SPES NON CONFUNDIT—HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT
Diocese of Camden—Information Guide
Hope is the theological virtue
by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness,
placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our strength,
but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.
(CCC 1817)
Hope is much more than a wish or optimism. Hope is a desire for eternal happiness. This theological virtue sustains and motivates us and fuels our perseverance because hope places heaven as the ultimate goal. Hope is the trust in God that He is with us now and will always be.
The Jubilee invites members of the Church of Camden to join believers worldwide in seizing this sacred opportunity: embolden the fire in the hearts of the faithful to desire a life with God…now and for eternity.
Diocesan services, parishes, and schools are invited to reframe and reimagine their ministerial work via the lens of hope. Reflect and discern with colleagues how might your parish, school, or ministry shine a light on the virtue of hope using the following four pillars that will mark the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Diocese of Camden:
- Pilgrimage & Prayer
- Sacraments
- Service
- Witness
PILLAR I: PILGRIMAGE & PRAYER
Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer,
especially in the Our Father, which summarizes everything that hope leads us to desire.
(CCC 1820)
A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort, and simplicity of life.
(Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 2025)
Prayer and pilgrimage are potent expressions of the Christian journey, both deeply intertwined with the virtue of hope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that Jesus’s thirst for people reflects a divine thirst for us and that prayer is the meeting of these two thirsts (CCC 2560). Since hope is a “steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19), through prayer, we express our soul’s longing for God’s presence, trusting He will lead us according to His will.
Pilgrimage, too, is an outward manifestation of the soul’s inner journey. We physically journey toward a sacred place, seeking God’s grace and deeper understanding. The act of pilgrimage symbolizes the pilgrimage of life itself, with its trials, longings, and moments of grace.
In prayer and pilgrimage, hope becomes the thread that sustains us—hope in God’s promises, the final fulfillment of His kingdom, and the transformative power of His love. As we pray and walk in faith, we grow ever more certain that our destination is not merely a place but a Person—Jesus Christ—who is our hope and salvation. Through prayer and pilgrimage, we are reminded that no journey is taken in vain, for each step, each prayer, brings us closer to becoming “participants of the divine nature.” (2 Peter 1:4.)
Reflect on Pilgrimage and Prayer:
- What efforts around pilgrimage and prayer are my ministry/parish/school already doing that bring hope to the community we serve?
- What needs to be done in those efforts to make the message of hope clear?
- Is there anything new about pilgrimage and prayer that my ministry/parish/school might try to embolden the fire of hope in the hearts of the faithful?
Pilgrimage and Prayer Inspiration Ideas/Resources:
- Pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
- Reflection on the Our Father or the Creed
- Holy Hour for Hope
- Walk with One Invite parishioners to choose one person to pray for during Lent and Easter with the expectation that they would invite that person to join them in a parish event or mass
- Reintroduction to the Beatitudes – the beginning of hope
- Camino del Mar – weekly itineraries along the beach/Cooper River…from Memorial Day to Labor Day…from Brigantine to Cape May
- Connect pilgrimage/prayer experiences to Vocations
- Parish day-long pilgrimage to other parishes named for Doctors of the Church or local shrines
- Participation in Diocesan Pilgrimages to:
- Shrine of Saint Francis Cabrini (NYC) and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.
- Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (Emmitsburg, Maryland).
- Shrines of Saint John Neumann and Saint Katharine Drexel.
- Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, New York
- Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
PILLAR II: SACRAMENTS
Churches can serve as oases of spirituality and places of rest on the pilgrimage of faith,
where we can drink from the wellsprings of hope,
above all by approaching the sacrament of Reconciliation,
the essential starting point of any true journey of conversion.
(Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 2025)
The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are tangible signs of God’s grace instituted by Christ to strengthen and sustain us on our journey of faith (CCC 1131). At their core, the sacraments are gifts of hope, pointing us to the reality of God’s presence and His promises, both in this life and the future. In each sacrament, we encounter Christ—whether in the washing of Baptism, the forgiveness of sins in Reconciliation, or the nourishment of the Eucharist —each sacrament deepens our relationship with God and fills us with hope. Baptism gives us the hope of new life in Christ (CCC 1279), a rebirth that brings us into the Church and prepares us for eternal life.
In the writings of St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, and Blessed Carlo Acutis, the Eucharist is the “sacrament of hope,” nourishing our spirits and strengthening us for the trials of life, reminding us that Christ will be with us always, even to the end of the age. Confirmation strengthens us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, fortifying us to live out our hope boldly. The sacraments of healing—Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick—offer us the hope of forgiveness, Reconciliation, and divine mercy, healing both body and soul (CCC 1421). In Marriage and Holy Orders, the sacraments of vocation, we see the hope of God’s love at work in the world, as spouses and priests reflect His steadfast love and faithfulness. In each sacrament, we experience a foretaste of the Kingdom of God, a reminder that our deepest longing for peace, joy, and love is not in vain but is rooted in nurturing God’s holy people.
Reflect on Sacraments:
- What efforts around the sacraments are my ministry/parish/school already doing that bring hope to the community we serve?
