It is hard for me to believe that we are already closing out 2024, and soon we will begin the Jubilee Year of 2025. This jubilee is bringing back memories of Jubilee 2000, when I had the opportunity to travel to Rome with a few coworkers and friends. What a great trip that was as we ate all the food, visited so many of the churches, walked through the busy streets, celebrated Mass with St. John Paul II and passed through the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about how much has happened in my life in the last 25 years. I went on that 2000 trip footloose and fancy free. I literally came back to work the next day and met my future husband (exciting), lost my mother (tragic), got married (probably too soon after the death of my mom), had two children (beautiful blessings), got divorced (awful), raised two great kids (who are now flourishing young adults) and through it all worked hard to share the good news of what is happening here in our local church — the Diocese of Austin.

Although there have been moments when I doubted myself and my ability to serve our church well, I know God placed me in this position so many years ago for a very good reason. He knew it was exactly where I needed to be in order to embrace my vocation as a mother, as a coworker in the vineyard and most of all as his disciple. My faith has grown with every phone call and email I have answered, story I have edited and magazine and newspaper I have compiled.

I thank God for the many blessings and the tragedies that have come my way over the last 25 years for they have shaped me into who I am today. I love that Pope Francis has selected “Pilgrims of Hope” for the Jubilee 2025 theme because the one thing I know is that I look forward to the next 25 years with great hope. As we enter Jubilee 2025, I thank God for this local church and for the opportunities we have to grow in our love for God and one another.

May your Advent and Christmas be filled with joy and may your Jubilee 2025 be filled with hope!