Catholics across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains are invited to make a special pilgrimage this summer as the Vatican’s Migrant Jubilee Cross visits the Diocese of Parramatta.
The Migrant Jubilee Cross is a powerful symbol of faith, hope and welcome that is unique to this Year of Jubilee.
From 5-11 January 2026, the Cross will journey through Western Sydney as part of a national pilgrimage visiting 28 dioceses around Australia. For one week, the Diocese of Parramatta will come alive with celebrations that recognise the faith, gifts and resilience of migrant communities who have enriched our parishes, schools and communities.
The Migrant Jubilee cross. Image: Supplied
Commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference through the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO), the Cross marks the Jubilee Year 2025 and invites all people – from all backgrounds – to honour the contributions of migrants, past and present.
“This is a special moment to come together as one community of faith – to honour the stories of migration that have shaped our Church and our country,” said Fr Gayan Thamel, Episcopal Vicar for Migrant Chaplaincies and Parish Priest of St Luke’s Parish, Marsden Park.
“The Jubilee Cross invites us to walk with one another, to see Christ in others, and to celebrate the diversity that enriches our Diocese – one of the most multicultural in Australia.”
Devotees carrying a statue of Our Lady of Peñafrancia to the Nepean River to begin a procession on the water. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta.
Pieces of the past
The wooden Cross itself is a sacred symbol of Catholicism, containing significant relics of the Holy Family and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – patron of the Diocese of Parramatta and Australia.
Relics of the Holy Family, gifted by the Order of the Discalced Augustinians, include:
- Fragments from the Holy Crib of our Lord
- Veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Cloak of St Joseph
A relic from the 1914 original cedar coffin of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was gifted by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
“It reminds us of our shared human journey to seek belonging, safety and faith,” Fr Gayan said.
Fr Fernando Montano PP VG with South Sudanese community members at the African Mass in May. Image: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta.
Four stops, one united journey
In the summer of 2026, the Cross will be hosted by four parishes across the Diocese. Our African, Filipino, Tongan and Cantonese migrant chaplaincies will lead preparations and celebrations, showcasing the richness of faith expressed through many cultures, languages and musical traditions:
- St Nicholas of Myra, Penrith – Tuesday, 6 January
- St Patrick’s, Blacktown – Wednesday, 7 January
- St Luke’s, Marsden Park – Friday, 9 January
- St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta – Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 January
“It’s an opportunity for families to pray together, give thanks for their journey, and reflect on what it means to be a Pilgrims of Hope,” Fr Gayan said.
“We warmly invite parishioners, friends and neighbours to join us and share in this moment of grace.”
Members of the Cantonese Catholic community celebrate 2025 Chinese New Year at St Monica’s Parish, North Parramatta. Image: Jordan Yuen/Supplied
Be part of the journey
The pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross is part of the Church’s worldwide Jubilee celebrations, calling the faithful to renewal, mercy and unity. As the late Pope Francis reminded us: “The Church is not a home for some, it’s a home for all”.
Bring your friends and family to experience the Migrant Jubilee Cross Pilgrimage at a parish near you. Join in prayer, music and cultural celebrations, and share in the joy of coming together as one Church.
This initiative reflects Diocesan Pastoral Plan priorities of Community, Listening, Prayer and Worship, and living out our commitment to be a Church that walks together, is inclusive and welcoming, and reaches to the margins.
Learn more at parracatholic.org/migrant-jubilee-cross
This article was originally published in the 2025 Advent & Christmas | Summer edition of the Catholic Outlook Magazine. You can read the digital version here or pick up a copy in your local parish.
