This promise of hope that Jesus brings at Easter is about our future in heaven, but also about our present. As an illustration of this, many individuals embraced the Catholic faith during the Easter Vigil, while countless others are embarking on pilgrimages to seek Christ in their lives.
Our Shrines have a unique opportunity to provide hope to those seeking Christ in the present moment. It is during this Easter season of hope that we’d like to officially introduce our theme for our 2024 Annual Conference: “Pilgrims of Hope: Preparing for the 2025 Jubilee”.
The first Jubilee or ‘Holy Year’ in the Catholic Church was declared by Pope Boniface in 1300 and was recommended to occur every 100 years. In announcing the theme for the 2025 Jubilee, “Pilgrims of Hope,” Pope Francis said it will be a year of hope for a suffering world!
We at NASPA recognize the suffering and also the challenging but essential task that each Shrine has to be a pillar of Christ’s hope in our fallen world. Let us support you in this task by providing you time to collaborate with other shrine leaders, pray as a community and learn concrete ways to further your shrine’s mission during our Annual Convention November 6-8th at Our Lady of la Leche Shrine in St. Augustine, Florida.