church has roots reaching back to Tampa’s pioneer days. The current church began construction in 1898 under the guidance of Jesuits. The Romanesque church, with Gothic and Byzantine influences, is largely unchanged since its 1905 dedication, including 18 stained glass windows designed by the Mayer Company of Munich, Germany, a 135-foot dome, solid oak pews and doors, and an altar made of Italian Carrara marble. Following the centennial anniversary in 2005, stewardship of the parish was transferred to the Franciscans.509 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
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Benedictines from Saint Leo have cared for Citrus County since the late 19th Century. The first recorded Mass offered at Crystal River was in 1903. A small concrete block chapel honoring St. Benedict was built in 1953 off of the newly constructed U.S. 19. By the mid-1970s, the parish had outgrown it and relocated three miles south to its present location. A new church, built in the shape of a Greek cross with a fresco of St. Benedict in the dome was dedicated in 1981. The parish hall, which was the church for six years, houses a series of paintings depicting the parish’s vast history.455 S Suncoast Blvd. Crystal River, FL 34429
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Saint Leo Abbey is a monastic community which follows the Rule of Saint Benedict (a book of precepts, or religious law). The Abbey was founded in 1889, but the church wasn’t built and consecrated until January 29, 1948. Construction began in 1936 and was often delayed because of the war and the need to raise funds. The Abbey’s Church of the Holy Cross has a majestic marble crucifix modeled after the Shroud of Turin. Early on, the monks established an all-boys prep school which became a Catholic college in the 1960s and is now known as Saint Leo University.33601 Co Rd 52, St Leo, FL 33574
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In 1913, a group of Polish farmers moved to northern Hernando County and by 1917, they had built a chapel. A fire destroyed the first church in 1929 and it was replaced with the present church– an authentic Old Florida clapboard church. Many adversities caused the settlement to disband, but many of the early Catholics are buried in the cemetery. Mass is still celebrated here on All Souls Day annually. The building is used about 6 to 8 times per year for special Masses and other services for the Polish-speaking community that gathers regularly at St. Anthony the Abbot, in Brooksville.14249 Citrus Way, Brooksville, FL 34601
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