Be a pilgrim of hope in 2025!
I am grateful for this experience and encourage others to be a pilgrim with FSA, to bring to life the Franciscan tradition by walking in the footsteps of St Francis and St Clare. Margareta 2024
FSA 2025 Pilgrimage to Rome, Assisi and sacred Franciscan places.
The late Pope Francis, announced 2025 is a special Jubilee Year with a theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.” Discover more about this year HERE
In The Year of Jubilee 2025 FSA will be in Assisi for the Feast of St Francis!
Francis and Clare’s founding charism provided hope for the Church of their day that was falling down and in ruin. They made peace and non-violence a way of life, and these were expressed in their relationships. Relationships are at the heart of the educational experience also.
The Australian Franciscan Family Pilgrimage Experience in the Year of Jubilee.
Weaving contemporary Australian educational content with ancient Franciscan traditions. Led by Australians for Australian educators and religious.
Monday 29 September – Sunday 12 October 2025
Rome: 29 Sep – 3 Oct 2025 | 4 nights – The eternal city. Visit four Holy Doors in the Jubilee Year. Experience a papal audience, meet the Aust. Ambassador to the Holy See and learn more about Francis’ connection to the church of Rome.
Assisi: 3 Oct – 11 Oct 2025 | 8 nights – Be in Assisi for the Feast of St. Francis. Explore the home of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi and other Franciscan sites.
Rome: 11 Oct 2025 | 1 night – complete your pilgrimage with a sacred ritual and meal before flying home or travel onto other European cities.
COST: $6,100- AUD (land cost only | + add own flight cost)
Land Cost includes 13 nights’ SINGLE accommodation in Casas, 3 x Franciscan leaders, Italian speaking tour director, scholarly input and guided tours of sanctuaries and Basilicas, Eucharist or prayer every day, most meals, coach transfers, all gratuities for guides, restaurants, as well as gifts at Casas, sacred sites, chapels, and Masses. Payment plan over 10 months. Last payment July 2025.
FSA awarded some part scholarships for this 2025 pilgrimage. Thank you to all who applied.
FSA welcomes all pilgrims! We commit ourselves to your service.
Why a Pilgrimage?
Co-Leaders
The expertise, passion and wisdom of our Pilgrimage Leaders – Alison Stone, Stephen Bliss and Paul Rout – gave an intimate insight into the lives of these two people who inevitably changed the church 800 years ago. The regular scholarly input perfectly balanced the free time pilgrims were given to experience the Franciscan places visited. Michael
Fr Stephen Bliss OFM and Fr Paul Rout OFM will accompany pilgrims as spiritual leaders and sources of Franciscan wisdom in 2025.
Alison Stone, FSA Animator of Mission and Identity will weave logistics, scholarly input and Australian educational context.
Testimonies 2024
This pilgrimage was one of deep learning and renewal and will be a source of inspiration for my personal and work life for many years to come. Melissa
As I sit down to reflect on my recent Franciscan pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome, joined by two other members of my school community, I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the great sense of spiritual growth I experienced. We had daily creative celebrations of liturgy and prayer that were facilitated by Franciscan Friars, Fr Stephen Bliss and Fr Paul Rout and also our Franciscan Schools Australia Animator of Mission and Identity Alison Stone. Every encounter, every moment of prayer and reflection impacted my growth and animated our Franciscan charism in ways I had not imagined. Rachel
It was an extraordinary experience, one which I will treasure long into the future. Christelle
This pilgrimage has rekindled my own faith. I have come away inspired and challenged … to truly live the gospel in the most simplest of ways so as to transform hearts and minds. Margareta
The FSA pilgrimage experience enabled me to have a deeper understanding of the Franciscan charism and also to see the difficulties faced by both Francis and Clare as they answered their calling to walk in the footsteps of Christ. Through our reflection time I was challenged to consider how I can commit myself to the charism and what is required to bring this understanding to our school community. Joanne
As educators in Franciscan schools the pilgrimage was an opportunity to share, network and grow in our understanding of the charism for which we work. Michael
The shared purpose, the investment of self, and the magic of connecting with like-minded companions made this Franciscan pilgrimage one I will cherish, and one I would encourage future pilgrims to open their hearts to the experience of. Nicola
The FSA Pilgrimage helped me to develop more my faith in Christ. It was fabulous meeting others from schools, two Friars and a Poor Clare Sister around Australia. It was wonderful to collect, discuss teaching and learning strategies of how to introduce and embed Franciscan Values with young people. There was much laughter over great meals, walks with spectacular views and coffee in the mornings during our free time. Faye
It indeed was a profound and humbling experience. Pilgrimage has taught me the power of the intellectual tradition of the Franciscan Charism and most importantly, the value of the story for the young people I teach and work with. Martin
This pilgrimage has rekindled my own faith. I have come away inspired and challenged by Francis and Clare’s desire for deep listening, especially to the poor, their desire for peace, their ability to see God’s goodness in the beauty of all creation, even a broken stone, and their desire to truly live the gospel in the most simplest of ways so as to transform hearts and minds. I am grateful for this experience and encourage others to be a pilgrim with FSA, to bring to life the Franciscan tradition by walking in the footsteps of St Francis and St Clare. Margareta
Stephen ofm
National Executive Coordinator
