Faith Leaders Share Focus of the Jubilee Year as Upholding Teachings of Popes St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Jubilee USA Network wrote President Trump encouraging him to build on debt relief efforts from his first term to address poverty and stabilize food and fuel prices.

“Debt relief and restructuring make effective economic and security policy, strengthening our country’s global leadership,” shared Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, writing on behalf of US Catholic Bishops as Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace and Eric LeCompte the Executive Director of interfaith development group Jubilee USA Network. "These policies, which cost us little, contribute significantly to the stability of our trading partners, reduce food and fuel prices here at home, and support American jobs and exports."

The letter comes during the Holy Year of Jubilee 2025 celebrated by the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches and supported by interfaith groups. The year for Christians marks the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ as a time of reflection and action to address poverty.

In 1997 ahead of the previous Holy Year of Jubilee 2000, Pope John Paul II and interreligious groups called world leaders to relieve the debts of poor countries. Faith groups would form a bipartisan campaign resulting in more than 0 billion in debt relief for developing countries to aid education, healthcare and other social services.

"Millions of kids could go to school and millions of people could receive healthcare because faith groups moved world leaders because of the Jubilee 2000 efforts," noted LeCompte who advises Catholic Bishop Conferences and other faith groups on economic policies in line with faith teachings.

In June, Pope Francis doubled down on John Paul's message calling for Jubilee 2025 as a time for debt relief and new economic processes to address poverty. Francis would reiterate the debt relief focus of Jubilee 2025 this past Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and World Peace Day.

The letter from the Catholic Bishops and Jubilee USA sent to the White House thanked the President for successfully introducing new global debt relief initiatives and crisis responses during his first term that supported billions of people in the United States and around the world.

"On average, many developing nations currently spend more than 40% of their revenue on debt payments, while nearly 800 million people are hungry and almost 700 million live in extreme poverty," stated LeCompte.

Ahead of IMF, South Africa G20 and Canada G7 meetings, the letter to Trump highlights Pope Francis' call for a global bankruptcy-like process that echoes a scriptural call for financial stability. The US hosts the G20 in 2026 and the G7 in 2027.

“Faith groups are organizing for five years of advocacy to move world leaders on debt policies that protect the vulnerable and ensure the economy is working for everyone," noted LeCompte.

On December 23rd, with the Vatican, interreligious and development groups launched debt relief campaigns in 160 countries.



Read the full letter to President Trump from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Jubilee USA Network on our website.

Read Pope Francis' June Jubilee 2025 debt focus speech on our website.

Learn about the global Jubilee interfaith launches and December Holy See launch on our website.

Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations and 750 faith communities working with 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee USA builds an economy that serves, protects and promotes the participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA wins critical global financial reforms and won more than 0 billion in debt relief to benefit the world's poorest people.

www.jubileeusa.org