Welcome to Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE
and SAC'S 55th Parish Anniversary
December 24, 2024 to January 6, 2026
Here's the roadmap of our shared journey during the Jubilee Year of Hope and during the preparation for our parish's 55th year of existence.
Let's keep our sacred journey with greater enthusiasm by praying and engaging in the various activities given to us each month until the closing of the Holy Door in Rome in January 2026.
Let us join Pope Francis in prayer and live our lives as “Pilgrims of Hope.”
This year’s Simbang Gabi in our parish kicks off two significant events:
- First, the 9-day of Simbang Gabi masses, which will end on December 24th, will lead us to Pope Francis’ opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to mark the beginning of the year-long celebration of the 2025 Jubilee of the Universal Church which happens every 25 years. The theme of this year’s jubilee is that we are,
“Pilgrims of Hope.”
- Second, the 9-day of Simbang Gabi masses will start our nine-month preparations for the 55th-year Anniversary of our Saint Augustine Parish. Plans are underway to celebrate this momentous event with themes of gratitude and hope leading to our Parish Fiesta in August 2025.

The Archdiocese of San Francisco has put together a website with resources on the Jubilee Year, including tips on traveling to Rome, local parish pilgrimages to Rome, designated Pilgrimage Sites in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, how to obtain a Jubilee Plenary Indulgence and more.

Cardinals and bishops attend vespers after the proclamation of the papal bull “Spes Non Confudit,” meaning “Hope Does Not Disappoint,” at the Vatican on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA
Hope Does Not Disappoint
The Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee was officially proclaimed on Thursday, May 9, 2024 by Pope Francis, who presided over a formal reading of the Jubilee’s papal bull of indiction.
The papal bull, titled “Spes Non Confudit,” meaning “Hope Does Not Disappoint,” declares that the Jubilee Year will officially begin with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve 2024.
Monthly Activities and Special Intentions
The Jubilee Year will offer the faithful opportunities to participate in various jubilee events and activities here at St. Augustine. The great tradition of opening the Holy Door will begin when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on December 24, 2024. Other holy doors will be opened at the Rome basilicas of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls.
For pilgrims who cannot travel to Rome, bishops around the world are expected to designate their cathedrals or a popular Catholic shrine as special places of prayer for Holy Year pilgrims, offering opportunities for reconciliation, indulgences and other events intended to strengthen and revive faith. We are in the process of planning local pilgrimages in our area and will finalize our plans once the list of designated churches are announced by the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Here at SAC, we will also be inviting parishioners each month (along with their friends and family members) from different professions and/or walks of life, to celebrate, recognize and pray for each of them.
Please stay tuned for updates and monthly invitations from our Pastor!
JANUARY
This month is dedicated to creating awareness with the parishioners in the pews by introducing the meaning of jubilee, its components such as pilgrimages, holy doors, plenary indulgences. The faithful will be encouraged to actively participate in the various upcoming SAC-Jubilee activities.
January will focus efforts on:
(1) parish registration/updating contact info,
(2) subscription to weekly Flocknote.
And (3)Parish volunteer sign-up.
FEBRUARY
This month will be dedicated to
Journeying with the Sick
(at home or in hospital), the Homebound, the Elderly (frequently feel lonely and abandoned), and their Caregivers. It will be a month of introducing ways to bring the Church to our brothers and sisters who can no longer come to Church for worship. Please check the flyer on the celebration of the World Day of Prayer for the Sick at SAC.
MARCH
This month will be dedicated to highlighting parish ministries. We will help parishioners discover how to become involved in one of the our vibrant ministries and contribute to building community rooted in hope, love and service. A Parish Ministry Fair will be held on Sarurday, March 22 from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm and Sunday, March 23 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:
- Ministry Displays: Visit tables hosted by representatives of each ministry and discover the many opportunities to get involved. Find out how to become a Reader at mass, distribute communion as a Eucharistic Minister, or sing as a member of the choir, there’s a place for you to serve.
- Mini Jesus Photo Contest: Show off your creativity and participate in the Mini Jesus Photo Contest. Prizes will be awarded to the best entries!
- Amazing Raffle & Prizes: Enter for a chance to win exciting prizes throughout the weekend.
- Games for Kids: Bring your children and enjoy fun games and activities designed for kids of all ages.
- Music & Entertainment: Enjoy music and entertainment throughout the event, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere.
- WINE and CHEESE Reception, Saturday, March 22, from 4:30pm-6:30PM.
APRIL
This month,
we will be journeying with
God’s Mercy and Forgiveness.
We will have our Lenten Communal Penance on Tuesday, April 8th. Our Young Adult Ministry will host Mercy Night on Tuesday, April 22nd. Our Lenten calendar is full, to transform us by God's mercy.
Hope and Healing: Dealing with Grief and Healing for the Bereaved, Sunday April 27, 2025.
Archbishop Cordileone designated Pilgrimage Sites (listed below) for the Jubilee Year of Hope. Please scan the QR Code to visit the Archdiocese of San Francisco's resource page. Thank you!
HOPE and HEALING: Dealing with grief and caring for the bereaved
Last April 27, the “Hope & Healing” workshop at Saint Augustine was attended by 100+ faithful and clergy from fourteen parishes within the diocese. The workshop began with singing the “Pilgrims of Hope” (official hymn for the 2025 Jubilee) led by Jennie and accompanied by Fr. Ray with his guitar. Jackie led the participants in doing the sign language as the song was sung, invoking the spirit of hope and healing. The workshop focused on recognizing that grief manifests uniquely across relationships, including though not limited to illness, career change, environmental losses and death. It also focused on learning practical tools and strategies to support oneself and others through grief, fostering emotional strength and resilience within a supportive community. Dr. Dawn Gross presented grief as a deep, invisible wound that requires time, patience, and self-compassion to heal, just like any physical injury; and as we go through the healing process, grief-like wounds can leave scars that remind us of the loss we experienced. During the guided writing exercise, Dr. Gross emphasized that through healing, we are made anew. The scar may still be there but we are able to move on. Dr. Analigaya Agoncillo emphasized that how we witness someone grieving depends on our own understanding of grief and our own past grieving experiences. As a community, when we are on the receiving end, our challenge is saying “I see you. I see your wound.” We need to trust that when words fail, love does not. Grief can be seen as a deepest form of love that is vast and expanding. It holds all our sorrows, memories, and longing. Grieving in isolation may impede healing. Realizing no one should grieve alone, communities can offer hope and support by affirming they are not abandoned, they are still cared for, and they are still beloved. Hope in God reassures us that we are not alone. Dr. Agoncillo invited the participants to make their hope visible by writing their hope in the form of a word, a prayer, a wish, or a giant dream on a piece of paper and pinning it on the Hope Wall. She closed by saying, “May the hope we carry serves as a reminder that love endures and healing is possible. We need to believe that we are not alone, and our hope matters; and our God who holds the stars, holds us as well.”

