South Africa: The Jubilee Year will bring Catholics closer to Christ, says Archbishop Buti

Sheila Pires – Pretoria

In an interview with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) Communications Office, Archbishop Buti said the launch of the 2025 Jubilee Year in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg on 1 February will be "an encouragement, an occasion, an event for all Catholics to renew their faith."

A spiritual journey leading to Christ

The Jubilee event will be an opportunity for the Christian faithful, "To renew their way of life as Christians, to promote those virtues that have been demonstrated by Jesus Christ during his life here on earth," he said.

He went on to say that the Jubilee Year is "a spiritual journey" that will bring Catholics "closer to who Christ is."  He continued, "Not only are we to know more about Christ, but we are called to  to imitate his lifestyle here on Earth."

The Jubilee Year will be launched in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Enthronement of the Sacred Heart Image

Archbishop Buti also spoke about the significance of the recent enthronement of the Image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the blessing of the statue of Mary at the Mother of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesburg.

He said the celebration was "an occasion for renewing our belief, our faith, and our belief in the kindness, the mercy, and the compassion of Jesus Christ."

Over 5,000 Catholics gathered at the Marian Shrine in Magaliesburg on Saturday, 18 January, for the event.

In his homily inspired by Pope Francis' fourth encyclical on the human and divine love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ – Dilexit nos (He Loved Us, Archbishop Buti said Saturday's celebration was a "good opportunity to re-emphasise the message of the Holy Father" and encouraged all Catholics to obtain a copy of the encyclical.

The Archbishop further invited the Catholic faithful to visit the Shrine and "celebrate the mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus."