Pilgrimage site: St Christopher’s Cathedral Canberra
St Christopher’s Cathedral in Manuka is home not only to the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn but to all who seek to pilgrimage towards the Lord, Acting Administrator Fr Joshua Scott said.
“What a great year it is to come to the Mother Church here at the cathedral,” he said.
“This is where the whole diocese comes together for ordinations, for the Chrism Mass, for the great events that our diocese shares. Here our Archbishop has his chair. As we come to journey together, especially in the synodal way, we journey together to a pilgrimage site. And you’re most welcome here at St Christopher’s to do that.”
The Cathedral will offer a new self-guided pilgrimage, designed especially for the Jubilee Year of Hope.
“This isn’t just a tour to see an attraction; but a pilgrimage in itself,” Fr Joshua said.
“You can come into this beautiful place and pray through the building – a building that has witnessed many prime ministers, many men and women from across the world, who have come and sat in these pews.”
“We start at the foundation stone at the very front of the cathedral, and there we see Christ as our foundation,” he continued.
“We journey through the great doors, through the body of the church – the font, that altar, the crucifix, the Blessed Sacrament chapel – all the way to our statue of St Christopher at the rear of the cathedral. We will journey together on this pilgrimage in this Year of Hope and beyond.”

Acting Administrator Fr Joshua Scott
Fr Joshua said pilgrimage was an incredibly important thing for spiritual life.
“As we move the body, so we move ourselves. As we move ourselves, we realise we’re not moved alone. That Christ is always with us,” he explained.
“That’s the difference between a journey and a pilgrimage. A journey has a destination. A pilgrimage is about the way and who is on the way with us.”
Fr Joshua said the Jubilee Year marked a tremendous opportunity not just to move from one place to another but to intentionally carry Christ with us.
“If you’re coming here to St Christopher’s, bring Christ with you,” he said.
“Have an intention for that. You can pray for a particular person, a particular time, or an intention that’s on your heart. Bring that on the journey with Christ. And when you finish the pilgrimage, give thanks to God for being with you on this great journey, this pilgrimage with him that he’s called you to. It’s an important thing for us to do.
“We don’t have to go to Spain. We don’t have to go to Europe. We don’t have to go anywhere. We’re right here together to journey on the pilgrimage. That is the Pilgrims of Hope year.”