- What needs to be done in those efforts to make the message of hope clear?
- Is there anything new around the sacraments that my ministry/parish/school might try to embolden the fire of hope in the hearts of the faithful?
Sacraments Inspiration Ideas/Resources:
- Provide more opportunities for Sacrament of Penance
- Infuse the language of hope in all sacrament catechesis, preparation and celebrations
- Celebrate those receiving a sacrament for the first time
- Encourage the use of sacramentals (see:Rejoicing in Hope – 2022 – Sacramental Imagination)
PILLAR III: SERVICE
During the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope
for our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.
(Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 2025)
When defining service, St. Teresa of Calcutta stated, “Faith in action is love, and love in action is service. By transforming that faith into living acts of love, we put ourselves in contact with God Himself, Jesus our Lord.” With these words in mind, service in the Christian life is a powerful expression of hope—hope in the transformative power of God’s love and the promise of a world renewed by His grace. Jesus Himself modeled service, washing His disciples’ feet and laying down His life for all. In doing so, He taught that true greatness is found not in being served but in serving others.
Service becomes an act of hope as we reach out to those in need, believing that our actions, no matter how small, can help bring about God’s Kingdom on earth. When we serve, we cooperate with God’s redemptive work, offering our hands, feet, eyes, body, hearts, and lives as instruments of His love (St. Teresa of Avila). Consider the corporal works of mercy found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. These works foster hope in those we help, reminding them that they are not forgotten and that God’s care extends to all His children. By actively serving those in need, “we are reminded of our shared humanity and connection to everyone (USCCB on “Service”). As we serve, we participate in a larger vision of hope—that the world can be transformed by love, justice, and mercy.
Reflect on Service:
- What efforts around service are my ministry/parish/school already doing that bring hope to the community we serve?
- What needs to be done in those efforts to make the message of hope clear?
- Is there anything new about service that my ministry/parish/school might try to embolden the fire of hope in the hearts of the faithful?
Service Inspiration Ideas/Resources:
- Letter writing/package preparation
- Summer in the City
- Bereavement Ministry
- Stephen Ministry
- Use the Corporal Works of Mercy as guides:
- Feed the Hungry (Pantry/Food Collection; Thanksgiving; Faithful Food Drive)
- Give Drink to the Thirsty (Pantry/Food Collection; Thanksgiving; Faithful Food Drive)
- Clothe the Naked (Clothing Drive or specific items of clothing)
- Visit the Sick (companion care for seniors and infirmed)
- Shelter the Homeless (Interfaith Hospitality Network)
- Visit the Imprisoned (write to prisoners, care packages)
- Bury the Dead (Easter Week or November remembrances; cemetery visits)
PILLAR IV: WITNESS
We boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
(ROM 5:3-4)
Witnessing our Christian faith is a powerful expression of hope, as it involves sharing the light of Christ with the world (Matthew 5: 14 -16) and testifying to the transformative power of His love in our lives. In the Gospel of Luke 8:16-18, we must never “hide” the light of Christ from the world. We are obligated to witness to the Gospel (2472). As Christians, we witness—not only through our words but also through our actions—demonstrating our hope in Christ, even amid trials and uncertainties. St. Peter reminds us always to be prepared to give a reason for the hope within us (1 Peter 3:15), inviting others into the same hope that sustains us.
In witnessing to Christ, we affirm that God is active in the world and that His promises are trustworthy despite our challenges. Our witness is an invitation for others to discover the hope of salvation found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (CCC 847). It is a hope that transcends suffering, sin, and death, pointing to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s Kingdom. When we live out our faith with joy, courage, and integrity, we become living testimonies of the hope that anchors our souls—hope not in ourselves but in God’s steadfast love and His eternal promises. In this way, our witness becomes a beacon of hope for others, leading them toward the light of Christ, who is the source of all hope and salvation.
Reflect on Witness:
- What efforts around witness are my ministry/parish/school already doing that bring hope to the community we serve?
- What needs to be done in those efforts to make the message of hope clear?
- Is there anything new around witness that my ministry/parish/school might try to embolden the fire of hope in the hearts of the faithful?
Inspiration Ideas/Resources:
- Faith Sharing/Witness talks
- Hope of eternal life (Lenten reflections)
- Monthly Focus on each of the ways the parish already gives witness
- Invite Stories of Transformation: Organize sessions where individuals share how faith has brought hope in challenging times.
- Street Missions: Organize teams to go into public places, offering prayers, blessings, or simply listening to people’s stories.
- Youth Encounters: Host events to inspire young people with the message of hope through dynamic speakers and music.
- Healing Services: Lead prayer gatherings focused on spiritual, emotional, and physical healing as a sign of God’s hope for all.
- Art and Music Events: Encourage artists and musicians to create works inspired by the theme of hope and organize exhibitions or concerts.
- Digital Witness: Share testimonies through videos, blogs, or podcasts to reach unaffiliated audience.
- Intergenerational Events Host events where elders share their stories of faith with younger generations, building bridges of hope.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE LINKS ON JUBILEE of HOPE 2025
Jubilee Celebration Calendar 2025