August 17, 2006
A Year of Jubilee is in the making for St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica in Beaumont. Bishop Curtis Guillory, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Beaumont, plans to proclaim a Year of Jubilee during a special Mass this September.
The Year of Jubilee will begin with a Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica at 4 p.m. on September 10, 2006, and close with the Centenary Mass and basilica inauguration at 2 p.m. on October 21, 2007.
The diocese will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church's dedication in 2007. St. Anthony Cathedral was recently granted minor basilica status by Pope Benedict XVI. The Jubilee Year will mark both events.
The more than a year of festivities that will be open to the public will include special concerts and musical events, lecture series, and liturgical services that will focus on the Catholic sacraments, especially baptism, confirmation, matrimony, and holy orders. Those who have received the sacraments of initiation or were married at the historical cathedral basilica will be invited to participate in special services throughout the Jubilee Year.
"The basilica status was granted to our cathedral because of its rich history and artistic value, but most importantly because it has been a spiritual center not only for our faithful Catholics but for all of Southeast Texas. We want to make sure this Jubilee Year emphasizes the spiritual and pastoral role St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica plays in the history of Southeast Texas and the lives of its people," said Bishop Guillory.
"In our Catholic tradition, a jubilee year is a great event, a period of conversion, of reconciliation, of hope and justice - a time of commitment to serve God in peace with the larger community. The origin of Christian jubilee goes back to the time of Moses, when the Jewish people were asked to celebrate the jubilee year as a holy time. Many Southeast Texans have come to the cathedral basilica for comfort during times of crisis and to celebrate in times of joy. We want to emphasize St. Anthony's tradition of being a welcoming place during this special time because a jubilee year always encourages works of charity, service, and solidarity with the community."
The September 10 Mass will include the proclamation of the Jubilee Year by Bishop Guillory. The Year of Jubilee will close with the proclamation ceremony acknowledging that St. Anthony Cathedral has been raised to the status of minor basilica and with the reading of the formal Papal Bull from Pope Benedict XVI. 'Basilica' is an honorific title that can be bestowed on a place of worship only by the pope.