Submitted by Graine McCabe

In the summer of 2024, the Olton Friary craft group started a parish project to create a poppy display for the November Remembrance and the parish Celebration of Life service.

The response from parishioners was overwhelming, over 700 poppies were knitted, crocheted, sewn and glued for the display.

The ‘Jubilee Year of Hope’ was declared by Pope Francis for 2025, the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ aimed to offer hope to the world amidst challenges like war, Covid-19 pandemic and climate crisis.

How could we respond to this in Olton Friary parish?

Following the amazing response to the poppy project, as a Lenten challenge to be completed by Easter, we asked the parish to help with a new project for the Jubilee Year to demonstrate Hope.

We are the ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. Parishioners provided past and present photographs of individuals, couples and families of all ages, for a HOPE picture collage.

Symbols of Hope – We asked for ideas, from all ages, of what symbolises hope. The only stipulation was that the ideas needed to fit on a 13cm square.

We had art work, photographs and items knitted, crocheted and sewn. Youth leaders encouraged youngsters from the youth group to represent their ideas. “Hope is a gift from God” wrote one young person. Parents and helpers supervised craft activities with ’Little Church’ though not all the little ones wanted to donate their creations to the display!

We all have hopes for our families and children for a future of peace and love where the needs of others and our beautiful planet are considered. The realisation of hopes is through prayer. We are asking people to write their hopes on butterfly shapes to be offered at the Jubilee Mass which will take place later in the year. 

And so the project continues.

Olton Friary

The Jubilee Year