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ACMRO News - November 2025
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In this edition:
| Walking Together: The Migrant Jubilee Cross Pilgrimage Commences
| Archdiocese of Melbourne’s Migrant Festive Gathering and Mass for All Nations 2025
| Oceania Celebrates the Canonisation of Saint Peter To Rot
| Dilexi te and Welcoming Migrants
| Save the Date: 8th ACMRO National Conference 2026
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On the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), St Christopher's Cathedral in Canberra was packed for the official inauguration of the Migrant Jubilee Cross during the 11am Mass on Sunday, 5 October.
In his homily, ACMRO national director Fr Khalid Marogi offered insights into how the faithful can commemorate this day: “Pray for migrants and refugees, that they may find safety, dignity and peace. Advocate for just and humane policies that protect the vulnerable. Welcome those who arrive in our parishes, schools and neighbourhoods. Listen to their stories and allow their witness of faith to transform our hearts.” He added: “In this Jubilee of Migrants, as the Jubilee Migrant Cross is formally launched and 'sets sail’ on a year-long national pilgrimage to celebrate and recognise the contributions of migrant communities, let us renew our commitment to walk together, as one human family, toward a future of peace, justice and shared dignity.”
After the Mass, the faithful were invited to remain in silent reflection and prayer before the Reliquary Cross, a poignant symbol of the journeys undertaken by countless migrants and refugees who have arrived in Australia in search of safety, hope and a sense of belonging.
The Cross is currently visiting parish and school communities across dioceses and eparchies in New South Wales.
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The WDMR 2025 was commemorated by numerous Catholic parish and school communities in early October through events, liturgies and community gatherings. This annual occasion serves as a testament to the Church’s unwavering commitment to fostering social justice, unity and cohesion, as well as to welcoming and supporting refugees and migrants. This year, the WDMR was celebrated alongside the Jubilee of Migrants and Missions, making the occasion especially meaningful.
Weekend celebrations in the Archdiocese of Melbourne took place on 4–5 October and were attended by various communities. On Saturday, a day of music, worship, testimonies and talks was held at Loyola College in Watsonia. The event offered a platform for personal migration stories – some journeys made by choice, others by necessity – highlighting the challenges of adapting to new cultures and overcoming racism and change.
Members of the South Sudanese, Burmese, Vietnamese, Syrian, Spanish, East Timorese and Filipino communities shared testimonials that illuminated their experiences, the obstacles they faced and the support they received from their faith communities.
The day also featured a keynote presentation by Bishop Thinh Nguyen and a panel discussion with Archbishop Peter A Comensoli and members of various migrant communities. Bishop Nguyen addressed both the emotional and practical challenges migrants face, including the pain of leaving loved ones behind and the difficulty of learning a new language. He encouraged attendees to cherish their heritage and embrace their role as “bearers of hope” in their new homeland. He affirmed that migrants play a vital role in evangelising those around them, stating: “We need to see migrants as a gift to this country. We need to welcome, accompany, integrate and empower migrants, especially in our parish communities.”
On Sunday, the official day of WDMR, communities gathered once again for the annual Mass for All Nations at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Music was led by members of the Samoan community, while representatives from various communities participated in the readings and intercessory prayers.
In his homily, Archbishop Comensoli acknowledged the perseverance and determination of those who now call Australia home: “You show us the path of hope that we might all walk along. Know that Christ walks with you, with us all, on our common pilgrimage to our homeland in heaven. ‘This is our hope; and it will not disappoint.’”
With acknowledgement and thanks to the Archdiocese of Melbourne, where this article originally appeared.
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On 19 October, Most Rev Anthony Randazzo, bishop of Broken Bay and president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania presided over the Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Waitara, New South Wales. The Oceania community expressed their gratitude for the canonisation of Saint Peter To Rot, the first male saint born in this esteemed region of the globe.
The procession of the Migrant Jubilee Cross at the commencement of the Mass served as a compelling reminder that in all our endeavours, Christ must be our guiding presence.
Bishop Randazzo also emphasised that although we may come from diverse families, communities and islands, we are united in the Body of Christ and can all look to Saint Peter To Rot as a model of fidelity and witness to the Gospel.
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Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Apostolic Exhortation on love for those who are poor was published by the Vatican on 9 October.
The primary focus of this exhortation is God’s compassion for the most marginalised and vulnerable members of our society.
This assertion is supported by numerous instances from the scriptures, the lives of the saints and religious orders, and the evolution of Catholic social teaching in dialogue and engagement with the modern world. The document discusses Jesus' identification with the hungry and marginalised, with labourers and the rejected in the gospels, as well as the shared life of monastic orders and the biblical promise of liberation from oppression. It also discusses St Francis and St Clare.
It also delineates the multifaceted character of poverty in the contemporary era. Poverty is characterised by a lack of material resources as well as social exclusion, personal fragility and a lack of expression and rights. Pope Leo, in conjunction with his predecessor, encourages us to refrain from relying on outdated criteria to conceal ourselves behind the notion that things are perpetually improving and to disregard the new, covert forms of poverty, which may be even more perilous. We must address the injustices that women face, the globalisation of indifference, and the growing inequality.
We are reminded that Christ himself became poor, and as a result, we can recognise Christ in all those who are poor in our contemporary world. Consequently, it is imperative that we pay close attention to the most marginalised members of our society and actively attend to the knowledge they possess.
Dilexi te emphasises that the Church's vocation of welcoming migrants is essential, citing the history of her work, currently being conducted by her various institutions: “The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges. She knows that her proclamation of the Gospel is credible only when it is translated into gestures of closeness and welcome. And she knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.” (§75)
With acknowledgement and thanks to the Catholic International Development Charity, where this article originally appeared.
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The ACMRO team is pleased to announce that it will host the eighth iteration of its National Conference on 25–26 August 2026 at Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney.
The aim of the conference is to acknowledge and celebrate the faith, gifts, contributions and resilience that migrant communities bring to both our local Church and the wider world, with a particular emphasis on their role in a synodal Church.
More details will be posted on the ACMRO website soon.
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