1 July 2025
In April, our Chief of People & Mission, Mike Hart, joined a group of Australian health and aged care leaders on a pilgrimage to Rome.
Organised by Australian Catholic University, the journey formed part of the 2025 Jubilee Year, declared by the late Pope Francis with the theme Pilgrims of Hope, and focused on health and aged care as part of a global reflection on healing, dignity and service.
For Mike, returning to Rome after 25 years, the experience was both deeply spiritual and affirming. “Jubilee years are important in the life of the Church”, he shared. “It’s a time of renewal, a time of forgiveness, of celebration”.
A standout moment for Mike was visiting the Sant’Egidio community, an inspiring lay Catholic movement dedicated to social justice and care for the elderly. “To see their integrated approach, where community groups work hand-in-hand with local government and universities to combat frailty, loneliness and social isolation, was eye-opening”, he said.
Their model included birthday outreach calls, health assessments, and personalised wellbeing plans, all driven by compassion and human connection.
These themes deeply echo our own mission at Southern Cross Care which is about providing care and accommodation that honours each person’s dignity and responds with love and respect. The Sant’Egidio model was similar to the way we strive to serve, with courage in innovation, compassion in action, and service at our core.
Mike also found renewed energy in the words of leaders like Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, who reminded pilgrims to focus not only on the beginning and end of life, but on living fully in between, an idea that resonated strongly with our vision at Southern Cross Care to grow communities where best lives are lived.
“Whether in Rome, Singapore or here in Australia”, Mike reflected, “the challenges of ageing and social isolation are shared”. But so too is the opportunity and responsibility to respond with hope.
