Jubilee Year Events 2025

ACU Jubilee Events

Jubilee Year Events - Faculty of Education & Arts

1. The first FEA Executive Dean seminar of 2025 will spotlight the Arts.

   “In Focus Executive Dean Presents...Priced Out. Locked Out: Housing and Hope” will be held on 27 March 2025 in Melbourne. The panel discussion will focus on housing affordability and access examined from a structural vs agential approach.
   
   Australia is currently facing an unprecedented housing crisis, where affordability and access are seemingly out of reach for many. Driven by economic pressures, shifting demographics, and systemic inequities, the barriers to secure housing have never been greater. Is there hope for people looking to get their foot on the first rung of the housing ladder? This panel brings together experts from the housing industry, academia, and politics to explore the structural and agential factors driving the crisis and what can be done to improve the outlook. Are sweeping policy reforms the answer, or can individual and community-led initiatives pave the way? Join us for a critical discussion on the causes, impacts, and pathways to unlock affordable housing for all Australians.

2. Curate exhibitions in our galleries featuring visual art that reflects the theme of hope. This could be a central theme for student projects.

   The McGlade Gallery at the Strathfield Campus will host the Clancy Prize for religious art, which has the theme of Hope, in 2025. It will be open 5-12 September 2025.

3. FEA Partnerships is holding a major education event in collaboration with our Catholic education partners: “The ACU Summit of Hope through Education, Research and Service 2025” will be held on 20 Nov 2025 (ACU Melbourne), with 4 separate events leading into the Summit (online). The first two events will be 1 May and 3 July.

   The Summit will bring together Catholic education organisations from around Australia to discuss key issues affecting Catholic education in the 21^st century. The summit will cover a broad range of themes related to the ACU Mission including teacher pipeline, curriculum delivery, middle leadership, mission, service, wellbeing and professional development, with a focus on co-design and collaboration to address challenges in the sector. The audience will include Catholic education Dioceses as well as Catholic school leaders and teachers.

4. A presentation from National School of Education staff about their work in the Solomon Islands and the hope they are affording future teachers and students. (Date tba).

5. (International) Jubilee focused seminar in Rome. Either one day of three-day event, set in the afternoon): 22 October (Wednesday) – Feast St. John Paul II. 24 October (Friday) – Feast of St. Raphael the Archangel (during the time that FEA students are attending the ACU Rome campus).

Jubilee Year Events - Faculty of Health Sciences

1. To be a sign of hope for the sick, the Church is celebrating the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers on 5-6 April, 2025. As part of this worldwide celebration, and as the largest formator of healthcare workers in Australia, Australian Catholic University (ACU) is hosting a professional development workshop at its Campus Di Roma. The program is designed for leaders in the Catholic health and aged care sectors across Australia and will bring together thought leaders in these sectors to focus attention on some of the emerging challenges and opportunities facing health and aged care in Australia. The theme of the workshop is: Hope and Leadership: Igniting relationships and building alliances. For more information contact buys@acu.edu.au

2. In February Professor Mark Lazenby Dean of Nursing UC Irvine Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing in California will visit ACU on a week-long speaking tour talking on the theme of Healing the Healers Soul. Professor Lazenby is an international expert on psychosocial-spiritual cancer care and is well known for his philosophy of nursing project, a trilogy published by Oxford University Press, which presents a new vision for nursing and its place in the world. Details of specific events and how to attend soon to come.

