WASHINGTON (July 15, 1999) -- Women in the church, lay ministry, families and persons who have consecrated themselves to God in the vowed life are among groups to be singled out for special jubilee year celebrations to mark the year 2000 in the United States.

Other special days for the United States in the year 2000 include the Jubilee Day for Cultural Diversity, July 8, the Jubilee Day for Families, November 23, and the Jubilee Day for Peace and Justice, January 16.

The celebrations are among 34 jubilee days listed in a calendar released by the U.S. Bishops' Subcommittee on the Jubilee Year 2000. The calendar includes both international celebrations announced by the Vatican and additional ones designated by the U.S. Bishops.

Both Vatican and U.S. celebrations of the Jubilee Day for Women are set for March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary that she was to become the Mother of God. The theme of the U.S. celebration will be "Women saying 'Yes' to God" and will focus on women working in the church. On May 14, Mother's Day, the church in the United States will celebrate women as mothers.

The Day for Lay Ministry will be marked November 26 and celebrate the fact that lay men and women serve at many levels in the Church and that 30,000 men and women are studying in lay ministry programs currently.

The Jubilee Day for Consecrated Life will be marked Feb. 5-6 and highlight the contributions of the almost 100,000 vowed men and women in the nation.

"The year 2000 will be a time to celebrate God's many graces in our lives," said Bishop Wilton Gregory, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Millennium. "God's grace comes through many people, and the Jubilee Year is an occasion to honor them and hold their achievements high for all to acknowledge."

A list of the Vatican- and U.S.- initiated jubilee days is attached.

For media inquiries, e-mail us at commdept@usccb.org
Department of Communications | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.