February 11, 2025

Bishop Byrne celebrates Mass at the Newman Center, a sacred site for the Jubilee Year

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Kathleen Harrington

AMHERST- Bishop William D. Byrne celebrated a special, noon day Mass at the Newman Catholic Center at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Monday, Feb. 10. The Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel was chosen as one of seven sacred sites in the Diocese of Springfield for the Jubilee Year.

“This chapel was chosen as a pilgrimage site to draw people from around the diocese to visit,” said Bishop Byrne.

“It’s so new. They may remember the old chapel, but haven’t had the chance to come here. It’s inspiring to see all the young people coming to praise God in the middle of their day,” he said.

Father Valentine Nworah, director of the Newman Center, and Father David Aufiero, the pastor Holy Family Parish in South Deerfield, concelebrated the Mass. The theme for Jubilee Year 2025 is “Pilgrims of Hope.” In the Catholic Church, jubilees are marked every 25 years and are rooted in Jewish tradition. In the Old Testament jubilees were a call to come back to God and stood as a reminder of his mercy. The Jubilee 2025, began Dec. 24 when Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, and will run through Jan. 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany.

There are currently five pilgrimages to Rome scheduled in the Diocese of Springfield. Participants are encouraged to confess their sins; receive the Eucharist; pray for the intentions of the Holy Father; and perform acts of corporal and spiritual mercy to receive the indulgence.

The other sacred sites in the Diocese of Springfield are: St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield; the Dominican Nuns Adoration Chapel in West Springfield; St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Basilica in Chicopee; the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge; the Monastery Chapel at the Sisters of Visitation in Tyringham; and Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel on the campus of Thomas Aquinas College in Northfield.

On Monday, immediately following the Mass, confessions were heard. Father Nworah said additional times for confession are planned during the Lenten season.

“Already we have confession and adoration on Wednesday nights from 8-9 p.m. at the Newman Center,” he explained. Students can also go to confession on Saturdays from 3:30-4 p.m. at St. Brigid Parish in Amherst.

“During Lent, confessions will be heard after every weekday Mass both at the Newman Center and St. Brigid,” he said.

To see a full listing of pilgrimages and events, go to diospringfield.org.

A video version of this story will be featured on “Real to Reel” Saturday, February 15 at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22News.