ROME.- In the Holy See, 2024 began with the Pope’s message on the occasion of the 57th World Day of Peaceon this occasion dedicated to the topic of new technologies, to call for artificial intelligence to be the path to peace: “My prayer at the beginning of the new year is that the rapid development of forms of artificial intelligence does not increase the already numerous inequalities and injustices present in the world, but also to help put an end to wars and conflicts, and to alleviate so many forms of suffering that affect the human family,” Francis said.
The Holy Father assured that “artificial intelligence will be increasingly important”, which is why he warned that “it is not enough to assume that whoever designs digital technologies is committed to acting in an ethical and responsible manner”, which poses great challenges “not only technical, but also anthropological, educational, social and political.”
We, on the other hand, want to start the year with a count of the five events that will be news during 2024 in the Holy See. The first major event will be the congress on vocations called Man-woman, image of God. For an anthropology of vocations, which will take place on March 1 and 2, under the coordination of the Dicastery for Bishops together with the Center for Research and Anthropology of Vocations (CRAV). According to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, this event is part of the synodal search of the Church and will take place in the Synod Hall with the presence of Pope Francis.
The second major event will take place on the weekend of May 25 and 26, with the first World Children’s Day convened by a pontiff. Under the motto Putting Children at the Center, the day is organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education to reflect on the world that we want to transmit to the little ones in the house. This event will bring thousands of children from the five continents to Vatican City, something like a World Youth Day, but dedicated to children.
Without a doubt, the month of October will be the most difficult month for the Catholic Church, when the third event on our list takes place: the concluding session of the Synod of Synodality. Let us remember that last October the first part was carried out, in the midst of great controversies between the “Bergoglians” and the most conservative wing of the Church, leaving the decision on crucial issues such as celibacy and female priesthood for 2024.
Preparations for this second part of the Synod have already begun with a consultation periodwhere the Episcopal Conferences of the world are called to reflect on the synthesis document published last October and have the task of preparing a summary of such reflections, which they must deliver to the General Secretariat of the Synod before May 15, 2024.
The fourth event will come with the close of the year and will begin one of the most important events of the Catholic Church: on December 24, 2024, the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica will be opened to begin the 27th ordinary jubilee year. or Jubilee of Hope, as Pope Francis has called it, which will bring millions of pilgrims to Rome during the year 2025.
The Jubilee of Hope will be the first and only ordinary Jubilee to be presided over by Pope Francis, as Jubilees are celebrated every 25 years, transforming 2025 into a Holy Year of special graces that will conclude on the feast of the Epiphany in 2026. .
The last Ordinary Jubilee was the Great Jubilee of 2000, celebrated by Pope John Paul II. Since then what we have seen are extraordinary jubilees: the last was the so-called Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy 2015-2016, called by Pope Francis and attended by 21 million pilgrims. The Jubilee of Hope could mobilize a similar number of people to Rome, which has forced the Italian authorities to activate a budget of 1.8 billion euros in works to renew the capital.
But Francis’ greatest challenge during 2024 will be his 87 years, which makes him the third oldest pope of the last seven centuries, after Pope Leone XIII (who died at the age of 93) and Pope Clement XII (who died at 88 years old). And John Paul II, although we remember him as more physically finished than Francis, died at the age of 84.
In 2023, Pope Francis’ health severely tested his pontificate: we have always seen him in wheelchairs due to problems with his knees and he had to face two hospitalizations, one in March for a respiratory infection and one in June for a surgery. an abdominal hernia. However, he has said in different interviews that for now he does not have in mind to resign, silencing the rumors of his possible resignation; But surely his trips will be a little more limited, that is why we have decided to dedicate the fifth place of the Vatican events that will be history in 2024 to papal trips.
In this regard, on December 12, after the Mass dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe in St. Peter’s Basilica, Bergoglio stated in an interview with a Mexican television station that, at the moment, the only confirmed trip is to Belgium. This means that trips to Polynesia, Uruguay and the long-awaited trip to his native country, Argentina, have not yet been confirmed. And if we consider President Milei’s strong statements against him during the election campaign, it would not be strange if the trip to Argentina is not made “for health reasons.” Happy new year 2024!
