This Easter season, Catholic parishes, parishioners and communities across Western Australia are invited to participate in a special moment in the life of the Church – the Pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross that will be welcomed to the Perth Archdiocese in April.
Deeply symbolic and sacred, the Migrant Jubilee Cross is a gift from migrant communities to the Church – a place that symbolises welcome and belonging, integration and solidarity.
Set on a boat-shaped base, the 1.5-meter wooden cross is made from Australian recycled timber and incorporates the Southern Cross constellation – deepening its connection with the land.
It also contains sacred relics of the Holy Family – fragments from the Holy Crib of Our Lord, the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the cloak of St Joseph – as well as a relic from the 1914 cedar coffin of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
The Migrant Jubilee Cross is symbolic of the faith, gifts, contributions and resilience that migrant communities bring to the church and the broader community.
Its journey was officially launched on 5 October 2025 at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra to coincide with the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and the Jubilee of Migrants. It is also part of the Catholic Church’s broader Jubilee Year 2025–2026 that focusses on mercy, inclusion, pilgrimage and renewal.
The launch marked the beginning of a year-long national pilgrimage endorsed by the Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry that will see the Jubilee Cross received at 28 dioceses and 4 eparchies across Australia.
It will be welcomed to Perth at a special Reception Mass that will be celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday 18 April, led by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.
Between Sunday 19 April and Sunday 3 May it will be hosted by various parishes, schools and community groups, providing the faithful with a unique opportunity for spontaneous pilgrimage.
Host parishes comprise:
- St Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle
- Our Lady of the Mission Catholic Church, Whitford
- Sacred Heart Church, Thornlie
- St Brigid’s Church, Midland
- Sts John and Paul Catholic Church, Willetton
- St Thomas More Catholic Church, Bateman
- St Mary of the Cross Mackillop, Ballajura
Host schools comprise:
- Sacred Heart College, Sorrento
- Ursula Frayne Catholic College, Victoria Park
- Servite College, Tuart Hill
- Mercy College, Koondoola
- John XXIII College, Mount Claremont
- Newman College, Churchlands
- St John Bosco College, Piara Waters
- Corpus Christi College, Bateman
Deacon Greg Lowe, Director of the West Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office for the Archdiocese of Perth, said a pilgrimage to experience the Migrant Jubilee Cross, provided a rare opportunity for parishes, schools and communities to come together in communal prayer and celebration.
“For many Australians, migration is part of our history and story, so we can all feel a connection to, and engage with, the boat and cross,” he suggested.
“The program of events will include liturgical celebrations and opportunities for local communities to pray, reflect, and celebrate with the cross. This will provide meaningful engagement with the Jubilee of Migrants, so I would strongly encourage everyone to start planning their pilgrimage.
“It is anticipated the occasion of pilgrimage will foster connection, spiritual reflection, encounter and dialogue across the diverse cultures that exist within our local churches, schools and communities” he added.
At the conclusion of its time in the Perth Archdiocese, a Mass for the Transition of the Cross will be held at St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday 3 May from where it will travel to the Bunbury (Monday 4 May – Sunday 17 May), Geraldton (Monday 18 May – Sunday 31 May) and Broome Dioceses (Monday 20 July – Sunday 2 August).
The Migrant Jubilee Cross is a specially crafted symbol commissioned by the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO) and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference as part of the Jubilee Year 2025 celebrations. It embodies the theme of ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ reflecting the spiritual journey of migrants and refugees and the Church’s call to welcome and walk alongside them.
For further information and to plan your pilgrimage, visit the Migrant Jubilee Cross Page.
