It was with great joy that Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP flung open the doors of his window to welcome more than 250 English-speaking Jubilee of Youth pilgrims from across the world to Domus Australia.
This paralleled Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical on hope, Spe Salvi, where he said “the dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open. The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life.”
The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, along with the Godsplaining podcast, hosted the “Signs of Hope & Practical Tips” event with the archbishop, Australia’s own Sr Mary Grace SV and other keynote speakers.
Domus Australia was filled with young pilgrims, clergy, and religious from all over Australia, the United States, Croatia, Poland, England, and more.
All were eager to meet and hear from Archbishop Fisher and Sr Mary Grace as they spoke about the trials and triumphs throughout Christendom, challenges faced in the world today that oppose Christian hope and succumb to an escapist mentality, and how, as Pope Leo XIV said in his address at the welcoming Mass for the Jubilee of Youth, we are called to be “signs of hope in the world.”
Archbishop Fisher explained how “rather than avoiding suffering, Christian hope acknowledges it; rather than wallowing in suffering, it transforms it. By drawing the future into the present, our relationships and decisions are given destination or purpose; while uniting our challenges to Christ’s Passion brings consolation and confidence.”
After a long winter for the Catholic Church in Australia, a “second spring” appears to be upon us, he added.
Archbishop Fisher was very chuffed to share that in the Catholic Church of Sydney there has been a 26 percent increase in adult converts, year-on-year for five years in a row, as well as an increased number of vocations to religious life and the priesthood.
He noted by the time he retires the average age of his priests will have fallen by five years.
The archbishop also acknowledged how “despite social pressure to the contrary, many faithful go public about their faith” in Sydney with various events such as Christmas at the Cathedral, Walk with Christ, Marian processions, the seven churches devotion of Holy Thursday, and the many “over-subscribed” Sydney Centre of Evangelisation events.
The Australians were also delighted to hear from Sister Mary Grace who shared some practical ways to grow in the virtue of hope.
She encouraged the pilgrims to expect surprises from God and to rest in his plan for their lives.
She also challenged the current culture of self-care and self-love explaining how hope allows us to “let go of self-protection and self-reliance, and to let oneself be real, open, and truly loved by him.” She left the pilgrims with a final food for thought that “hope is the capacity to live in reality—the reality of his eternal plan of love for you.”
Many of the pilgrims had questions for the panel delving deeper and more personally into the virtue of hope. All were left with much to think about and meditate on as they entered the final days of the Jubilee of Youth and prepared themselves for the Vigil and Final Mass with the Holy Father.
After the formalities concluded, a short video was shown inviting our Australian and International guests to Sydney for the International Eucharistic Congress in 2028 which sparked excited about visiting our beautiful harbour city to process through the streets with Jesus Christ.
University Catholic Chaplaincies coordinator Natalie Ambrose said “the archbishop was so excited about the prospect of this event that he decided to have an open bar. His Grace stayed till the wee hours of the morning mingling with the Aussie and international guests as they stayed, chatted, socialised and prayed.”
Throughout the evening adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was available in the beautiful candle-lit Domus Chapel. Many pilgrims flooded in and out throughout the night to adore Our Lord, in a hopeful sign for the future of the church.
We continue to pray for our pilgrims as they soon return to Sydney with this newly invigorated Christian hope and love for the Eucharist to be shared in their parishes, schools, and communities to help prepare Sydney for the International Eucharistic Congress.