JOHN PAUL II AND THE JUBILEE

To the faithful in Croatian during the Wednesday General Audience. 2 July 1997

«To ensure that life and the work of Christians be always more in agreement with the Gospel, it is necessary to give new impetus to the catechesis of children, young people and adults. Indeed, like education to the faith, it tends to lead the baptised to the fullness of Christian existence at the time and in the environment each one is living. This is a constant need of the Church, today made even more evident by the preparations for the upcoming Jubilee celebrations».

From the closing message at the second International Meeting of Priests in Yamoussoukro. 13 July 1997

«According to the spirit of the Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente the days of Yamoussoukro are held in a Christological context: it's thanks to the intimate union of the priest with Christ that divine mercy is spread across the world through the word and the sacraments».

To the participants of the International charitable Cycling Marathon for peace "Chernobyl-2000". 10 August 1997

«I now address a special word to those taking part in the international charitable cycling marathon, Chernobyl-2000, organised for peace. I greet the promoters and organisers, as well as the athletes and those who in various ways have helped carry out this charitable competition, which highlights the great value of sport when put at the service of solidarity and peace».

From the Message to Monsignor Giulio Nicolini on occasion of the Year of Saint Omobono proclaimed by the Diocese of Cremona, to mark the eighth centenary of the death of the Patron. 16 July 1997

«…I learnt with pleasure that you, venerated Brother, have established to dedicate to your memory the period of time which goes from 13 November 1997 to 12 January 1999, naming it the "Year of Saint Omobono", to be celebrated with special spiritual, pastoral and cultural initiatives, to be co-ordinated in the path of preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 and in the spirit of communion created by the Synod which the Diocese recently celebrated».

To the faithful in Rumanian during the Wednesday General Audience. 20 August 1997

«I cordially greet the group of Greek-Catholic faithful from Rumania. The pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Mother of the Lord of Fatima and to the tombs of the Apostles Saint Peter and Paul in Rome must be for you and your families a phase of growth in the faith in the path towards the Great Jubilee of the year 2000».

From the discourse during the Wednesday General Audience. 27 August 1997

«The central theme, which guided their reflection during the various stages of the meeting, was the question the two disciples asked Jesus one day: "Teacher, where are you staying?, receiving the answer: "Come and see" (Jn 1,38f.). With these words, the Lord invited them to enter into a direct relationship with him in order to share his journey ("come") and to know him deeply ("see"). The message was clear: to understand Christ it is not enough to listen to his teaching: we must share his life and somehow experience his living presence. Therefore the World Youth Day theme fitted into the preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, which is meant to re-present to contemporary man Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, yesterday, today and for ever. What we experienced together in Paris in the past few days was an extraordinary event of hope, a hope that re-echoed in the world from the hearts of young people. Let us pray that the zeal of these many young men and women from the four corners of the earth may continue to bear abundant fruit in the ever-young Church of the new millennium».

From the reflection before the Marian prayer at the Pontifical Palace in Castelgandolfo. 20 July 1997

«In this year of preparation for the Great Jubilee in which we are invited to "turn with renewed interest to the Bible", in order to "recognise who Christ truly is" (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, n. 40) we pray that every Christian, and whoever is in search of the truth, may become "a pilgrim of Sacred Scripture", and learn to walk nourishing himself every day with the bread of the Word of Life».

At the Angelus Domini of Sunday 10 August 1997

«We are continuing our spiritual journey towards World Youth Day, which will be held in Paris from 18 to 24 August. As I have already had the opportunity to say, it will be an extraordinary and providential event for all the world's young people in this period of immediate preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000».

From the exhortation to the Youth on occasion of the Angelus for the Solemnity of the Assumption. 15 August 1997

«In this vision, the Solemnity of the Assumption is a providential encouragement to meditate on the very lofty dignity of every human being, even in his bodily dimension. This reflection fits in well with preparations for World Youth Day, which is now close at hand. Especially to young people, the hope of a new world at the dawn of the third Christian millennium, I would like to address the Apostle's exhortation "to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God", not to be conformed to the mentality of this age (cf. Rom 12,1-2)».

