Columban Fr Paul Glynn travelled to Presentation Secondary School Mitchelstown, Co Cork to present Alisa Bargelyte with her Columban Schools award. Alisa secured 3rd place in the written section.
The theme of this year’s Columban Schools competition was: ‘Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope.’ The competition attracted a record 272 entries across Britain and Ireland, the highest number in the eight years the Columbans have run the competition.
Young people 13-18 years were asked to produce a piece of writing or image that highlighted a community or groups bringing hope in the world in this Jubilee Year, making a difference locally, nationally or globally. For more information please see: www.columbancompetition.com
This is Alisa’s article:
Jubilee – Pilgrims of Hope
Jubilee comes from the Hebrew word “Yobel” meaning ram’s horn. This comes from the ram horn that was blown at the start of every Jubilee year. “Then you are to sound the horn far and wide” Leviticus 25:9. For this year of Jubilee Pope Francis said, “For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope”. This line really sums up what Jubilee strives for.
A jubilee year is a year of forgiveness and reconciliation. In biblical times it was year where debts were cleared and all grievances pardoned. It was a fresh start for everyone. It was treated like a sabbatical year, where the lands were cropless: “You are not to sow the land or reap its after growth or harvest” Leviticus 25:11. People were told to return to their own properties. “In this year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his own property” Leviticus 25:13. People were to buy their land back in fair trade: “Do not take advantage of each other” Leviticus 25:17.
The Bible told to people to help those less fortunate but out of the kindness of their hearts not for personal gain, “You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit” Leviticus 25:37.
Finally the Bible spoke on slavery and the aims to abolish it. It says you cannot force people to work but pay them a fair wage and come the year of jubilee they are free to go and return to their own homes, “You must not force him into slave labour……until the year of Jubilee and then he and his children are released” Leviticus 25: 40-41.
This Biblical year of Jubilee sounds like the perfect new beginning for the world. It helps those less fortunate get back on their feet and start a new so have a better, more prosperous life. It fosters good relationships between people, making a more loving and empathetic word for everyone.
Jubilee nowadays, while following the original theme, is different. The Pope proclaims Jubilee every 25 years. Pope Francis outlined his hopes for the 2025 year of Jubilee in S.N.C. which means “Hope does not disappoint” Rom 5:5. Pope Francis wrote a letter to inspire people with hope about the Jubilee and make it fruitful like all the years of Jubilee before.
When I read Spes Non Confundit, it certainly had the desired effect. Pope Francis wrote passionately about wanting a kinder world. He wants to fill everyone with hope of a better tomorrow even in when people live in unsure times. “Uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehension, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt” S.N.C. #1.
This passage includes a wide range of how people might feel and Pope Francis acknowledged them all. This passage makes me, and no doubt countless other people feel truly seen and understood. Another line I love is: “Patience has been put to flight by frantic haste and this proved detrimental” S.N.C. #4. I think this addresses people who are enduring hardship and chaos. There is so much war and hate in our world and Pope Francis addresses this issue and urges us to find the patience that we have no doubt lost. I think a jubilee year is desperately needed. I have hope that some of our struggles might be resolved even if only a fraction is helped it will be well worth it.
A pilgrim is a traveller either on foot physically or in life. Hope is a feeling of expectation for a particular thing to happen. I think a pilgrim of hope is someone who strives to instil people with hope and will travel the rough road they are handed to do so. I think Pope Francis is a brilliant example of a pilgrim of hope as I did feel a bit more positive and hopeful after reading Spes Non Confundit. This is exactly what Pope Francis wanted and I think he achieved this on a global scale.
Another example of a pilgrim of hope is Women’s Aid. Women’s Aid is a women’s crime victim centre in Ireland and the UK. They are a feminist organisation that aims to prevent and address the impact of domestic abuse. They have been helping generations of women restart their lives and find a new hope since 1974.
*One in four women who have been in a relationship have been abused by a past or current partner. Quite frankly this statistic scares me. There is such a vast number of women that are affected so horribly, and I feel Women’s Aid is needed now more than ever as levels of domestic abuse are rising all around the world.
**Northern Ireland has the third highest femicide rate in Western Europe, causing a femicide crisis. Everyday 137 women are killed by a member of their family, someone close to them who they trust. 51% of the women who experience abuse has experienced it under the age of 18. This figure is truly shocking and appalling. Women’s aid offer many services such as talking to someone online, making it easier to reach out for help, or face to face. The website outlines your rights and provides lots of information and support for anyone experiencing domestic abuse. They also provide information on how to help someone else if you think they are being harmed. I think this organisation truly encapsulates the idea of pilgrims of hope. They work tirelessly to provide people experiencing abuse with a safe haven to get help and find hope for a better tomorrow.
I think a Jubilee year is crucial. It will give underdeveloped nations a chance at prosperity. I have hope it will lessen or even stop the catastrophic wars going on in Gaza, Ukraine, Congo and so many more countries. This jubilee year makes me feel so much more confident in looking forward to my future.
*womensaid.ie
**belfasttelegraph.co.uk
