PRESENTATION

On the night between December 24 and 25, 1999, before celebrating the Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord, the Holy Father, John Paul II will open the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica thus initiating the celebration of the bi-millenial Great Jubilee of the birth of Christ, our Redeemer.

The consecrated life, which in the Church represents "a living tradition of life and of the message of our Saviour" (Vita consecrata, 22) wishes to unite itself to every great celebration of the Jubilee Year. However, it wishes to be one with both the universal church and the particular churches in a special way on a day which itself is important to this calling: February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. For reasons that are particular to the mystery being celebrated, beginning in 1997, John Paul II has wanted the Church to dedicate this as a day of thanksgiving for the gift of the consecrated life. He has particularly invited all consecrated persons to participate, with the people of God, in this act of thanksgiving.

Thus, in the calendar for the Holy Year 2000, the 2nd of February will be dedicated, both at Rome and in the particular churches, to the celebration of the Jubilee of consecrated life.

In order that all consecrated persons might prepare themselves in a worthy and unified manner for this celebration, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of the Apostolic Life, has considered it timely to offer an indicative booklet in anticipation of the 2nd of February, with the celebration of three distinct and articulated moments of prayer which surround key concepts proposed by the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita consecrata: Vocation-consecration (App. I.A); Communion-ecumenism (App. I.B); Mission-witness-martyrdom (App. I.C).

These are three moments of preparation that can be used as a triduum or as a suggested liturgy in individual locations. Whatever is selected, the triduum can be celebrated during the days immediately preceding the 2nd of February: from the 30th of January until the 1st of February. It should contain:

_ A thanksgiving celebration for the gift of vocation with the Vespers of Sunday, January 30th.

_ A pentitential celebration for Monday, January 31st.

_ A community Eucharistic adoration for Tuesday, February 1st.

The preparation culminates on February 2nd with the