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Address of the Most Rev. Jerome Feudjio to all Christ's Faithgul at the Beginning of the Year 2025Dear Monsignor and Reverend Fathers,
Dear Deacons,
Dear members of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
In His providence, God has graciously brought us to a new year. It is an ordinary jubilee year in the Church, which Pope Francis declared the Year of Hope – a theme we shall talk about shortly. As we stand at this threshold, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the abundant blessings we received over the past year. We have witnessed God's hand at work in our lives and our Diocese, guiding us through challenges and celebrating with us in moments of joy.
At the beginning of this year, I address myself to you as your servant and shepherd; I extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for your unwavering dedication and support in our Christian communities. Your commitment to the Kingdom of God, manifested here in the U.S. Virgin Islands and beyond, has been a source of strength and inspiration. Together, we have continued to build a community rooted in faith, hope, and love, and it is with this spirit that we look forward to the year ahead.Reflecting on 2024
First of all, let us look back at where we have come from and at the major highlights of the year 2024.
The past year has been filled with significant milestones and moments of grace for our Diocese. Very importantly, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of our Cathedral Church, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. It was a historic year-long event in which we commemorated God’s fidelity. Those were months to honor the faith of those who have been here before us, the legacy of their dedication and witness, and recommit ourselves to fully live the faith we profess.
This historic event was marked by the visit of His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America. He brought us the encouragement of the Holy Father, lived among us a few days, and bore witness to the faith. He was glad to visit all our Parishes, hold sessions with us, teach, answer questions, and learn. The Nuncio experienced life as we live it, and took back with him good sentiments from his visit.
In the course of last year, we were blessed with the ordination of a new priest, Rev. Ronan Nee Sarmiento. It was a joyous occasion that brought renewed vigor to our clergy and our Diocese. The ordination of a priest is always great news.
In connection to vocations, while we pray for more vocations, we thank God for our seven seminarians: five of them are studying in 3 seminaries, and two are on canonical experience in our Diocese. I installed these two into the ministries of Lector and Acolyte last year, as part of their preparation for ordination as priests. God willing, we may soon witness the ordination as deacon of one of them, and later of the other. Let us keep all these young men in our prayers. Thank you for the support you give for the training of seminarians. As you know, we do not have a seminary of our own, and it costs us about $40,000 to have each of them in the seminary for a year. May God bless you for your past and continued generosity.
Additionally, we welcomed a new religious community into our Diocese, The Sisters of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus of Buea. Four members of their community are now present among us, to join our Parish communities and schools in witnessing to the risen Jesus and spreading God’s kingdom in our beautiful islands through their various ministries. They join the other communities already present in our Diocese, namely; the Missionaries of Charity, the Daughters of the Holy Family, and the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. May God bless their ministries with abundant fruits.
The foregone were some of the major and impactful events. But we cannot lose sight of all the other activities that brought the grace of God into our lives. Throughout the year, the sacraments were celebrated across the Diocese, strengthening our bonds of faith and community. Each baptism, confirmation, and marriage was a reminder of God's presence in our lives and His unending grace. And every time we celebrate the Eucharist, anoint the sick, and celebrate all other sacraments and sacramentals, God renews his presence among us.
Most certainly, we had difficult moments as well last year in our families and Parish communities; perhaps, we lost family members and friends or encountered some setback, difficulty, or even hardship. These served to remind us – as the Scriptures tell us – that there is a time for everything, the joyful and otherwise. We offer these to God as part of our human existence, as we ask him to accompany us throughout this new year.Embracing 2025: A Year of Hope
Now, let us turn our attention to this new year we have begun.
As we embark on this year, we must remember that it is an Ordinary Jubilee Year. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, declared it the Jubilee Year of Hope. In his letter announcing the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis reminded us that "Hope does not disappoint" (Rom 5:5) and called us to a renewed encounter with the Lord Jesus, the source of our hope. This message encourages us to look to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and a far-sighted vision.
