Homily given by Bishop Anthony Randazzo
Bishop of Broken Bay
Closing of the Holy Year 2025
Feast of the Holy Family
28 December 2025
My sisters and brothers in Christ,
On this beautiful Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, we gather in our Cathedral to close the Holy Year of Hope. We do so with grateful hearts, aware of the many graces we have received, and confident that the God who has begun this good work in us will continue to bring it to fulfilment.
It is fitting that this Holy Year concludes today, as we contemplate family life in the light of the Gospel. The Holy Family was not a family without struggle or uncertainty. Their lives were marked by journeys, displacement, misunderstanding, and moments of deep sorrow. Yet, anchored in trust in God, their home became a place where hope was nurtured, faith was lived, and love was made flesh.
Families today come in many shapes and sizes. Some are large, some small. Some are close-knit, others carry wounds or absence. Some people long for family, others grieve what has been lost, and some have found family beyond ties of blood. The Church looks upon every family, and every person, with tenderness and respect. Above all, through Baptism, we belong to the Family of God. In the Divine Household there is a place prepared for all the faithful, because God truly desires the salvation of all people.
The Word of God reminds us that family life is a sacred place of grace. The Book of Ecclesiasticus tells us that honouring our parents is like amassing a treasure, and that respect given bears fruit across generations (cf Si 3:4-5). Saint Paul, writing to the Colossians, urges us, as God’s chosen and beloved people, to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (cf Col 3:12). These are not abstract ideals. They are the daily fabric of family life and Christian discipleship.
As we close this Holy Year of Hope, we turn our gaze to Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, whom Pope Francis has called the supreme witness of hope (cf Spes non confundit, 24). In Mary, hope is not naive optimism. It is a gift of grace lived amid the realities of life. She pondered the future of her Son, treasured God’s promises, and carried in her heart the painful words spoken by Simeon in the Temple. At the foot of the cross, overwhelmed by grief, she renewed her yes to God, never abandoning her trust. In her sorrow, offered in love, she became for us the Mother of Hope.
Here in our diocese, we honour Mary under her ancient and beautiful title, Stella Maris, Star of the Sea. Just as sailors look to the stars to find their way amid dark and stormy waters, so we look to Mary, who sustains us, encourages us, and leads us always to her Son. She teaches our families, and our Church, how to persevere in hope when the way is unclear.
Alongside Mary stands Joseph, a quiet and faithful guardian. He listened to the angel who spoke to him in a dream and acted with courage and obedience (cf Matt 2:13-15; 19-23). He protected and safeguarded Jesus and Mary, not with many words, but through steadfast love and devotion to the will of God. Saint Joseph reminds us that holiness often grows in silence, in responsibility, and in faithful action taken day by day.
What, then, do we take with us as this Holy Year draws to a close? A renewed person of hope does not forget prayer. Prayer keeps our hearts open to God and attentive to one another. Renewed in faith, hope, and charity, we are sent forth to seek Jesus Christ, who is our hope and who never disappoints (cf Rm 5:5). We seek him in our lives, in our families, in our Scriptures, in our sacraments, in our Church, and in our world.
We are also invited to read the signs of the times through the lens of love (cf Saint Pope Paul VI, 25 Dec 1975). Our neighbour is every person God places on our path, including those in need of understanding, help, comfort, and sacrifice. Even those who are difficult, unknown to us, or openly hostile, are invested with the incomparable dignity of brother or sister. The wisdom of fraternal love, which has marked the Church’s journey through history, is called once more to bear new fruit, bringing renewed joy and a healing presence to our society.
My dear brothers and sisters, the graces of this Holy Year of Hope help us to remember where we have come from and to see more clearly where the Lord is sending us. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we continue our mission to proclaim the Good News with lives shaped by compassion, courage, and trust in God.
May the Holy Family bless every family and every heart here today. May Mary, Star of the Sea, guide us safely through the storms of life. May Saint Joseph teach us faithful obedience. And may Christ, our hope, remain always at the centre of our homes, our Church, and our world. Amen.