This morning, December 29, on the Feast of the Holy Family, the Diocese of Norwich joyfully celebrated the Opening Mass of the Jubilee Year at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick. The liturgy, celebrated by Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford, was a profound reminder of the Jubilee theme, “Spes Non Confundit” (Hope Does Not Disappoint), as the Church enters this sacred time of renewal and grace.
Bishop Betancourt delivered a homily emphasizing the unity of the Church as one faith, one family in Christ.
The celebration included a reading of an excerpt from the Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee Year, a solemn moment that proclaimed the hope and mercy at the heart of this year’s theme. Following the reading of the Bull, Bishop Betancourt, standing on the threshold of the narthex, raised the crucifix that once stood over the cathedral doors, proclaiming: “Hail, Cross of Christ, our only hope.”
For those unable to attend, the Mass and Bishop Betancourt’s homily can be viewed below. This Jubilee Year invites all to deepen their faith, live in hope, and proclaim God’s transformative love to the world.