Catholics around the world are marking 2025 as a Jubilee Year, with the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope.” At the same time, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is celebrating 175 years since its founding July 19,1850.
As part of these celebrations, from May 17 through Oct. 12 the faithful are invited to become Archdiocesan Jubilee Pilgrims and experience the archdiocese’s rich diversity by visiting seven churches that are not their own and marking them in a special passport that is being developed, the Archdiocesan Passport Adventure.
Spontaneously or with a plan, alone as a form of prayer and pilgrimage or with a group including family, Vacation Bible School, summer camp, or a prayer team, Jubilee Pilgrims might visit one or both co-cathedrals, specially marked this year as Jubilee sites — the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. Look for the Jubilee Cross in each of them. Jubilee Pilgrims might consider visiting the oldest church, St. Peter in Mendota, or attending a Mass at a Maronite or Byzantine church, a traditional Latin Mass or Mass celebrated in Spanish.
“As the living Body of Christ, we are blessed by the diversity of gifts which have enriched our local Church throughout these 175 years,” Archbishop Bernard Hebda notes in the passport that will be available at archspm.org/passport. “Given the breadth of these gifts and experiences,” the archbishop writes, “it should not be surprising that no two churches in the Archdiocese are the same, and that even the liturgy is celebrated in ways that reflect the distinct histories of each parish community.”
Capping off the passport adventure will be an Oct. 12 Archdiocesan Adventure Ice Cream Social after the 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon Masses at the Cathedral of St. Paul. Archbishop Hebda and Bishops Michael Izen and Kevin Kenney plan to be there.
