After almost 6000 km since it left Sydney on 5 October last year, the Migrant Jubilee Cross will soon arrive in Sandhurst, continuing its year-long national pilgrimage across Australia.
The Cross is rich in symbolism, reminding us of the journeys made by countless migrant and refugee families to our shores. Set on a boat-shaped base the Cross is carved from Australian timber and emblazoned with the Southern Cross, a constellation that has guided travellers across southern skies for generations, and a reminder of hope, direction and belonging.
Embedded in the Cross are relics of the Holy Family and Saint Mary of the Cross Mackillop. The sacred relics: from the manger, veil and cloak of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, speak of the Church as a place of refuge; and combined with a relic of Mary MacKillop, draw our attention to the resilience and faith of migrants who travelled and lived often in challenging circumstances.
The pilgrimage offers a gentle but powerful invitation to focus not only on the journeys migrants have made, but on the gifts they continue to share. Through faith, culture, service and community life, migrant communities have shaped and continue to enrich parish and community life across Australia, including here in Sandhurst.
The Sandhurst leg of the pilgrimage will begin on 16 March when the Syro-Malabar Community hand it over to St Brendan’s Parish, Shepparton. The Cross will then be at St Kilian’s Parish, Bendigo from 24 March to 31 March when it will be passed to the Diocese of Ballarat. Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to spend time praying with the Cross during its stay.
This national pilgrimage is an initiative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry (BCELM), and is implemented by the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO). From 5 October 2025 to October 2026, more than 28 dioceses and eparchies will host the Cross as part of the Jubilee of Migrants.
Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Chair of BCELM and Bishop Delegate for Migrants and Refugees, has described the Cross as a sacred sign of welcome, an invitation to reflect on the journeys of migrants and refugees, and to recognise how profoundly they enrich the Church and the wider community.
In Sandhurst, where parish life has been shaped by waves of migration from many cultures and nations, the arrival of the Migrant Jubilee Cross is both a celebration and a reminder: that the Church is one body made up of many journeys, and that hope is often carried by those who have travelled far.
More information about the Migrant Jubilee Cross is available from the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office.
Note:
The Relics of Holy Family within the Cross are on loan from the Order of the Discalced Augustinians. The relic of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop was gifted by the Josephite Sisters.