Bishop Kulick: Jubilee Year of Hope closes as Diamond Jubilee begins for Diocese

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

As we approach the end of the Church’s liturgical year with the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, I have been reflecting on the many blessings and opportunities we’ve experienced during this Jubilee Year of Hope to draw closer to our Lord. At the same time, my thoughts turn toward 2026, when we will celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Diocese of Greensburg — a celebration of 75 years of A Legacy of Faith.

The Diocese of Greensburg will officially conclude the Jubilee Year of Hope on the Feast of the Holy Family on Dec. 28.

I will preside at the Solemn Closing Mass at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral at 11 a.m., and I warmly invite all of you to join us for this special celebration.

This Jubilee Year of Hope provided us, as disciples of Christ, with many opportunities to live out the hope we know comes from Jesus Christ, and to share that hope with others. As our late Holy Father, Pope Francis, reminded us, we are called to be missionaries of hope, bringing the light of Christ into the world through our families, our workplaces, our communities, and our daily lives.

Pope Leo XIV has continued the theme of sharing our hope with the world, emphasizing that if we are to be true instruments of God’s love, we must serve those most in need. Not just the physically or financially poor, but also those who are spiritually impoverished and desperately need the gift of our hope and faith.

It is my prayer that this Jubilee Year has been a time for all of us to draw closer to Christ through the celebration of the sacraments, through participation in our Diocesan Jubilee events, and through a renewal of heart and spirit. May the conclusion of this time of grace strengthen us to be ever more faithful disciples of hope as we enter the new year.

One of the highlights of our Jubilee Year was our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Rome in March and early April. We had the privilege of passing through the Holy Doors of all four Papal Basilicas and witnessing the beauty of the universal Church gathered in faith. To see pilgrims from around the world speaking many languages and coming from diverse cultures, united in prayer was a profound reminder of the universality of our Catholic faith.
As we processed through the Holy Door into Saint Peter’s Basilica, the sense of unity in Christ was palpable. In Him, we find our true and lasting hope.

Our pilgrimage was also a way to bring the heart of our Diocese to Rome. Through the use of technology and our multimedia and social media platforms, we received prayer intentions, often several times a day.
We carried those intentions with us as we visited the holy sites, and it was moving to know that so many of you were spiritually united with us, even though we were separated by distance and time. Truly, we journeyed together as one Church from the Diocese of Greensburg.                                 

We are especially blessed that our Diocese will experience two consecutive years of significance: the universal Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025 and the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Greensburg in 2026. 2026 also commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The coming year will be a wonderful opportunity not only to mark historic milestones, but also to renew and reinvigorate the faith of our people throughout the four counties of our Diocese and our nation.

Our Diamond Jubilee will offer many opportunities for worship, celebration and growth in faith. There will be special Eucharistic celebrations, Forty Hours devotions in parishes, and observances of key historical dates, such as the establishment of the Diocese on March 10, 2026, and the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Diocesan patroness. We will also offer pilgrimages to historic churches within the Diocese and to the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, as well as Lenten Evenings of Reflection, social outreach,
and advocacy programming.

There will be wonderful opportunities for all of us to come together in friendship and fellowship, not only in our 78 parishes, but as the Diocese of Greensburg as one family in faith. As we begin the celebration of our Diamond Jubilee, let us worship, pray, learn, serve, and grow together — like the many facets of a diamond, each shining brightly with the light of Christ

May God Bless you,

The Most Reverend Larry J. Kulick, J.C.L.
Bishop of Greensburg