JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE COMES TO KORUMBURRA & LEONGATHA PARISHES

JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE COMES

TO

KORUMBURRA & LEONGATHA PARISHES

Following a centuries old tradition, the global Catholic Church marks every 25^th year as a Jubilee Year – a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation, in which people worldwide are invited to rebuild their relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation.  The theme for the 2025 Jubilee is Pilgrims of Hope.  Throughout the year a series of 36 Jubilees address a wide cross section of society and in particular Catholic communities including Families, Youth, Volunteers, People with a Disability, Artists, Sport, Missions, Government, Entertainment and many, many more.

Worldwide, Friday 27 June 2025 on the Jubilee Year of Hope calendar marks the Jubilee of Clergy & Religious and within the Diocese of Sale, the Parishes of St Joseph’s Korumburra and St Laurence’s Leongatha were invited to serve as a pilgrim center - the focal point of activity for local Catholics within the Diocese of Sale.

Pilgrimage Stop - St Joseph’s

The day commenced with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in St Joseph’s Church Korumburra from 12 noon until 3.30pm where parishioners and pilgrims from the Diocese of Sale were invited to a special time for adoration and prayer, with a particular focus on praying for vocations that more young people may hear and respond to God’s call in their lives, especially to the priesthood in our Diocese.

The children from St Joseph’s Primary school had spent many hours over previous weeks preparing beautiful, themed artwork to decorate St Joseph’s Church for this very special, once in 25 year event.  A warm welcoming Church on a cold Sth Gippsland afternoon, soft background music and bells rung on the half hour provided an ideal environment for adoration, prayer and reflection.  Around 80 parishioners and pilgrims attended at various times during the 3½ hours.  In addition, children from St Joseph’s school also visited the Church as individual classes, which gave them a unique experience of Adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Parishioners and pilgrims then progressively moved on to St Laurence’s Church in Leongatha where Jubilee Mass was celebrated by Bishop Greg Bennet and the Clergy of the Diocese of Sale at 4pm. The timing of this Mass coincided with a Mass at the Vatican for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, presided over by the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Basilica with ordination of new priests.

Pilgrimage Stop - St Laurence’s

The beautiful Spanish Baroque styled St Laurence O’Toole Church in Leongatha had also been decorated by the students from the local primary school for the Jubilee Mass to be celebrated by Bishop Greg Bennet and joined by the clergy of the Sale Diocese.

Just before 4pm the 23 Clergy members from around the Sale Diocese moved from the Presbytery building to the Church and then formed in procession to lead Bishop Greg and host Parish Priest Fr Stanly Devasia into the Church to the sounds of the hymn ‘Hail Redeemer, King Devine’ led by the combined St Laurence’s and St Joseph’s choir.

 

   

Bishop Greg’s homily and the Prayers of the Faithful focused on the mystery of love, God’s infinite love for us, and in this Jubilee Year, that we may be united in love and charity drawing strength from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the wish that every Parish in the Diocese become a fountain of hope, compassion and evangelization for those seeking Christ.  In marking this day as we celebrate the Jubilee of Clergy and Religious, Bishop Greg prayed for his brothers and sisters who have dedicated their lives to Christ in service that they may find renewed joy and zest in the Heart of Jesus and that this Jubilee Year may bring them closer to the source of their vocation and that their example might inspire hope in the hearts of the faithful.

 

The formalities closed with the recessional hymn and procession of the Clergy, followed by afternoon tea – a fabulous spread of finger food from traditional Indian, to home made sausage rolls, sandwiches and dessert delicacies.

The host Parish Priest, Fr Stanly, thanked the clergy, pilgrims and parishioners for their attendance and expressed his appreciation to the organizing committee, the choir, the AV team who provided coverage for the overflow attendance and everyone who provided and helped with the catering – who together made this celebration of the Jubilee in the Year of Hope such a success.