The following is a brief summary of Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter (Nov.10,1994) on preparation for the jubilee of the year 2000. "One thing is certain:" writes the Pope, "Everyone is asked to do as much as possible to ensure that the great challenge of the year 2000 is not overlooked, for this challenge certainly involves a special grace of the Lord for the church and for the whole humanity." [paragraph 55] The translation can be found in The Pope Speaks: The Church Documents Bimonthy, vol.40, no.2, 1995, pp.85-113. Divided into 59 paragraphs, this apostolic letter had five parts:

Part I/ The Pope explores the Scriptural roots in God seeking out humanity and humanity sharing in God's life. "Christ is the one mediator between God and men, and there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved (cf. Acts 4:12)" [4] However, Mary's fiat was indispensable. "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." (Lk 1:38)

Part II/ The Pope explains the customs of jubilees, exploring the Scriptural basis for them and the significance of them in the life of the Church. "Hence, the year 2000 will be celebrated as the Great Jubilee," [16] the year of the Lord's favor (cf. Isa 61), i.e., the Lord's great blessings and graces for the whole humanity.

Part III/ The Pope explains how the word of the Second Vatican Council and the synods that followed the Council laid the groundwork for the jubilee of the year 2000. He outlines the important function of the various churches in preparing for the jubilee. "The preparation for the jubilee 2000 is thus taking place throughout the whole Church, on the universal and local levels, giving her a new awareness of the salvific mission she has received from Christ." [21]

Part IV/ Pope John Paul II outlines the specific preparations needed for the great jubilee. He divides the preparation in three phases, culminating in the actual celebration of the great jubilee:

Phase One "The first phase (1994-1996) will therefore be of an ante-preparatory character; it is meant to revive in the Christian people an awareness of the value and meaning of the jubilee of the year 2000 in human history." [31] "The holy door of the jubilee of the year 2000 should be symbolically wider than those of previous jubilees, because humanity, upon reaching this goal, will leave behind not just a century but a millennium." [33]

Phase Two This strictly preparatory phase will aim at creating awareness [39]. "This will take place over the span of three years, from 1997 to 1999" as follows:

Year One (1997): Jesus Christ/ The general theme proposed by many cardinals and bishops for this year is: "Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, yesterday, today and forever." (cf. Heb 13:8) Focusing on the strengthening of Faith, "a detailed study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church will prove of great benefit." [42] At the same time, "the Blessed Virgin will be contemplated in this first year especially in the mystery of her divine motherhood." [43]

Year Two (1998): the Holy Spirit/ "1998, the second year of the preparatory phase, will be dedicated in a particular way to the Holy Spirit and to His sanctifying presence within the community of Christ's disciples." [44] The Holy Spirit is the principal agent of the new evangelization of the world today [44]. Believers should be called to a renewed appreciation of the theological virtue of Hope [46]. Mary is a radiant model of hope for those who entrust themselves with all their heart to the promises of God [48].

Year Three (1999): God the Father/ "The whole Christian life is like a great pilgrimage to the house of the Father, whose unconditional love is for every human creature, and in particular for the prodigal son (cf. Lk 15:11-32) we discover anew each day. This pilgrimage takes place in the heart of each person, extends to the believing community and then reaches to the whole of humanity." [49] "God is love." (Jn 4:6,16) The emphasis this year is Charity or Love. Mary, the highly favoured daughter of the Father, is the perfect model of love toward both God and neighbour [54].

Phase Three "The aim will be to give glory to the Trinity, for whom everything in the world and history comes and to whom everything returns. This mystery is the focus of the three years of immediate preparation from Christ and through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, to the Father. In this sense the Jubilee celebration makes present in an anticipatory way the goal of fulfilment of the life of each Christian and of the whole Church in the Triune God.'[55] "The year 2000 will be intensely Eucharistic: in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the Saviour, who took flesh in Mary's womb twenty centuries ago, continues to offer himself to humanity as the source of divine life and grace."[55]

Part V/ In conclusion, the Pope takes a brief look at the Church's mission in the future and entrusts it to the maternal intercession of Mary to lead the whole humanity of the new millennium to Christ the Redeemer [59].