Spes non confundit. “Hope does not disappoint” – Romans 5:5

Happy new year! I pray that your Christmas season has been rejuvenating and your new year is beginning with hope. This prayer is particularly inspired by the fact that Pope Francis has decreed that 2025 be a Jubilee Year anchored in hope. The above quote begins the Papal Bull (the official decree) of this Jubilee Year, which I would encourage you to read HERE.

Jubilee Years are rooted in the Old Testament, in chapter 25 of the book of Leviticus. They were (and are) a gift from God to help humanity rest and reset. Every 50th year was supposed to be sacred and jubilant; the Israelites were to return to their homelands, be given back any property they had to unwillingly sell, and slaves were to be freed. Humans were never meant to live in competition and inequality, but due to our brokenness, we create environments conducive to those concepts. A year of jubilee was meant to help bring humanity back to God and harmony with one another.

The modern world may be vastly different than the one of the Old Testament Israelites, but humanity continues to struggle with the same problems. The Catholic Church has a history of declaring Jubilee Years, though not as regularly as every 50 years, but the intentions remain the same – they are an opportunity for humanity to reassess and realign their lives with God’s will. There are countless reasons in our personal lives, our country, and our world that can “allow” us to live in doubt or despair. However, with this Jubilee Year of Hope, Pope Francis is reminding us that doubt and despair are obstacles to God’s will in our lives. We must be a people of hope, who trust in the Lord through all situations and find comfort in His love and mercy at all times.

I am truly looking forward to working with you, the students, and all of the faculty and staff to build up a community of hope in our schools and parish. May God bless you and keep you this month and always!

-Stephanie

Space is still available!  Please RSVP by end of day Thursday.

Saint James School is excited to once again offer the iCook Cooking Club after school on Mondays in January through mid-March.  Please view the flyer HERE.  Payment and RSVP is all done online through THIS LINK.  Space is limited and we must have minimum participation of 12 students for the club to run.