By Catherine Wan
KOTA KINABALU — On the occasion of the 400th Anniversary of the canonization (12 March 1622-2022) of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Pope has granted a Jubilee Year to the Spanish Diocese of Avila.
This Jubilee will be celebrated from 12 March 2022 until 15 October 2023 (a year and a half). This is because it coincides with the Teresian Jubilee Year which the Holy Father periodically decrees for the Diocese of Avila in any year that the Feast of St Teresa occurs on a Sunday, as will be the case in October 2023. (OCD Communicationes N. 374 | 02.2022)
The solemn Jubilee opening took place on Sunday, 13 March 2022 with a Eucharistic celebration in the monastery church of St Teresa of Jesus.
Similarly, the local Carmelite Community in KK Archdiocese launched the Jubilee Year on the same date. KK prelate Archbishop John Wong celebrated Mass at the chapel of the Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady of Mt Carmel and St Therese of the Child Jesus Sunday Mar 13 to mark the launching of the Jubilee Year for the Carmelite community.
The prelate stressed the importance of prayer offered by the Carmelite sisters who act as a prayer power house to pray for the various missions of the local Church.
More than 50 people comprising the OCDS members and lay faithful joined the Carmelite sisters in celebrating the opening of the Jubilee Year. The occasion was symbolically expressed with a banner (pic) placed at the sanctuary.
Touching on the transfiguration of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, the prelate pointed out that the three disciples foretasted the experience of heaven – inner peace, joy and love -desired by human hearts.
To experience such desires, one has to go through passion and death in order to experience ‘transfiguration’ or transformation – to become more like Jesus, underlined the prelate.
He underscored, in order for our life to be transformed, we need to become more aware of Christ‘s presence in our daily life. “According to the Carmelite spirituality, one has to ‘let go and let God’; to be in communion with Him through prayer; to listen to Him who loves us; and to be His witnesses of love.”
The prelate also urged the faithful to be in constant union with the Lord through daily prayer, daily Mass and fasting so that we can emulate the psalmist in proclaiming ‘the Lord is my light and my help’, especially during Lent.
After Mass, all adjourned to the breakfast fellowship in joyful celebration of the Jubilee. Bookmarks for the Jubilee Year of the 4th Centenary of the Canonization of St Teresa of Jesus were distributed as souvenir to mark the occasion.
Of interest to recipients of the bookmark souvenir, on one side of the bookmark is printed the famous quote of St Teresa of Avila, which the faithful could avail for their own spirituality:
Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing away, God never changes.
Patience obtains all things, whoever has God lacks nothing.
God alone suffices.
A decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary confirms that the monastery church of the St Teresa in Spain will be the official Jubilee Church, where it will be possible to gain a Plenary Indulgence with the fulfilment of the usual conditions – sacramental Confession, reception of Holy Communion and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father. (OCD Communicationes N. 374 | 02.2022).
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