To live this Year of Hope, let us draw inspiration from the numerous resources made available to us. Our 2025 Compendium contains some of them on its final pages. Many resources are also available on our Diocesan website, the website of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, and the website of the Jubilee Year of Hope itself. I invite you all to prepare more activities at the level of our parochial communities that will help us live out the year more meaningfully. In these activities, in addition to those we previewed in the pastoral calendar included in our 2025 Compendium, let us think more about the young people, bring them to God, and help them live the year as well.
We already set the pace for this Year of Hope before the close of last year. Even before the Holy Father officially inaugurated the Jubilee Year, our Diocesan Advent Missions thus far turned our gaze to the Jubilee. It is incumbent on us, especially on the Pastors and Administrators of our Parishes, to ensure that this spirit with which we prepared for the Nativity of our Lord Jesus is carried with us throughout this Year of Hope.
One of the highlights of this year will be the pilgrimage to Rome. This pilgrimage, organized in the context of the Year of Hope, offers a unique opportunity for spiritual renewal and communal bonding. Ninety pilgrims are preparing to go on this holy journey after Easter this year. Due to logistic limitations, not many of us can make it to Rome. However, we can organize other activities and even local pilgrimages to participate in this year and share in the graces.
In the course of the year, let us also remember in a special way our sick and shut-ins. They are an integral part of our community, and it is our duty to pray for them, visit them, and offer our support. Let us ensure they feel the warmth of our love, the strength of our prayers, and the hope that the Gospel brings us. Joining the ministry of the sick would be a wonderful way to let the Holy Spirit touch us this year, and touch others through us. In the same context, let us continue to support our Catholic Charities as they care for the homeless and less privileged. These, and other activities that we carry out, will give a practical dimension to our faith, and our celebration of the Year of Hope.A New Impetus for the Year 2025
What new impetus can we have this year in our Diocese?
Before the close of last year, we did some consultations within the Diocese. In this context, we met with the Pastoral Councils of all the Parishes. These meetings helped us in a process of discernment that took into account the spiritual, pastoral, and other climates in the Parishes and institutions, the needs and hopes of our Parish communities, and a thorough evaluation, especially of the human resources available to attend to the said needs.
Following these meetings, I made some transfers and appointments of pastoral personnel in favor of the needs of the Diocese. I invite everyone to welcome the new priests and personnel with open hearts and to collaborate with them in their ministries. Notably, we introduced the function of Directors of Diocesan Building and Facilities for each of our two deaneries and the Coordination of the Apostleship of the Sea and Cruise ship. There are many needs in our communities, but we are restrained by available human and material resources to attend to all of them. We must keep being grateful to God, to our benefactors within the Diocese and the missions, and to each and everyone in our Diocese, for the contribution being made every year to support the ministries.
In our schools, the faculty and staff are dedicated to improvement and progress. They are committed to the education of our children, helping them grow in wisdom, knowledge, faith, and morality. And this is in spite of the tough financial situation in our schools. Despite the challenges, our schools are making significant strides, and we are confident in their continued success. Therefore, as we mark Catholic Schools Week this year, let us celebrate the strides we have made, and renew our commitment to support these institutions that have educated and impacted the lives of so many people in the past decades. We continue to count on the collaboration of the parents and alumni in the life of the schools.
Concluding Thoughts
To conclude, as we journey through this Year of Hope, let us all strive to be ever more welcoming. Each of us is called to be a guest house, sharing Jesus with those who join us. Our hospitality and openness are reflections of our faith and love.
Later in the year, I shall announce a Convocation in our Diocese. It will bring together representatives from our parishes and institutions. This gathering will provide an opportunity to discuss the life of our Diocese and plan for the future, ensuring that we continue to grow and thrive as a community.
May this year be filled with hope, renewal, and abundant blessings for each one of you. Happy New Year, a Year of Hope!
+ His Excellency Jerome Feudjio
Bishop of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands,
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