The pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross across Western Australia has become a powerful reminder of the Church’s call to welcome the stranger, honour cultural diversity and journey together in faith.
Welcomed to the Perth Archdiocese in April, the cross drew Catholics from numerous parishes and cultural communities into prayer, reflection, celebration and pilgrimage.
In celebrating the Welcome Mass on Saturday 18 April, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB described the Migrant Jubilee Cross as “a sacred sign inviting us to recognise the dignity of every person, and to welcome the stranger as Christ among us.”
A key element of the Mass was the presence of representatives from migrant Catholic communities including Burma, East Africa, Indonesia, China, Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, Vietnam, the Philippines and Ghana.
Drawing on the Gospel story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Archbishop Costelloe reflected on the experience of migrants and refugees who often leave behind familiarity and security in search of hope.
“For so many of us here tonight, either we or our immediate forebears arrived in this country after a sometimes long, often difficult and certainly challenging journey,” he said.
He noted that while Australia strives to be a welcoming and tolerant country, Catholics are urged to go further by truly valuing and respecting each person.
“We don’t just want to be a country that tolerates people from other places; we want to be a country that strives to respect and value everybody who comes to this country,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
He also reminded the faithful that honouring cultural diversity must include recognition of Australia’s First Peoples, “the original inhabitants of this great land of the Holy Spirit.”
The multicultural richness of the Church was reflected throughout the liturgy, with prayers offered in Burmese, Kokani, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog and English, while the Our Father was sung in Aramaic and English. The Zimbabwean Catholic Choir concluded the celebration with a joyful rendition of Mwambe Yesu (“Jesus Reigns”) in Shona.
Youth summit
The following day, the Catholic Youth Ministry hosted a special summit and Mass to celebrate the arrival of the cross in Perth. Attendance exceeded expectations as young people gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral for prayer, procession and fellowship.
Led by the CYM Music Ministry, the event began in a reflective and celebratory atmosphere before the Migrant Jubilee Cross was carried in procession around the cathedral grounds. Stops along the route included the World Youth Day olive tree, with volunteers sharing reflections on peace, unity and belonging.
Adding depth and personal insight to the occasion was the address delivered by Howard Ong, who shared his personal journey as a Catholic migrant in Australia.
The celebration concluded with Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton and a shared multicultural meal that brought together participants from a variety of backgrounds in a spirit of friendship and community.
Parish Pilgrimage
The opportunity to participate in spontaneous pilgrimage was embraced by members of the Thornlie and surrounding parishes who converged on Sacred Heart Church to celebrate their unique cultures and collective spirituality.
With the church packed to capacity, students from Sacred Heart Primary School performed a liturgical dance to welcome the Cross into the Holy Mass that was celebrated by Fr George James and featured music and prayer in Australian, Vietnamese, Italian, Irish, Nigerian, German and African Togo.
Following Mass, a colourful procession around the grounds celebrated cultural heritage, unity, diversity and fellowship that left an indelible mark on all the parishioners of the various parishes that participated.
Places of inclusion and hospitality
Following two weeks of pilgrimage across the Archdiocese, the farewell Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral on 3 May offered an opportunity to reflect more deeply on how parishes can become places of genuine inclusion and hospitality.
Delivering the homily, Deacon Greg Lowe, Director of the West Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, said the Migrant Jubilee Cross challenges Catholics to recognise and respect cultural difference within parish communities.
“Culture is a good place to start. We are all formed and informed by our cultural background – it is deeply embedded in each of us and shapes how we think, speak and behave,” he said.
He explained that overcoming ethnic and cultural barriers provided for fuller participation in the life and mission of the Church.
“The presence of a variety of cultural expression in the life of the church and parish is to affirm one of the central teachings of the Gospel, which is that inclusion and participation give life,” Deacon Lowe said.
Rather than limiting multicultural celebrations to occasional events, Deacon Lowe encouraged parishes to intentionally build inclusive practices into parish life throughout the year. He also stressed the importance of personal responsibility in fostering welcome and belonging.
“It means individual commitment to enabling participation by reaching out to the parish newcomer or different other and welcoming them,” he said.
Quoting Pope Francis, Deacon Lowe reminded the faithful that harmony is not built through competition between cultures, but through “a culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue.”
Created for the 2025 Jubilee Year, the Migrant Jubilee Cross symbolises the faith, resilience and contribution that migrant communities bring to both the Church and the broader community.
It is crafted from recycled Australian timber and incorporates the Southern Cross constellation and sacred relics of the Holy Family and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
After leaving Perth, the pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross continued across regional Western Australia, carrying with it a message that resonates deeply within the Catholic tradition – that every person is made in the image of God, every culture brings gifts to the Church, and every parish is called to become a home where all are welcomed in Christ.