3. Guided by concepts of mutual beneficence and capacity building, the Faculty enables students to immerse themselves in the heart of Italy at ACU’s stunning Rome campus through a range of short-term international study experiences (STISEs). Studying one unit intensively over two to three weeks, or an immersion semester over six to eight weeks these opportunities are offered at various times throughout the year. Surrounded by awe-inspiring architecture and rich history, students studying Biomedical Science, Exercise Science, Nursing, Nutrition Science, Occupational Therapy, Midwifery, Paramedicine, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Social Work and Speech Pathology have the opportunity to immerse themselves, for between 2 and 6 weeks, in a transformative combination of academic excellence and an authentic connection to local culture. Students participate in meaningful community projects, such as food rescue initiatives or urban regeneration, or undertake clinical practice in local hospitals, all the while connecting with global organizations to better understand how their discipline can bring hope and contribute to real-world impacts at both local and international levels. ACU’s Rome campus is more than just a place to study—it’s a gateway to personal growth, academic excellence, unforgettable experiences, and provides genuine reciprocity and a global perspective with hands-on experiences that that will elevate students’ careers, shape their future in impactful ways and develop true pilgrims of hope. Read more on these opportunities.

4. Along the theme of hope in health, the Faculty of Science Executive Dean Professor Suzanne Chambers will launch a new text “Rising to the Challenge of Life after Cancer: Expert Advice for Finding Wellness”, along with her co-author and ACU Adjunct Professor Jeff Dunn. The book addresses the challenge of flourishing after serious illness, and is a project with Routledge and the British Psychological Society that will be officially launched in May. (note we can add a link when Routledge do an announcement in early 2025)

Jubilee Year Events – Vice President’s Portfolio

1. Proposed Student Pilgrimage, Jubilee of Youth (subject to confirmation) (21 July – 5 August) Every 25 years, the Church proclaims a Holy Year, a special gift of grace and mercy for all God’s people. The Jubilee of Youth pilgrimage is an invitation to young people to step into this grace and join the faithful from around the world for a unique encounter with the Holy Father. On a pilgrimage inspired by many holy men and women of Italy, encounter the pathways of some of the Church’s greatest saints, from St Francis and Clare in Assisi to St Peter and Paul in Rome, and join with the youth of the world to cross the threshold of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica and receive the Jubilee blessing. Spend time in the Eternal City celebrating the Jubilee of Youth.

2. Proposed Staff Pilgrimage, Jubilee of Education (subject to confirmation) (22 October 2025 – 5 November) Every 25 years, the Church proclaims a Holy Year, a special gift of grace and mercy for all God’s people. The Jubilee of Education pilgrimage is an invitation to ACU staff members to step into this grace and join educators from around the world for a unique encounter with the Holy Father. On a pilgrimage inspired by many holy men and women of Italy, encounter the pathways of some of the Church’s greatest saints, from St Francis and Clare in Assisi to St Peter and Paul in Rome, and join with educators around the world to cross the threshold of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica and receive the Jubilee blessing. Spend time in the Eternal City celebrating the Jubilee of Education and joining in an international Catholic Education symposium.

3. As a joint initiative of Campus Ministry and Student Life, international speaker and author, Fr Casey Cole, a young Franciscan friar with almost 400k YouTube subscribers and millions of views, will present a series of state-wide presentations for students and staff and several public lectures. Fr Casey presents the timeless and eternal truths of our Catholic faith in a way that is funny, modern, and relevant for the young and young at heart. Fr Casey will travel to Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne during early June in 2025.

4. Mission Week – as an ACU community, we take one week each year to celebrate our distinctive mission as a Catholic university that unites us all. During Week 2 of Semester 2 (August 11-15, 2025), the Mission and Ministry team will collaborate with all areas of the university to host over 50 events across all our campuses, with everything from guest speakers, photo exhibits, prayer opportunities, a cocktail hour and plenty of give-aways. Each Campus will have unique events, so watch out for yours in your email inbox.

5. Fr Jacques Philippe, world-renowned author who has sold more than 1 million books on modern Catholic spirituality, will be facilitating retreats in Melbourne and Sydney, open to all ACU staff (subject to confirmation) (mid-September 2025).

6. On each campus the Mission and Ministry team will host local retreats, available for all ACU staff, based on the Jubilee theme of hope. Please contact your local Campus Pastoral Associate for more information.

7. To raise awareness about the Jubilee, the office of the Vice President will provide Jubilee Banners on each campus letting people know the theme of the year and where to find more information.