Pilgrimage Walk of Hope
Come and Walk with Us
5-9 May 2025
The Rt Revd Hans Christiansen, Assistant Bishop
In conjunction with the nationwide Anglican initiative of HOPE25, I am undertaking a 100km 5-day Pilgrimage Walk of Hope, visiting 10 Anglican Schools in the northern and central region of Perth and ending at St George’s Cathedral.
This walk is undertaken to empower the youth and staff in our schools to connect with and grow in faith in the God of hope who through Jesus Christ calls us to love our neighbours as ourselves.
In a complex world of great uncertainty, increased loneliness, isolation and climate change, we will slow down, worship and walk together. As we do so we will get to know each other as we connect with our local environment, create new friendships and grow a sense of our shared Anglican identity and community.
The walk seeks to create a sense of connection to our Anglican community and empower our people to be hopeful and energised for a better and more just future.
If the walk becomes a success, it is my intention in 2026 to conduct a Pilgrimage in the Southern and Central Region so that all our Anglican Schools in the Diocese of Peth will take part. Later in the year in September, I will undertake a shortened version of the Pilgrimage of Hope in Esperance with the Esperance Anglican Community School.
As we walk for Hope, we will fundraise for the Anglicare WA Sleepout and Trillion Trees Australia. A GoFundMe Page will be set up and the funds raised will be shared equally between the two charities. I will make a promotional video to be shown in schools to raise awareness of the walk and to encourage thinking about hope and fundraising for our chosen charities.
The Pilgrimage Walk of Hope will commence on 5 May 2025 at St James’ Anglican School in Alkimos. We will walk along the coast via Peter Moyes Anglican Community School,
St Mark’s Anglican Community School, St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School and Hale School and then northeast to John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School and further east to Guildford Grammar School where students and staff from Swan Valley Anglican Community School will join us. On the last day of the Pilgrimage, we will walk from Guildford Grammar School to Perth College along the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) to Perth College and then to St George’s Anglican Grammar School. The walk will end with a combined schools service at St George’s Cathedral on Friday 9 May at 7.00pm. In the service we will celebrate our shared faith in Jesus Christ, our belonging to the Church and our aims to work for a hope-filled future.
The Director of Anglican Identity at AngliSchools, The Reverend Dr Eleanor O’Donnell is walking the entirety of the Pilgrimage with me. Eleanor and I will sleep in the Chapels of the schools we visit and at each school a service or seminar will be conducted by the local chaplain and staff centering around the theme of hope.
We hope that students, staff, chaplains and members of local parishes will walk parts of the pilgrimage with us. For logistical reasons, only staff and students from our schools will be able to partake in activities and services within the schools. Members of parishes and other members of the public are welcome to join us in the walk but only from the outside of each school and to the entry of each school. If you are interested in joining us for some of the walk, the easiest way is by meeting us outside the gates of the school on the day and at the time that suits you (see details below).
I am very much looking forward to meeting many of our students and staff in our Anglican schools and parishioners and members of the public on this Pilgrimage Walk of Hope.
You are welcome to come and walk with us for as long as short as you like. All you need is to lace up the boots, be able to walk around 4.5km per hour, and be willing to join us on the road as we discuss and pray for hope together.
Looking forward to seeing you on the road.
If you can’t make it on the walk, I would appreciate your prayers for this Pilgrimage as we seek to listen to young people and inspire them to be filled with faith, hope and love.
Blessings
+Hans Christiansen
Assistant Bishop of Perth
Visit Walk of Hope 2025 to view the planned itinerary.
Please contact The Reverend Dr Eleanor O’Donnell for further information at eodonnell@anglischools.edu.au