The NCE recently asked coordinators from the Diocese of Broken Bay and the Diocese of Bunbury to share their reflections on the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope, which concluded in January 2026.

Diocese of Broken Bay

Alive in Jesus, Renewed in Hope: The Jubilee Year in our Diocese

The Jubilee Year of Hope opened at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral on 29 December 2024, when Bishop Anthony Randazzo invited the People of God in Broken Bay to rediscover the centrality of Jesus Christ in their lives. He reminded us that Jesus is “the Door through which we enter into the fullness of life” and called each of us to open the door of our hearts to His saving mercy, His transformative love and His sacred embrace throughout the Jubilee Year.

The three Jubilee Shrines of Hope welcomed countless pilgrims from across the diocese and beyond. Rooted in the rich tradition of Catholic pilgrimage, these shrines were spiritual havens. They offered opportunities to embark on a journey of the heart. Through prayer, reflection and the grace of the Sacraments, these local pilgrimages were moments of profound encounter, reconciliation, renewal and a deepening of hope for individuals, couples, families, young people and clergy alike. More than 600 pilgrims completed their ‘Pilgrim Passport’ after visiting our Shrines and have received Jubilee certificates from Bishop Anthony.

Our Jubilee celebrations in Broken Bay were sacred occasions to honour the richness of our Catholic tradition and the depth of our shared faith. The Jubilee of Priests brought diocesan clergy together in thanksgiving for the gift of priestly life – a vocation shaped by humility, sacrificial love, prayer and mercy. In Chatswood, home to the Shrine of Hope for Young People, the canonisation of St Carlo Acutis was joyfully celebrated, echoing the universal call to holiness and reminding us that sainthood is a path open to all who seek to live with faith and love. On the feast of St John Paul II, pilgrims gathered at the Shrine of Hope for Families, giving thanks for the sacred gift of family life and encountering the love of God through prayer, community and the witness of the saints.

The Jubilee of Education offered a profound opportunity to celebrate the mission of Catholic schools in Broken Bay, where faith and learning are woven together to form hearts and minds for the Kingdom of God. The Jubilee of Catechists honoured those who bring the Good News of Jesus to our State schools with love, fidelity and joy. The Jubilees of the Missionaries of Mercy and the Jubilee of Families, Children and Grandparents affirmed that all people – young and old – are treasures of the Church. In every season of life, God is with us. We are never alone.

The visit of the Migrant Jubilee Cross, marked by the Mass celebrated with the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO), reminded us that wherever we go, Christ must lead the way. Though we come from different families, cultures, communities and islands, we are united in the Body of Christ. These Jubilee moments were a living testament to Catholic hope – a hope that is alive, communal and grounded in the enduring love of Jesus Christ.

In the spirit of pilgrimage, two sacred journeys marked the Jubilee Year of Hope in Broken Bay, converging in Rome. These journeys offered pilgrims a profound and personal encounter with Jesus and an opportunity to deepen their faith. Walking in the footsteps of great saints such as St Peter, St Paul, St Francis and St Clare, both pilgrimages were united in their call to holiness, their witness to Catholic hope, and their desire to be transformed by grace. As pilgrims returned home, they carried with them the light of Christ – into their schools, parishes, families and communities.

These Jubilee moments have drawn us deeper into the heart of the Church, renewing our commitment to walk together in faith and to be bearers of hope in a world longing for light. As the Holy Year ends, the Diocese of Broken Bay remains committed to walking together in hope. Whether through local pilgrimage, acts of mercy, or quiet prayer, every step taken is a step toward Christ. Let us continue to be pilgrims of hope, trusting that the grace of the Jubilee will reawaken in us a yearning for heaven and a renewed mission on earth.

Diocese of Bunbury

Journeying Together through the Jubilee Year

For the Diocese of Bunbury, the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Year was a pilgrimage of great hope, trust and a joyful vision into the future. We are filled with gratitude for the many graces and blessings we’ve experienced across the year.

In the Diocese of Bunbury there were eight nominated churches as places of pilgrimage:

• St Patrick’s Cathedral, Bunbury
• Our Lady’s Assumption Church, Mandurah
• St Damien of Molokai Church, Dawesville
• Our Lady of Immigrants Church, Harvey
• St Joseph’s Church, Busselton
• St Matthew’s Church, Narrogin
• St Joseph’s Church, Albany
• Our Lady, Star of the Sea Church, Esperance

These churches were chosen to represent us as a pilgrim Church – historical churches symbolising where we have come from and the richness of tradition; and newer churches symbolising the living, moving Church in the present and into the future. The spread reflected the vast distances and diversity of our parishes. It was our hope that every person in the diocese would be enabled to make a pilgrimage during the Jubilee Year.

Many of the pilgrimage churches formed teams focused on welcoming pilgrims and celebrating the Jubilee Year. There were countless pilgrimages organised by parishes to other parishes creating a great sense of connection between our communities. Some of these pilgrimages included distances of more than 800km! 

The year was celebrated in many ways on a diocesan level. Our annual youth Diocesan Summer Camp took the theme Pilgrims of Hope and more than 50 pilgrims made the journey to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Melbourne. The Kirup Camino organised by Catholic Mission Bunbury and the Spirituality Hub at Kirup saw many come together to launch World Mission Month. The Bunbury Diocesan Liturgical Choir held a special recital for the Jubilee of Choirs. Representatives of the diocese even made their way to the Holy See for the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies.

Perhaps Pilgrims of Hope was most realised in the diocese in the episcopal ordination and installation of Bishop George Kolodziej SDS. Representatives from every parish made the pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Cathedral, Bunbury, in a celebration filled with tangible joy, hope and grace. Leading by example, Bishop George led our clergy in October on a pilgrimage of about 18km from the Carmelite Monastery in Gelorup to our Cathedral.

As a diocese we celebrated the closing of the Jubilee Year with a diocesan pilgrimage and closing Mass celebrated by Bishop George. The pilgrimage was created, led and coordinated by our clergy and brought representatives from all over the diocese together once more. After Mass, a luncheon was held with multicultural performances and entertainment.

The Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Year allowed us to rediscover the value of gathering and journeying together. We are keenly aware that the Jubilee’s conclusion is just the end of part of our journey and we now look forward in hope to the next steps of our pilgrimage together.

Read more

A Jubilee Year of Hope: Reflecting on 2025 (Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle)

How the Jubilee Year of Hope has enriched our Diocese (Diocese of Parramatta)

Images: Supplied