Bishop Gary Gordon invites you to join the Church worldwide to celebrate the Ordinary Jubilee Year of 2025 and embark on a pilgrimage of hope.
Find directions to the Diocese of Victoria's 2025 Jubilee of Hope pilgrimage sites.
If you travel to one of these sacred sites, please consider sharing your story to:
communications@rcdvictoria.org
With the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” the Jubilee calls us to uplift others, especially the vulnerable, and become symbols of renewal.
Rooted in traditions of restoration and reconnection, this Jubilee Year offers a chance to deepen faith and relationships. Through pilgrimage and engaging in prayer and reconciliation, we are invited to walk with purpose and reflect on God’s mercy.
As the Jubilee unfolds, let us embrace its call to renewal and action. This is a time to bring hope to others and to live as witnesses of love and unity, carrying its spirit beyond 2025.
Bishop Gordon opened the 2025 Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Victoria with a Mass at 11:00 am at St. Andrew’s Cathedral on December 29, 2024 (Feast of the Holy Family). You can watch the Rite of Opening here: https://www.youtube.com/live/RIYRc_D5e4Y
Click here for a printable version of this letter.
March 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With great joy, I announce the designation of four pilgrimage sites within the Diocese of Victoria for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. This sacred year is a time of renewal, reflection, and, above all, hope—a call for us to deepen our faith and embrace the boundless grace of God.
Be a Pilgrim of Hope
A pilgrimage is more than a journey to a holy place; it is a journey of the heart, a moment to seek spiritual renewal and draw closer to the Lord. As we walk in prayer and contemplation, may we be strengthened in faith, unburdened by past struggles, and inspired to bring Christ’s light into the world.
To facilitate this sacred journey, four special pilgrimage sites have been designated within our diocese. I invite all the faithful to take part in this pilgrimage of hope, trusting that each step will lead us into a deeper communion with God and one another.
Our Lady of Assumption, Alert Bay
A place rich in history and deep faith, Our Lady of Assumption in Alert Bay welcomes pilgrims to experience its sacred space. This parish does not have a pastor in residence, but visitors can email pilgrimsalertbay@rcdvictoria.org to arrange their pilgrimage.
St. Ann’s, Duncan
St. Ann's in Duncan stands as a vital place of worship, honouring its deep-rooted connection with the Cowichan Tribes and a history of Indigenous-Catholic collaboration. Please visit www.rcdvictoria.org/parishes/st-anns-duncan or call 250-709-8731 to learn more about the church’s visitation schedule.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria
Located in the heart of Victoria, St. Andrew’s Cathedral stands as a beacon of faith and a place of profound beauty. Pilgrims visiting the cathedral are encouraged to spend time in prayer, reflecting on the blessings of the Jubilee Year. Please check the cathedral’s website at www.standrewscathedral.com for opening hours and Mass times.
Holy Family, Ucluelet
Nestled in downtown Ucluelet, Holy Family Church is embraced by open green space and forest, which offers a peaceful refuge for all of God’s creatures. This parish does not have a pastor in residence, but visitors can visit https://www.rcdvictoria.org/parishes/holy-family-ucluelet or email pilgrimsucluelet@rcdvictoria.org to learn more about the church's visitation schedule.
I invite all the faithful to take part in this pilgrimage of hope, trusting that each step will lead us into a deeper communion with God and one another.
In communion and hope,
Bishop Gary Gordon
Our Lady of Assumption, Alert Bay
Pilgrims are welcome to attend Mass on the first and third Saturdays of each month at 9:30 am. While no resident pastor lives on the island, visitors are still welcome outside of these Mass times and can access the church via a door code. For more information, please email pilgrimsalertbay@rcdvictoria.org.
St. Ann’s, Duncan
Pilgrims are invited to attend Mass on Sundays at 11:30 am, Thursdays at 11:00 am, and Fridays at 11:00 am. To arrange a visit outside these times, please contact the RVM Sisters at 250-709-8731.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria
Pilgrims are welcome to visit the Cathedral during regular opening hours, as well as for daily and weekend Masses, Confession, and Adoration. View the full schedule here: www.standrewscathedral.com/church-schedule.
Holy Family, Ucluelet
Pilgrims are warmly invited to visit the church on Sundays at 10:00 am for the Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion or on the last Sunday of each month for Mass at 5:00 pm. To arrange a visit outside these times, please email pilgrimsucluelet@rcdvictoria.org.
What is an indulgence?
"An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."
"An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead. (More information here)
What are the ways in which a plenary indulgence can be obtained during the Jubilee of Hope?
a. Pilgrimages
b. Pious Visits to Sacred Places
c. Works of Mercy and Penance
What are the specifications for pilgrimages?
In the Diocese of Victoria, visit one of the local sacred sites designated by Bishop Gary Gordon. The designated sites are Our Lady of Assumption (Alert Bay), St. Ann's (Duncan), St. Andrew's Cathedral (Victoria), and Holy Family (Ucluelet).
Complete the following:
1. Detachment from sin (even venial)
2. Visit a Jubilee Pilgrimage site:
• Our Lady of Assumption, Alert Bay
• St. Ann’s, Duncan
• St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria
• Holy Family, Ucluelet
• Or another site dedicated by Pope Francis or a local Bishop
3. Attend Holy Mass or any of the following (ideally at the pilgrimage site):
• Celebration of the Word of God
• Liturgy of the Hours
• Way of the Cross
• Rosary
• Penitential Celebration with individual confession
• Confession at the same time or at least within about 20 days of visiting a pilgrimage site
4. Pray for the Intentions of the Pope:
• Our Father, Hail Mary etc.
Only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day, but a second is possible if applied to souls in purgatory. Each indulgence requires a separate Communion and prayer, ideally on the day of the indulgenced act.
As we journey through this Jubilee Year, we invite you to take part in these pilgrimages of hope. Whether visiting one or all four of these sites, may your pilgrimage be a time of grace, renewal, and joy. We would love to hear about your experiences—please share your photos and reflections with us at communications@rcdvictoria.org.
May your pilgrimage be blessed, and may hope shine brightly in your hearts as we celebrate this Jubilee together!
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Catechetical Resource on Plenary Indulgences during the Jubilee Year
Official Jubilee Calendar of Major Events
Explore the themes of the Papal Bull “Spes non Confundit” on the CCCB website: www.cccb.ca/evangelization-catechesis-catholic-education/the-ordinary-jubilee-of-the-year-2025/cccb-adult-faith-resources-on-the-jubilee-year-2025/
Radio Vaticana: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/epg.html#onair
Vatican News YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VaticanNews/streams
Films for a Jubilee of Hope: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/events/films-of-hope.html