By Jamie O’Brien
As twenty-twenty five comes to a close, the Archdiocese of Perth, it’s people and indeed the Australian people as a whole, have witnessed a year of challenge, hope and mission.
Against a backdrop of global unrest, economic cost-of-living pressures, the death of Pope Francis and election of Pope Leo XIV, and local growth, the leaders of our Archdiocese have consistently called our community to listen, act and serve.
Reflecting on the World and Our Mission
In his Palm Sunday homily at St Mary’s Cathedral on 13 April, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB invited the faithful to see Christ’s entry into Jerusalem as a mirror to our own times: “we began our liturgy … by recalling the Lord’s entry into the holy city of Jerusalem. It was a triumphant journey filled with enthusiasm, joy and acclamation.”
He also pointed to the way our world is still in need of that hope—amid wars, displacement and social fragmentation.
In his 2025 Easter Message, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, wrote: “Our world is in desperate need of the Gospel message… Jesus Christ is risen! … This moment … is a source of hope, renewal, and joy for all people, regardless of circumstance.”
His tone responded to the fractures of 2025—economic pressures on families, the refugee crisis, tensions between communities.
Local Events, Local Presence
Within the Archdiocese the major liturgical occasions and Council-building events have underscored this mission.
Archbishop Costelloe’s homily at the University of Notre Dame Australia Graduation Mass on 20 March pressed graduates with questions of trust and values: “In whom are you going to put your trust? On what are you going to base your life?”
On 8 June at Pentecost, Archbishop Costelloe linked the celebration of Confirmation to the Church’s mission: “a celebration of fidelity … commitment … and mission” for all the faithful, not just the candidates.
Meanwhile, Bishop Sproxton’s homily at the 2 March opening of the new Cottesloe parish hall emphasised community and formation: “We have at some time or other been asked, ‘Who was your best teacher at school?’”
And on 23 May at the Ordination to the Priesthood of three new priests, he encouraged them: “Do not be afraid to preach the Gospel and teach the Catholic faith.”
Catholic organisations and services in a shifting landscape
2025’s global and local challenges—rising costs, housing stress, international conflicts—have reinforced the importance of the Archdiocese’s network of agencies.
For example, Catholic Education Western Australia system now serves more than 74,000 young people across 158 schools, making it the state’s second-largest education sector.
Further data reveals enrolments grew by 1.9 per cent in 2025—the largest annual growth in a decade—highlighting the demand for faith-based schooling amid cost-of-living pressures.
In health care, St John of God Health Care has marked major milestones: in August it celebrated a “topping-out” ceremony for a new private hospital campus in Midland and commenced construction of the Orthonova Orthopaedic Hospital in Murdoch.
Beyond education and hospitals, aged-care organisation Catholic Homes continues its person-centred “Care with Purpose” approach across its residences and services.
Together, these organisations form the practical extension of the message of Archbishop: a Church that listens and serves.
Mission-Led Faith in a Year of Complexity
In his 11 May homily at Good Shepherd Sunday, Archbishop Costelloe highlighted: “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”
At a time when public trust and communal cohesion feel fragile, his words provided a call to unity under Christ.
The year has also seen the Archdiocese build up to the new Diocesan Pastoral Council, regional parish renewal efforts and the rollout of the Jubilee Year of Hope that began at the close of 2024 and now guides 2025’s focus.
Looking Ahead
For the Catholic community in Perth—young and old—2025 has offered both a mirror and a map.
The mirror shows the world’s complexity: refugees arriving, health systems stretched, families under pressure.
The map shows the path: fidelity, commitment, mission. The message of Archbishop Costelloe has repeatedly pointed us there.
As our schools continue growing, our hospitals expand and our aged-care services adapt, the underlying message is clear: our faith must translate into action.
The Archdiocese’s agencies are stepping into the breach, turning words into welcome, care into community.
In 2025, the Catholic Church in Perth is not standing still. It is walking together, listening deeply, discerning, acting boldly.
As Archbishop Costelloe invited the graduates: choose life, choose God. And for all of us: choose service, choose hope, choose one another.