Jubilee 2025 – Holy Year of Hope
This special year is a sacred time to renew our faith, reconnect with God, and embrace hope for the future.
Join us in this journey of grace and renewal.
What is the Jubilee?
A time of renewal, mercy, and deepening our relationship with God.
The Jubilee is a year-long invitation to experience a genuine, personal encounter with Jesus Christ—the true hope of the world.
The tradition of the Jubilee (or Holy Year) dates back to 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII first declared it a time of spiritual renewal. Since 1470, the Catholic Church has celebrated a Jubilee every 25 years, offering the faithful an opportunity for grace, mercy, and transformation.
In 2025, we are called to re-establish our relationship with God, one another, and all of creation.
Jubilee Prayer
Unite in prayer and reflection as we journey through this Holy Year.
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
How to Participate
Pilgrimage, prayer, and acts of mercy—choose your path of faith.
You are invited to deepen your faith and potentially receive a Plenary Indulgence by:
1. Making a pilgrimage – See destinations near and afar.
2. Performing works of mercy
Live out Christ’s love through acts of service, including:
✔ Assisting the sick and elderly
✔ Supporting the poor and vulnerable
✔ Advocating for justice and peace
3. Engaging in spiritual renewal
Deepen your faith through:
- Confession – Restore your heart to God.
- Mass & Prayer for the Pope – Unite with the global Church.
- Reflection & Scripture – Strengthen your spiritual journey.
Pilgrimage Destinations
Sacred sites near and far—step into history and encounter grace.
Visit a sacred site as an outward sign of your spiritual journey.
📍 Rome – Visit at least one of the four major papal basilicas:
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- St. John Lateran
- St. Mary Major
- St. Paul Outside the Walls
📍 Local Pilgrimage Sites within the Diocese of Wagga Wagga:
- St Michael’s Cathedral, Wagga Wagga
- St Patrick’s Church, Albury
- Sacred Heart Church, Griffith
- St Joseph’s Church, Leeton
- St Mel’s Church, Narrandera
- St Mary MacKillop’s Marker (Lincoln Causeway, Albury)
- The Mass Tree (Wahgunyah, VIC)
Featured Pilgrimage Locations
The Mass Tree, Wahgunyah
A historic site where early Catholics gathered for Mass.
Local pilgrimage churches
Pilgrimage destinations within Diocese of Wagga
St Mary MacKillop’s Marker
Honouring Australia’s first saint and her missionary journey.
Key Events & Celebrations
Moments of faith, community, and renewal—mark your calendar!
December 2024
24 December
Pope Francis officially inaugurates the Jubilee Year.
January 2025
26 January
Bishop Edwards officially opens the Jubilee Year of Hope in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga
28 January
Year of Hope - Schools Opening Mass
February 2025
9 February
Jubilee of Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel
10 February
Pilgrims of Hope Safeguarding Symposium
20 February
Year of Hope Wagga Deanery Schools Opening Mass - Cathedral
25 February
Year of Hope Murray Deanery Schools Opening Mass -Corowa
27 February
Year of Hope Vianney College Opening Mass
March 2025
4 March
Year of Hope South West Deanery Schools Opening Mass - Jerilderie
13 March
Year of Hope MIA Deanery Opening Mass - Griffith
15 March
Jubilee Year Ordinations Ordination to the Priesthood - John Baptist Van Thuy Nguyen
Ordinations to the Diaconate
28 March
Jubilee of Hope - Night of Mercy
April 2025
15 April
Chrism Mass
28 April
Jubilee of Teenagers
May 2025
4 May
Jubilee of Workers and Entrepreneurs
25 May
Jubilee of Children
30 May
Jubilee of Families, Grandparents and the Elderly
June 2025
24 June
Jubilee of Seminarians
26 June
Jubilee of Priests
July 2025
3 July
Jubilee of Parish Secretaries
September 2025
26-28 September
Jubilee of Catechists
29 September-12 October
Pilgrimage of Hope to Italy with Fr Paddy Sykes
October 2025
9 October
Jubilee of Consecrated Life
12 October
Jubilee of Marian Spirituality
20– 24 October
Diocesan All-Clergy Retreat
30 October-2 November
Jubilee of World of Education
November 2025
23 November
Jubilee of Choirs
30 November-2 December
Australian Catholic Youth Festival, Melbourne
December 2025
14 December
Jubilee of Prisoners (Junee & Mannus)
Other Resources
For information on Pilgrimage sites in other Dioceses, see the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Jubilee website: