In the ten days of school holidays before 28 December, parents and guardians have an extraordinary opportunity to share something enduring with their children, time to walk with them on a pilgrimage in awe and wonder in this Jubilee Year of Hope.
Accompanying a child on a pilgrimage, like any pilgrimage, does not always require a journey to a sacred site, it is about a pilgrimage of the heart. It is about slowing down, even briefly, and showing our children that life is more than schedules and screens — it is a journey towards God. If you cannot travel to one of Sandhurst’s five nominated holy places, create a sacred path where you are: in your garden, around your block, or through your parish grounds. Every step can become a prayer. Every moment can speak of grace.
To help you begin, we’ve prepared resources to guide and inspire. These resources feature ‘Sandy’ an endearing and relatable diocesan mascot, and her friends, Goldie the cockatoo and Macky the galah. Carrying her sunscreen, water bottle, pilgrimage book, and flashing her cheeky smile, Sandy shows us that God wants us to connect with Him while delighting in the world around us.
You can download and print these resources (A4 or A5). Your child can then paste these resources into a Pilgrimage Book (a scrapbook or notebook which your child can also fill with their own reflections and drawings. Encourage your child to
• Draw what they see along the way.
• Write what they thought about, what they prayed for, and what they’re grateful for.
• Reflect on where they noticed God’s presence.
These simple practices can open a world of possibilities — conversations about faith, moments of wonder, and memories that last well beyond the Jubilee Year. This is an opportunity to impart that sense that faith is alive and God walks with us.
Download Children’s Pilgrimage resources from here:
In Victoria, the summer school holidays commence on Saturday 20 December and in dioceses, the Jubilee Year of Hope ends on Sunday 28 December 2025. In Rome, the Jubilee Year officially ends on January 6, 2026, the Feast of the Epiphany, with the closing of the Holy Door at St Peter's Basilica.