In late November 2025, the Malaysian city of Penang became the vibrant hub of a historic continental gathering as over 900 Catholic leaders and faithful from across Asia convened for the Great Pilgrimage of Hope (GPH).
The Great Pilgrimage of Hope (GPH) may have ended, but its message continues to echo across Asia. If the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) describes the Church as one “in dialogue for mission,” GPH 2025 makes it clear who will help drive that mission forward: the youth.
The Great Pilgrimage of Hope, held in Penang, Malaysia, from November 27 to 30, brought renewed focus to a fundamental truth of Christian life: mission is not the task of a few, but the identity of every baptized believer.
We were invited to look upon Asia not as a “land to be conquered,” but as a home, in the spirit of the FABC, where the “Seeds of the Word” are already present within its cultures and religions.
During a press conference held at the Great Pilgrimage of Hope on November 29, Pablo Virgilio S. Cardinal David, Bishop of Kalookan and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, responded to questions on the Church’s preparations for the 2033 Jubilee Year marking 2,000 years since the death and resurrection of Jesus.
