18 December 2025 · 2025-12 newsletter
On the 26th of September at 9.00am a bus carrying approximately 57 parishioners, left from St Michael’s Parish Church, Meadowbank as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. It was on its way to Mount Schoenstatt, Mulgoa, to join some other pilgrims from the parish who had made their way privately to the pilgrimage site.
In his message for the launch of the Jubilee Year, a “Year of Hope”, the late Pope Francis encouraged Christians to seek a time of spiritual renewal, to recover lost hope, to renew the hope that is in their hearts and to sow seeds of hope in the bleakness of our time and in our world. Pondering these words of the late Pope Francis, the parishioners of St Michael’s Parish, Meadowbank organised to go on pilgrimage to Mt Schoenstatt, Mulgoa which is one of the officially designated places of pilgrimage in the Diocese of Parramatta during this Jubilee Year 2025.
Father Emmanuel Seo, our Parish Priest chose the date 27th September 2025, as not only the day of the pilgrimage but also a Retreat Day as a pre-Feast Day Celebration honouring St Michael the Archangel, the Patron Saint of the Parish. How good was that! A dual celebration, a ‘pre-Feast Day Celebration and a Jubilee Pilgrimage’ for those seeking a Plenary Indulgence.
Upon arrival at Mt. Schoenstatt, a total of about 90 pilgrims, men, women, children, the young and the older, great and small, were welcomed by Sr. M Elizabeth in the Pilgrim Centre, where she spoke about Schoenstatt, what it is all about, it’s history, the present and the future and some of Schoenstatt’s “special messages”, such as Practical Faith in Divine Providence and the Covenant of Love and what these mean for us in our lives.
Afterwards, Holy Mass was celebrated in the Schoenstatt Shrine, by Father Seo, in his customary reverent way.
Honouring the Feast Day of St Vincent de Paul on that day, Fr Seo said in his homily that if we are open to the grace of conversion, even sinners may turn into saints like St. Vincent de Paul who changed from a lover of mammon to a true friend of Jesus, a hope therefore that we too may turn into the saints that God sees in us.
The Holy Mass was accompanied by the pilgrims jubilantly singing, accompanied by Sr. M Elizabeth on the organ. Awesome! What a tremendous experience this was for the pilgrims, a jubilant, reverent Holy Mass celebrated in the Shrine!
Yes, the Holy Mass Celebration in the Shrine was one of the highlights of the pilgrimage.
Following Holy Mass there was time for lunch in the Pilgrim Centre where there was an abundance of food, reminding us of the multiplication of food at the time of our Lord Jesus. In their free time, the pilgrims were free to wander around and relax, enjoying the tranquillity of the whole environment, while others were in affable conversations sharing their thoughts on the experience of this day so far. Next was a Reflection given by Father Seo on ‘Hope- in Christ, our heavenly defender’ the theme of the Parish Jubilee Pilgrimage.
Father Seo spoke of how in hope we ourselves must take action to be with God; that hope is what people need today.
This talk was well received and appreciated by all the pilgrims and they had much food for thought and reflection.
Next came a time for Adoration and Benediction in the Family Hall, as this could accommodate the larger number of pilgrims. During this time of silent adoration, Father Seo heard Confessions in the garden of the holy ground of Mt. Schoenstatt so that some pilgrims could fulfill the requirements of the Plenary Indulgence.
What a heavenly atmosphere it was to witness some of the pilgrims seeking what is beyond man’s self- preserved nature.
Speaking to one of the parishioners later, Father Seo expressed how pleased he was with the whole celebration, so much so that he was emotionally moved with the atmosphere and devotion shown by all present.
Indeed, God had blessed the pilgrims in the holy ground of Mt Schoenstatt and included the extra gift of perfect gentle weather on a perfect day.
At 3pm the bus carrying the pilgrims left Mt Schoenstatt after a group photo was taken with the image of St Michael the Archangel, our Patron Saint, in the garden of Mt. Schoenstatt.
We came home blessed with the graces from the Shrine, together with a candle that each pilgrim had been given, and the burning flame of Hope of the Jubilee Pilgrimage to share and proclaim to all.
Agnes Aldana
P.S. It was members of the Schoenstatt groups in the parish who had inspired and organised this pilgrimage from their parish
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