Spiritual Corner - Jubilee Year of St. John of the Cross

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Jubilee Year of “Pilgrims of Hope” has just ended, the Church has opened a double Jubilee Year of “St. John of the Cross” and “St. Francis of Assisi”. These two giants of spiritual dedication will lead us in this new year to transform from “Seekers of Hope” to “Pilgrims of Faith”. In this Spiritual Corner, I would briefly share with you about the Jubilee Year of “St. John of the Cross” and in the next issue, the celebration of the Jubilee Year of “St. Francis of Assisi”.

The Jubilee Year of “St. John of the Cross” is a double celebration. First, it is the 300th anniversary of the canonization the saint, and secondly, the 100th anniversary of the recognition of the saint as Doctor of the Church. This Jubilee Year started from December 14, 2025 and will end on December 27, 2026.

For a person to be canonized, he/she must have lived out deep faith, during his/her journey on earth, and become a great model of faith. And to become Doctor of the Church, the saintly person must have brilliant writings, providing some distinct explanation of theology and faith. At the same time, his thoughts must have profound influence on the Church. The Spirituality of Mysticism of St. John of the Cross and his intimate union with God is the highlight of it all.

St. John of the Cross had four famous writings on spirituality: “The Ascent of Mount Carmel”, “The Dark Night of the Soul”, “Spiritual Canticle” and “The Living Flame of Love”.

In the book “The Dark Night of the Soul”, the saint instilled in us the idea, : “On the road of spiritualization and in the dark night of the soul (withered or depressed), do not be afraid. It is not that God has forsaken us, but it is a process by which God purifies us, bringing us in closer union with Him.”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in this Jubilee Year of St. John of the Cross, the Church has granted the blessing of plenary indulgence. Let us make good use of this opportunity to continue to march on the journey of sanctification.

Your Pastor,
Fr. Francis Chong