Key takeaways from the afternoon session includes:
- Grief manifests in many ways and is not limited to the loss of a loved one; every life transition can bring its own form of grief.
- Healing from grief is a continuous journey, requiring self-compassion and understanding that the pain can be a sign of growth and recovery, not just loss.
- Grief is not something to "overcome" but to integrate into our lives, allowing us to heal, grow, and find meaning in the process.
We acknowledge the following individual contributors for making the workshop a success: Dr. Dawn Gross, Dr. Analigaya Agoncillo, Carina Cu, Fr. Ray Reyes, Jennie Malibiran, Jackie Crawford, Khay and Deo Acosta, Cleo & Greg Cruz, Meliza Moscardini, Patricia Abdelalim, Louis Consuegra, Amor Baldomero, Dondon Perez, Rey Mariano, Ren Luna, and Lily Arapeles.
Special thanks to our Post Acute Providers for providing community resources: ANX Hospice Care and Health Home Care, First Light Home Care, Bay Area Financial Center, St. Mark Medical Transport, and ETWN.
Photos from workshop:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eMtqRmcQcjFFD58y5
Watch the recorded Three Part Workshop Video: https://www.youtube.com/@StAugustineSSF/videos
JUNE
This month
we will be
journeying with the Youth, Journeying of Priests.
- Ecology, Youth Retreat
- Digital Evangelization
- Ordination to the Priesthood of Rev. Leandro "Pau" Calingasan on June 7, 2025.

"Habemus Sacerdotem..."
Congratulations Father Leandro . . .

"Habes Curam Animarum!" - "You have the care of souls." These powerful words, spoken by Father Jerome Magat during his homily at Father Leandro Calingasan's First Mass were echoed by Father Ray Reyes as joyfully welcomed our new priest:
"Habemus Sacerdotem!" - "We have a Priest!"
It was truly a blessed and fitting occasion for Saint Augustine Parish to witness Father Leandro celebrate his First Thanksgiving Masss on Pentecost Sunday, the day after his priestly ordination. The Mass of Thanksgiving was concelebrated by priests from the Archdiocese of San Francisco and fellow clergy from across the United States. Father Leandro was joined by over a dozen altar servers as a seminarian at our parish - now united once again as co-workers in the Lord's vineyard.
Father Leandro's ordination is a timely and precious gift to Saint Augustine Parish as it commemorates its 55th anniversary.
The Praise and Glorify Choir and seminarian Kyle Laluces uplifted the celebration with sacred hymns in Tagalog and Latin, enriching the liturgy with cultural and spiritual depth.
Photo credit to Noel Panelo
As a gesture of appreciation, Father Leandro gifted a statue to Saint Augustine Church. He concluded the celebration by offering individual blessing to all attendees, a personal and prayerful sendoff from a beloved son of the parish.
In his heartfelt closing remarks, Father Leandro expressed deep gratitude to Father Ray and the entire Saint Augustine community for their unwavering support, hospitality, and welcoming spirit throughout his journey. Although his first assignment as a priest is at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Palo Alto, he also lovingly affirmed that Saint Augustine will always be his home parish.
As a gesture of appreciation, Father Leandro gifted a statue to Saint Augustine Church. He concluded the celebration by offering individual blessing to all attendees, a personal and prayerful sendoff from a beloved son of the parish.
- Write-up/Photos/Clips from SAC Communications Ministry
A Great Symphony of Prayer
Pope Francis has asked that the year 2024 be dedicated to a
"great symphony of prayer"
as the Church prepares for the Jubilee of 2025. The Jubilee prayer can be found below.
Additional information about Jubilee events and materials can be found in the Calendar of Events at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) site (link below) and on the Vatican website
here. As information becomes available for parish activities and specific initiatives of the USCCB, that information will be available on this page.

Join our Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope from May 18 to June 1, 2025
15 Days
Italy & Switzerland
Enter the 4 Holy Doors in Rome
Gain Plenary Indulgence
Join SAC'S (Local) Jubilee Year Overnight Pilgrimage
Sat, Aug 30 to Sun, Aug 31 Only $130
- Cathedral of St. Mary's
- Mission Dolores
- National Shrine of St. Francis
- Mission San Rafael
- St. Patrick's Seminary
- Overnight stay at San Antonio de Padua

