We officially celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Arlington in this month of August, which means that we are marking the culmination of a three-year journey in spiritual and intellectual renewal.
The past three years have been marked by a particular theme and focus, with events at the diocesan and parish levels alike.
In Year One, beginning in November 2021, we came together to focus on remembering the past with gratitude. Our Year One theme, “Do this in remembrance of me,” centered us on the Eucharist and our thanks for God’s most precious gift.
In Year Two, with the theme, “My soul rejoices in the Lord,” we focused on the goodness of the Lord by looking to the example of his mother and Mary’s profound trust and faithful obedience.
And over this past Year Three of our Golden Jubilee, we have committed ourselves to renewing and strengthening our faith for the future. By striving to intentionally share our Catholic faith with others, in word and deed through evangelization and mercy, we open our hearts in a powerful and vulnerable way. As Christians, each day we confront the challenge of living virtuously, and this challenge reminds us that only through Christ will all things be made new.
In 1974, Our Lord “made all things new” for the people of Northern Virginia with the establishment of the Arlington diocese and through the pastoral care of Bishop Thomas J. Welsh. Even with the passing of time, the Arlington diocese remains among the nation’s youngest dioceses. Today, we are blessed to be known for our youthfulness, and also for the dynamism, faithfulness, and growth that are conveyed so well in this month’s Arlington Catholic Herald Golden Jubilee special edition.
As we celebrate our Golden Jubilee and mark the anniversary of the official establishment of our diocese, we also have the opportunity to move forward guided by our diocesan strategic plan.
On Sept. 5, all are encouraged to attend our Golden Jubilee Livestream, which will feature the premiere of our Golden Jubilee documentary film on the history of our diocese, followed by a narrated tour of the renovated Cathedral of St. Thomas More, and concluding with a livestream of a Solemn Mass marking our 50th anniversary.
Then on Sept. 8, the cathedral will celebrate a public Mass of Thanksgiving. For the first time in nearly two years, after a remarkable renovation made possible by generous benefactors from across our community, we will celebrate Sunday Mass together at the cathedral.
Finally, Oct. 5, we will travel together to Washington for our Diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimage at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. All are invited to participate in this special one-day pilgrimage.
As we celebrate our Golden Jubilee and reflect on this year’s theme of renewal, I invite you to consider the ways in which Our Lord wishes to renew his relationship with you. In reflecting on his goodness and his ever-present invitation to deeper friendship, we may ask ourselves any of a few guiding questions.
Am I living out my baptismal promises to the best of my ability? Am I calling upon God to pour out his grace on me, and remaining faithful to him even in difficult moments? Amidst all my responsibilities, do I prioritize time for prayer and companionship with Jesus Christ? Do my actions speak louder than my words in showing family and friends the central place of the Eucharist in my life? Can I make a better habit of confession, of reconciliation that will heal my heart and lead me to a better life? Do I truly see others as my brothers and sisters? How might I be a witness in leading others to return to the faith? Am I serving the needy poor? Am I willing to live and proclaim my faith at work and school and in the community, no matter the cost?
Asking ourselves such questions, and reflecting in our hearts with honesty and humility, will lead each of us to rediscover in our own way that God is the answer to our deepest longings. Truly, God alone is the source of all renewal.
Even as these joyous days of our Golden Jubilee are on our hearts, and as we give thanks for all the ways God has blessed our diocese, we are at the same time, with his grace, actively forging our future together. Just as God renews us, so too, does he equip us for the journey to come. The next great chapter in the story of our diocese, in the story of our communities, and in the story of our families is already being written. May we cooperate with God in his abundant goodness, so that the people of God in this community have even more to be thankful for in the future.
As we celebrate this 50th anniversary of our diocese, may we ask God to guide and prepare each of us to rise to the joyful challenge of Christian discipleship in the days, years, and decades to come.
