The Deacon

To say there’s hardly been a dull moment in the Catholic Church, the Church founded by God himself some 2,000 years ago, would be a massive understatement. The impact the Church has had over the many centuries of her existence on history, art, culture, education, science, medicine and more — but most importantly in the salvation of souls — is mind-boggling. In our lifetime, however, I think those of us in ministry would be hardpressed to find a year as exciting, a year with so many prime opportunities to evangelize, as 2025.

It began with the ringing in of the Jubilee Year of Hope by Pope Francis, a story that to my pleasant surprise captured the hearts of not just Catholics but people far away from the Faith, and even caught the attention of the news media. How moving was it to see an ailing Pope Francis stand up from his wheelchair on Christmas Eve to knock on the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica? I don’t know about you, but I had many people ask about the meaning behind the Jubilee Year, and that curiosity turned out to be a great way to start a conversation about faith. All too often a discussion about religion, Catholicism in particular, is sparked by a scandal or some other controversy; this time the good news of the Jubilee helped reveal the beauty of the Church.

There were more positive headlines at Easter with so many people across the United States and Europe entering the Catholic Church. In my own archdiocese, the Archdiocese of Detroit, close to 2,000 believers became Catholic. In two of Europe’s most liberal countries, England and France, nearly 25,000 people were received into the Church. Their journeys caused a lot of scratching of heads — namely, because a majority of the converts would be living out their faith in nations so hostile to Christianity that even praying silently in certain public places will get you arrested.

The sad developments of Pope Francis’ hospitalization in February and his death in April once again shone a spotlight on all things Catholic. All eyes were on Rome as we said goodbye to not only the much-loved leader of the Catholic Church, but an international figure, the head of Vatican City State. As a media expert and Catholic talk show host, I was honored to do interviews with a variety of secular news outlets explaining what came next, the papal funeral, a period of mourning and then the papal conclave. Of course, the media and much of the public were weighing in nonstop, especially on social media, pontificating (pun intended) on who might be or who should be the next pope. In the midst of all the chatter, someone reading between the lines could sense a real interest, even a deep desire, for things beyond this world.

But wait, as those old infomercials would proclaim, there’s more! As if the Jubilee Year, the extraordinary number of converts, the passing of a pope and the election of a new pope didn’t provide enough material for ongoing conversations and countless homilies, we also have the canonization of two young men, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, and the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council, which gave us our Christian statement of faith. Who were these two young Italian men, both from wealthy families, who could do anything, but chose to make Jesus the center of their lives? What is the Nicene Creed and why are Church councils so important? These are just a few of the many questions that have been and will continue to be raised by people from all walks of life as the year goes on.

Is your head spinning? Mine has been for months now, and in a very good and grateful way. What a great time to be Catholic. What a profound and powerful year for evangelization. May we as deacon couples be ready, willing and able to make the most of these prime opportunities to speak the truth in love.

TERESA TOMEO is the host of “Catholic Connection,” produced by Ave Maria Radio, and the author of “Beyond Sunday: Becoming a 24/7 Catholic” (OSV, $14.95) and “Italy’s Shrines and Wonders: Discovering Sacred Spaces, Fascinating Places, and Destinations Off the Beaten Path” (EWTN Publishing, $24.95). She is married to Deacon Dom Pastore, an ordained deacon in the Archdiocese of Detroit.