Hawaii Catholic Herald
The Jubilee Year celebration didn’t just open Holy Doors in Rome — it also opened doors to catechesis and faith formation for Catholics across the globe.
In Hawaii, the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis is planning Days of Study throughout the year to help people learn more about the Jubilee Year, the history of the church and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Two have been scheduled so far, both on Hawaii Island:
- March 15, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., St. Joseph School, Hilo
- April 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Annunciation Church, Waimea
- The themes of the Days of Study are broad, covering the Jubilee Year’s emphasis on hope, the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism.
According to Lisa Gomes, director of the OEC, the general outline of a Day of Study will include prayer, a keynote talk, thematic workshops, group discussions and refreshments. The days will be open to all ages.
“We have invited a number of clergy and laity to lead the sessions, including Bishop Larry Silva,” Gomes said. The OEC is also looking to invite people from outside the diocese to speak.
The workshops align with the Jubilee Year’s focus on spiritual renewal and also offer an opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence, Gomes said.
(Per a decree last year issued by Pope Francis, people can obtain a Jubilee indulgence “if, with a devout spirit, they participate in popular missions, spiritual exercises or formation activities on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, held in a church or other suitable place, according to the mind of the Holy Father.”)
The Days of Study are also another way to promote gathering and fellowship, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which impacted the number of in-person conferences typically held, Gomes said.
Gomes offered several reasons why people should consider participating in a Day of Study: to gain a deeper understanding of church teachings and enrich their faith by doing so, and to share space with other people who also are seeking to grow in their faith.
To learn more about the Days of Study, contact the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis at (808) 203-6763 or email oyyam@rcchawaii.org. A website is also being set up: www.catholichawaii.org/jubilee2025.
