Discovering the ‘sense of sabbath’ during the Jubilee

From The Superior Catholic Herald...

In light of the 2025 Jubilee Year in the global Catholic Church, Diocese of Superior’s Director of Ecclesial Ministries and Diocesan Consultation Christine Newkirk led one of the three professional development days on the topic. More than two dozen parish leadership personnel, including permanent deacons and priests, gathered on Jan. 14 at St. Joseph Parish in Hayward to learn and share.

Newkirk provided historical context for jubilee years as rooted in the Old Testament and Jewish history. With a prominent element of the jubilee being forgiveness of debts, Newkirk stated that it was not merely an attempt to correct economic problems, but a restoring of the people’s identity. “The jubilee operated as a correction of a problem of the heart,” she said, “not a problem of the economy.”

In Jewish culture, Newkirk explained, every seventh year was a “sabbath year” in remembrance of God’s rest after the work of creation. Each sabbath year included resting, no sowing of crops and sharing with those most in need; this required preparations each sixth year to ensure needs would be cared for in the duration of the sabbath year. Newkirk said it was a call for both physical rest and rest “of the heart.”

She asked, “How do I bring a sense of sabbath within myself?” Whether it is committed to for seven minutes or seven hours, “rest is needed for replenishing.” Newkirk offered various examples she has personally implemented and asked participants for others. Ideas included: no shopping on Sundays, no housework and spending time in nature as well as ideas for religious education programs to implement “fee forgiveness” where during a sabbath year parents give out of the generosity of their hearts.

Read the rest of this news story on The Superior Catholic Herald (official publication of the Diocese of Superior) website here...