Thousands of Catholics celebrate the Jubilee in Aylesford
Over 3,000 Catholics from the Archdiocese of Southwark came together to celebrate the Jubilee
Thousands of Catholics gathered at Aylesford Priory, Kent for a day of celebration to mark the Year of Jubilee.
Parishes from across south London and Kent came together to celebrate the Jubilee, with a day filled with prayer, reflection and celebration. Over 3,000 people made the journey, including many families.
The day was shaped to help people encounter the Lord Jesus, which is why it was centred around prayer and the living tradition of the Church. Eucharistic adoration, which is the practice of worshiping and adoring the Lord Jesus who is truly present in the Eucharist, featured prominently. A rosary, led by Archbishop John Wilson, attracted thousands of people who came together in prayer. The sacrament of reconciliation was available throughout the day, with many queuing to receive the precious gift of Christ’s mercy.
The highlight of the day was Mass, celebrated by Archbishop John Wilson, which saw thousands come together to give thanks to God.
In a passionate plea to the many thousands gathered, urging them to become a truly evangelising diocese of missionary disciples, Archbishop John said:
“The Holy Spirit wants to equip the Church for evangelisation, to equip you and me with the gifts and fruits we need to be evangelists. Everyone who is baptised into Christ is anointed for mission.
Archbishop John prayed:
“Come, Holy Spirit, we pray. Come and shape us, mould us and free us to become a truly evangelising diocese of missionary disciples.
Reflecting on Pentecost, Archbishop John said:
“The Church is and always must be in a state of Pentecost. Animated by the Holy Spirit, like those first disciples gathered with Our Lady in the Upper Room: we are waiting. We are watching. We are praying. We are asking that our hearts be ignited anew by the Holy Spirit.
“We want the wind of the Holy Spirit to fill our sails and push us forward. We want the flame of the Holy Spirit to fuel our mission here and now. We want to be alive in the Holy Spirit, so that together, we can announce the Good news of God’s love and mercy revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ”.
The Jubilee is a special year of grace in the Catholic Church and this year’s theme is “pilgrims of hope”. A Jubilee is a time for renewal of faith, forgiveness and reconciliation. Ahead of the start of the Jubilee year, Pope Francis called for this special year to help us to “recognise the Risen Christ in the midst of our lives, transforming us into pilgrims of Christian hope”. The Jubilee Icon, currently touring the dioceses of England and Wales, was also on display.
The event was organised by the Agency of Evangelisation and Catechesis and the Southwark Charismatic Renewal team with assistance from other Archdiocesan teams.
Dr Mark Nash, the director of the Agency of Evangelisation and Catechesis said:
“Months in the planning, involving dozens of people giving their time, skills and gifts in preparation, it is such a joy to see it came to fruition. Big events serve to inspire us as we seek to continue our discipleship of Jesus when we return to our homes and parishes.
“Despite rain and the wind - we read in Scripture that the Holy Spirit comes as wind - to see so many people, so very happy, was an absolute delight. It was also important to mark the 175th anniversary of our diocese (60 years as an archdiocese) in a special way such as this."
The event was held the day before Pentecost. Pentecost celebrates the beginning of the Catholic Church, which was founded by Jesus Christ. It is one of the most important Feasts in the Catholic Church, as it is the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary – the Queen of the Apostles – and the first followers of the Lord Jesus. The fact over 3,000 people gathered in Aylesford had special significance, as in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:38) we know that following the descent of the Holy Spirit, 3,000 people were baptised into the Church.
Liz Corcoran, from the Southwark Charismatic Renewal Team said:
"This day was also the centrepiece of a spiritual pilgrimage taken by over 1,000 people in homes, prayer groups and parishes across our Archdiocese. Within the Pilgrimage to Pentecost course people have 'journeyed' in daily reflections and weekly meetings with video teaching content filmed in Southwark churches and Shrines capturing the breadth of our beautiful heritage.
“It has been wonderful to see curious people desiring to grow in faith come together since Easter. It speaks to the hunger in the human heart for more, for a real spiritual connection with God. The jubilation of everyone to be here together was wonderful, and the beginning of renewal for many individuals. God is alive and active in His church!"
The Youth Mission Team, which is a group of young adults formed and sent to lead retreats in parishes across the Archdiocese, also took part in the day engaging young people and helping them to encounter Christ. Lucy Treloar, Mission Team Coordinator, said:
“It has been so uplifting to lead young people in retreat sessions today and to see thousands of people gather at Aylesford Priory in prayer and fellowship. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, this day is witness to the power of the Holy Spirit in young people. This celebration has reminded us that the Church is alive and ahead of Pentecost, that Christ is with us.”
Around 80 pilgrims also made a 5 day pilgrimage, walking 50 miles from St George’s Cathedral to Aylesford Priory, they set off on Monday 2nd June and arrived in time for the Jubilee Celebrations on Saturday morning.
A big emphasis of the day was to ensure there were plenty of activities for children and young people, which included an interactive Saints Treasure Trail. Young people were able to speak to the Saints to learn more about their lives, as a way to help them connect to the history of the Catholic faith in the Archdiocese.
Other activities on the day included a children’s rosary, veneration of relics (of our two Archdiocesan co-patron saints St Thomas of Canterbury and St Augustine of Canterbury), a Blessed Carlo Acutis exhibition and an Archdiocesan history exhibition.
You can find out more about the day, including finding photos and video at rcaos.org.uk/jubilee2025 and aec.rcaos.org.uk/jubileecelebration.