To the faithful in Croatian during the Wednesday General Audience. 2 July 1997

«To ensure that life and the work of Christians be always more in agreement with the Gospel, it is necessary to give new impetus to the catechesis of children, young people and adults. Indeed, like education to the faith, it tends to lead the baptised to the fullness of Christian existence at the time and in the environment each one is living. This is a constant need of the Church, today made even more evident by the preparations for the upcoming Jubilee celebrations».

To the faithful in Croatian during the Wednesday General Audience. 3 September 1997

«Dear brothers and sisters, the preparation for the Great Jubilee also requires the re-discovery of the vocation of Christians to sanctity. It is necessary, therefore, to arouse in every faithful a true yearning for sanctity, which is one of the typical characteristics of Christian living and behaviour, and which manifests the nature of the Church».

To members of the "Volunteers of Suffering Centre", marking its 50th anniversary. 6 September 1997

«Dear brothers and sisters, your leader, in expressing the attitude that your founder would have today, has promised to co-operate intensely with prayer and sacrifice in the preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. Thank you for this contribution. It is indeed useful and precious. The word Jubilee suggests the idea of joy, of exultation, and therefore could at first sight appear in contrast with the condition of those who suffer. Actually, it would be so, if we confined ourselves to a purely human consideration. But in the light of faith, we understand that there is no Resurrection without the Cross. We understand then that not only can suffering be in harmony with joy, but, indeed, that it is only in the sign of the Cross that we can attain true, consoling Christian joy. There can be no authentic Jubilee preparation unless we include the experience of suffering in its various forms in our spiritual journey. The great goals the Church proposes to us for these three years of journey towards the Great Jubilee cannot be reached without the personal and community sacrifice of Christians, in union with Christ's one redeeming sacrifice. In this regard, your association can make its own specific contribution by helping the faithful who suffer not to feel excluded from the spiritual journey towards the Year 2000, but, on the contrary, to walk in the front line, carrying the glorious Cross of Christ, the only hope of life for humanity in every age».

On occasion of the ceremony on the day of the Feast of the Nativity of Holiest Mary. 8 September 1997

«I invite the clergy and the faithful to a frequent and intense contact with this catechism, which I entrust in a special way to Holiest Mary whose Feast of Nativity we celebrate today. And I pray that just like the birth of the Virgin represented, at the start of the new era, a fundamental moment in the plan envisaged by God for the incarnation of his son, in the same way this Catechism, prepared on the threshold of the third millennium, may become a useful instrument to introduce the Church and each faithful to the ever deeper contemplation of the mystery of the Verb of God made Man».

To the faithful in Slovenian during the Wednesday General Audience. 27 August 1997

«Dear young people of Prekmurje in Slovenia, your pilgrimage to the Eternal City is the continuation of the pilgrimage of the youth, of the People of God and of all humanity towards the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. In Paris I asked young people to take hope to the current generation. I repeat the same to you and I desire that during these days you strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ. He, the Redeemer of the world, gives full meaning to the life of man. With Christ make your way courageously towards the third Christian millennium, of which you will have to be the protagonists».

To the new Italian Ambassador to the Holy See. 4 September 1997

«The soul of Italy is a Catholic soul, and in this regard there are great expectations for what it can express among its sister nations, now finally at peace - expectations that are further destined to be proved true in the exhilarating and hope-filled perspective of the celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, which you so opportunely mentioned. This event is destined to be a time of human, civil and spiritual growth for the beloved Italian nation as well. May the existing Cupertino between the Holy See and Italy help to promote its complete success».

From the letter addressed to the young people of Rome on occasion of the City Mission and the Youth Jubilee in the summer of the Year 2000. 8 September 1997

«At the end of the Eucharistic celebration at Longchamps Racecourse, which brought that unforgettable meeting to a close, I made an appointment with the young people of the whole world for Rome in the summer of the Year 2000 for the Youth Jubilee. You young people of Rome are now involved in this important event, which requires very careful organisation, but first and foremost calls for spiritual preparation».

From the Homily at the Celebration of the Statio Nationis at the end of the XXIII National Eucharistic Congress. 28 September 1997

«In the spiritual pilgrimage which takes us to the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, this Eucharistic Congress represents an important phase for the Churches in Italy. The large number of Bishops who are here today to celebrate the Eucharist with me and the many faithful who have come from all over the country bear witness to this. I cordially greet each one of them».