St Michael's Parish in Traralgon proudly hosted the highly anticipated "Concert of Hope" on November 16th, as part of the Jubilee Year 2025. This vibrant gathering of community, choirs and musicians was a key diocesan response to the Jubilee initiative, themed "Pilgrims of Hope". The day began at St Michael's Parish, Traralgon, with Mass celebrated by Bishop Greg Bennet and concelebrated by Fr Bernard Buckley, Vicar General, Fr Aju Varghese CMI, the parish priest, and Deacon Tony Aspinall. The music was led by Jane Mitchell, Simon Hemming, and Mick and Joe Diamente.
A solemn "Blessing of Musicians and Choristers" was an integral part of the event, offering spiritual affirmation to all the performers. The blessing resonated deeply with the Jubilee theme of hope, calling upon the choirs and musicians to be a conduit for the divine: "May the music of the universe first composed by the Creator resonate in your hearts, form on your lips, and play through your fingers to echo His image in you for us". The faithful were invited to respond to the music "in faith and hope," and were prayed for so that they might "glimpse in your music the divine call to harmony and peace".
Following the liturgy, participants and performers were graciously hosted for a communal lunch provided by MEN ALIVE with the support of J Walkers, the youth team of St Michael’s Parish, before moving to the main concert venue which was the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre (GPAC).
The musical celebration, the 17th of 20 planned events for the Jubilee year, drew inspiration from Pope Francis's call to "fan the flame of hope" and encourage looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The program featured a diverse and inspiring repertoire from choirs and musicians across the Gippsland region, including One Voice, Our Lady Help Of Christians, Children's Choir from Narre Warren, St Michael's Primary School Choir from Traralgon, Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir from Traralgon, The Seraphs of St Patrick’s Choir from Pakenham, Jane Mitchell & Simon Hemming from Traralgon, The Yallourn Madrigal Singers, and the Latrobe Orchestra. The event underscored the belief that music and song act as a language that "speaks to our soul offering solace, connection, and hope”.
The event was the vision of Parish Priest Fr Aju Varghese. A note of sincere thanks was given to all those involved in making the event happen, including the organisers headed by Mike Hansen, along with the St Michael’s Parish Council that formed the parish Jubilee team. Special appreciation was also extended to Cath Hill, St Michael’s Parish Secretary, for her "stalwart commitment to making this all happen". The celebration concluded with a final message from American poet Emily Dickinson: “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.”
