Igniting and Generating a Spirit of Hope

According to a recent study, more than 40 % of young people struggle with their mental health – and still, some people see mental illness as a stigma. What can the Church do to raise awareness?
Bishop Mulvey: Mental health affects so many people today. Perhaps many of us know someone who is affected by it. We have to be aware of these challenges and seek treatment options to get the psychological support we need. Additionally, our environment plays a critical role in mental health; factors such as bullying, loneliness, and a lack of acceptance can exacerbate these issues.

The response from the Church should not only be to raise awareness but also to take action: to foster a sense of being Church together. We need to walk with young people, ensuring that we are not only bringing them together or organizing activities but participating with them—playing soccer with them! We really need to be close to young people, not just as a group, but also individually. I encourage pastors and parishioners to open their doors to young people, dedicate extra time to those in need, and build a sense of community as a proactive response.

Sometimes, we hesitate to get involved because we may perceive it as an issue reserved for the family. However, we can still reach out and offer help to the family without overstepping boundaries. It’s important to let people know that we care and are here to support them.
 
Pope Francis chose hope as the theme for the Jubilee Year 2025 – because it’s what our world needs! What does hope mean to you? How can we be more hopeful?
Bishop Mulvey: Hope is an integral part of our lives. We are created in the image and likeness of God, allowing us to look beyond ourselves in search of more—more beauty, more joy.

To cultivate hope and joy, we must first examine ourselves and ask, “Why am I not in a hopeful or joyful mood?” Self-examination and self-awareness are often lacking in our society. It’s important to reflect on what brings us momentary pleasure but ultimately leads to feelings of hopelessness. We should consider what we surround ourselves with that may hinder our growth.

The answer lies in looking beyond ourselves. I can either sit back and say, “There are so many people in need,” or I can say, “I have something to give them, which is myself, which is love going beyond myself and my love.” This is the key to hope!

If I accompany them, I receive as well. By lightening their burdens, joy returns to me. That is how we are made in God's image and likeness: we thrive when we give to one another, like the Father to the Son, and the Son to the Father. In that dynamic of giving and receiving, loving and being loved, hope returns because only love is the key to hope.

Christian love put into practice this year could ignite and generate a spirit of hope, confirming that it is possible to go beyond the situation that I or another person find ourselves in.
 
Our world today is marked by darkness, difficulties, uncertainties and wars. What makes you hopeful in today's world?
Bishop Mulvey: What gives me hope is God’s presence in the Church today. And I don't want to use a buzzword, but synodality makes me hopeful. It simply means coming together, listening, being close to one another, understanding, and welcoming each other. These attitudes dispel the darkness, even within ourselves. When I am willing to leave my own darkness and enter into someone else's, I discover not their darkness but rather light.

This is part of our tradition. If you start reading about the lives of the saints, you'll find examples of what I mean. They experienced darkness but transcended it, ultimately finding the light, which they then shared with others. Jesus Himself experienced a moment of darkness in His life when He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:45). In that moment, He felt extreme and absolute loneliness, which is the absence of God. Yet, He moved beyond that feeling and said, “Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:26). That's the mystical experience of the Church. We have a mission to bring light into the darkness, just as God gave light to Jesus.
 
What is the reason that the Church calls for a Jubilee Year? 
Bishop Mulvey: The first Jubilee, or Holy Year, was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300. This tradition of the Church calls for a year of conversion and reconciliation. If we look at humanity today, it’s clear that we need to push a “reset button” every now and then. We can do this personally each night when we engage in an Examination of Conscience, allowing us to reset for the next day. However, it’s no secret that our world is in a dark place right now—humanity needs a whole year to restart.

One suggestion I have for people during this Year of Hope and beyond is to eliminate the darkness that I can control. Certain images, jokes, and stories can plant darkness in our hearts. There seems to be an insatiable quest for what is ugly and evil. We need a Holy Year to say no; evil breeds hopelessness, while beauty and goodness provide hope. 

We should ask ourselves, “What is creating darkness in my life? What groups do I associate with that are not beneficial? What jokes do I repeat? Who do I speak ill of?” It’s important to stop these negative influences, turn off the internet, and disconnect from television in order to create a new space in our lives for positive and beautiful moments that draw us closer to God and fill us with hope.
 
Is that one reason why we should go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sites in our diocese? 
Bishop Mulvey: We are a pilgrim people – this is an image from the Second Vatican Council. Going on a pilgrimage helps us remember something we often forget amid our busy, active days. How many times have you thought about being a pilgrim this week? Probably not once!
Many people enjoy walking the Camino in Spain to Santiago de Compostela, and a pilgrimage, even a short one, can take you out of your comfort zone – even if you drive to a Holy Site.

However, it’s essential to travel in a meaningful way: turn off the radio, say the rosary, and be in a car with others talking about God. It transforms a regular journey into a sacred experience leading to a holy place. A pilgrimage is a sacred duty to walk together with God to a place where we can pray alongside others.

This year, we wanted the Blessed Mother to accompany us on our journey of hope because she is a mother of hope—she will never let us down. We should invite her to be part of our pilgrimage! That's why we chose churches in our diocese dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victrix of Schoenstatt Shrine as our Holy Sites so that our Mother may guide us on this path.