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ACMRO News - December 2025

In this edition:

| ACMRO Directors’ Gathering 2025

| Updates: Pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross

| Oceania Migrants and Refugees Network (OMRN) Meeting in December

| We Wish You a Blessed Advent Season and a Joyful Christmas Celebration

| Save the Date: 8th ACMRO National Conference 2026
 

ACMRO Directors’ Gathering 2025

The ACMRO directors met in Adelaide from 10 to 12 November, hosted by the Archdiocese of Adelaide’s Justice, Healing and Inclusion Team. Attendees included Fr Khalid Marogi and Don Gomez (ACMRO); Ms Kylie Cullen (Archdiocese of Sydney); Msgr Joselito Asis (Archdiocese of Melbourne); Ms Liliana Ortiz (Archdiocese of Brisbane); Fr Paul Anthony (Diocese of Armidale); Fr Jun Perez (Divine Word Missionaries); Deacon Greg Lowe (Archdiocese of Perth); and Ms Tracey Tessitore, Ms Sarah Moffatt, Ms Aida Joseph, Mr Sanjay Mohanaraj and Mr Clement Kuek (Archdiocese of Adelaide).

The event provided a valuable opportunity to gather, pray, share reports and participate in formation sessions. In her address to the directors, Sr Meredith Evans RSM shared her ministry experiences visiting various detention centres in South Australia, particularly those housing people from migrant backgrounds. In response, she established the Circle of Friends Initiative to support people seeking asylum, those in detention centres or transit accommodations and their families.

The directors also had the opportunity to visit the Archbishop’s House, where Archbishop Patrick O’Regan presided over the Mass for the Memorial of St Martin of Tours, followed by a dinner he hosted. In his homily, he emphasised: “Your service may feel ordinary, but in God’s eyes it is extraordinary. You stand where St Martin stood—between comfort and compassion, between fear and faith. You make visible the mercy of a God who crosses every border to reach His children. Remember the wisdom of today’s readings: every migrant is created for eternity; every act of service, however small, builds the Kingdom; and every servant who works humbly in love is already in the hand of God.”

The gathering also provided an opportunity to review existing and future ACMRO projects, including the ongoing Pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross and preparations for the 8th ACMRO National Conference in 2026. It concluded with a meeting with leaders of multicultural communities in the Archdiocese of Adelaide, where participants reflected on themes of encounter, discipleship and mission

Updates: Pilgrimage of the Migrant Jubilee Cross

The Migrant Jubilee Cross is currently in New South Wales and has visited nearly 30 parish and school communities across the archdioceses of Canberra and Goulburn and of Sydney, as well as the dioceses of Broken Bay, Bathurst, Wollongong, Lismore and Armidale.

Many faith communities celebrated Masses and organised activities such as processions, Jubilee pilgrimages, liturgies, and talks to highlight the significance of the Cross’s visit. During the Jubilee of the Poor, a replica of the Cross was brought to the Papal Mass at the Vatican, where Pope Leo XIV prayed that all Christians would share “the love of God, which welcomes, binds up wounds, forgives, consoles, and heals.”



The Cross is expected to arrive in Victoria in January 2026. The organising committee would greatly appreciate it if you could share your experiences and photos on the ACMRO Facebook page.

            
 

Oceania Migrants and Refugees Network (OMRN) Meeting in December

The Oceania Migrants and Refugees Network (OMRN) is an agency of the Federation of Catholic Bishops of Oceania (FCBCO). Its core functions include advising the FCBCO on issues concerning people affected by climate change, temporary migrant workers under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme and the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) program and migrants and refugees within the Oceania region. The permanent membership of the OMRN comprises representatives nominated by the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences across Oceania.

The OMRN will hold its first in-person meeting from 9 to 11 December in North Sydney, marking a milestone since its establishment in 2024. One of its key aims is to serve as a unifying voice for the Oceania region at the international level, particularly through two Catholic entities: the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) and the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Both entities will send representatives to the meeting.

FCBCO president Bishop Anthony Randazzo will address attendees on strengthening collaboration among members and associated organisations within the Oceania region.

We Wish You a Blessed Advent Season and a Joyful Christmas Celebration

The ACMRO team extends their sincere wishes for an Advent season and Christmas celebration filled with peace, joy, love and blessings. We deeply appreciate your exemplary collaboration in this ministry and the essential role you play in our journey.

May the everlasting light of Christ shine upon your heart and home this Christmas season and always.

We look forward to continuing to share our newsletters with you in early February 2026.

Save the Date: 8th ACMRO National Conference 2026

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.


Have a story to share?
Submit your stories and photos from events, and we will consider publishing them in future newsletters at info@acmro.catholic.org.au  
 

Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office    
GPO Box 2720
Canberra ACT 2601
(02) 6201 9848 
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
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The text of this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike 3.0 Australia Licence. Please attribute this publication to the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, December 2025. This resource may be reproduced or photocopied in its entirety or in part. No copyright fee is payable.