His Lordship, John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Catholic Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, and responsible for Clergy and Consecrated Men and Women in Ghana, has unraveled the meaning of the Theme for the 2025 Jubilee Year for the Religious: “Pilgrims of Hope: A time to renew the face of the earth as Consecrated Persons”.
In a Keynote address during the January 31, 2025 Opening Ceremony of the 2025 Jubilee Year Celebration for Consecrated People in Ghana, at the Pastoral Centre in the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani, Bono Region, the Bishop accentuated that “the theme of our celebration is a wonderful invitation, it is rich in meaning and powerful for absolute transformation at the individual level, at congregational levels and universally as One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church”.
“It is a call for us to see ourselves moving forward as pilgrims of hope with the firm determination to read the signs of our time, to collaborate in our mission as consecrated men and women and ultimately by taking concrete actions to renew the face of the earth,” he added.
Acknowledging how herculean a task it will be achieving the set goal, amidst the challenging times of present-day mission, characterized by various orientations and dynamics, his Lordship encouraged all Consecrated persons to remain faithful, and to continue to be pilgrims of hope till the end.
Quoting the Holy Father, the Jubilee Year is a moment to “recover lost hope, to renew that hope in our hearts and to sow seeds of hope amid the bleakness of our time and our world,” which the Bishop underlined, forms the basis for the theme of the Jubilee Year: “Pilgrims of Hope”.
He added that the Jubilee Year invites all to spiritual renewal and commits all to the transformation of our world so that this year of grace may truly become for all Consecrated men and women, a time of action and celebration.
“The purpose of our gathering and the focus of this address are basically charting a common path in bringing hope to our world and renewing the face of the earth through reconciliation, forgiveness of sins and other acts of mercy,” he underpinned.
The prelate further explained that the Jubilee Year for the Consecrated Persons is a journey of hope, and a Pilgrimage is a fundamental element of every Jubilee event. Setting out on a journey, according to Bishop Asiedu is traditionally associated with the human quest for meaning in life, and “a pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life”.
Consecrated persons were invited to travel the ancient and more modern routes in order to experience the Jubilee to the full.
“As consecrated men and women, it is apt and in the right direction to organize a common pilgrimage within the year where we can all drink from the wellsprings of hope and create the enabling environment for the sacrament of reconciliation which is the essential stating point of any true journey of conversion,” he encouraged, adding that such a spiritual exercise, “would certainly depict our pilgrim nature here on earth and give meaning to our Christian life as a journey toward an encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Making reference to the Pope’s opening words in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium that “those who accept his invitation of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ, joy is constantly born anew,” (EG, 1) Bishop Asiedu Bishop encouraged his fellow Consecrated men and women to, individually and collectively attest to the joy of the Gospel which fills the hearts and lives of all people who encounter Jesus.
He further urged all to heed to the Holy Father’s invitation “to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come” and no one should be left out, for, “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision,” the Bishop reiterated, adding that the Jubilee should contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that the world so urgently desires.
According to the Donkorkrom Bishop, the suffering that many people experience in this world does not only require a practical action from Consecrated persons all the time but most importantly, “it requires us to be sensitive to the situations of these people, to empathize with them, to be present in their lives, to soothe their pains, to heal them from their brokenness and above all to offer them hope that does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5)”.
“It is by accompanying the people in their concrete situations of life that the hope we offer them becomes meaningful and impactful. In this sense, our duty of bringing relief and healing through charitable acts are not merely humanitarian but rather religious in nature; compassionate in action and God-centered in essence. In other words, we become agents of God’s mercy which is the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life (Misericordiae Vultus, 2), the Bishop emphasized, adding that in this way, Consecrated people become people who journey along with others, people who are actively part of a pilgrimage that leads to renewal of life and mission.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator \ DEPSOCOM Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate)
