CROWNING OF THE COUNCIL AND OPENING OF THE NEW CENTURY

Dominique Chivot

Correspondent for "La Croix"

The Jubilee, which celebrates above all two thousand years of Christian history, places the Church in the heart of the world and in front of itself. The Holy Year offers the Church an occasion to show what it really is and who the people are who have proclaimed the same faith for two thousand years.

Placed by John Paul II at the center of the Church's history at the end of this century, the Jubilee is a crowning of the Second Vatican Council, which renewed the vigor of the Church, and is at the same time an open door to the new century full of spiritual hope. This essential appointment shows the role played, and the post held today, by this universal Church. On such an occasion this will be able to express all the richness of its diversity not only in Rome, but also across all of its local Churches. It means affirming that this history, begun 2,000 years ago, continues every day.

Surely the opening of the council by Pope John XXIII was a true surprise, while that of the Jubilee by Pope John Paul II was more naturally expected as it was on the calendar. But if history reports story of the Second Vatican Council of a true breath which went across that assembly, the same could happen on the occasion of the Jubilee if all four corners of the world know how to take the relay baton of this breath born in Rome more than thirty years ago. The Jubilee must not reduce to beautiful Roman, or even Catholic, ceremonies, but must be the echo of all the pilgrims, the demonstrations and the mobilizations that the people of God take up wherever they are.