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Tonight · 7:00 pm · Sydney

Fiji Catholic Trans-Tasman Festival of Hope 2026 programme

Join Us
Concert Tickets
Friday 28 August · Marana Auditorium, Hurstville · Doors 6:30 pm
Adult
$50
Junior
$30
Under 18
Family
$120
2 Adults + 2 Juniors
Under 6
Free
Purchase Tickets - Humanitix

Day registrations for Saturday and Sunday have now closed.

Full Programme
Festival Schedule
Friday 28 August

Festival Concert Night

Marana Auditorium, Hurstville
6:30 am
Morning Mass - on site at Bringelly
6:30 pm
Doors Open - Marana Auditorium
7:00 pm
Fiji Catholic Trans-Tasman Festival of Hope Concert - We're as strong as our faith and as young as our hope
Auckland Fiji Catholic Community featuring guests We Three and Joseph Vuicakau
10:00 pm
Concert conclusion
Saturday 29 August

Banquet of Hope · Ceremony of Lights & Social

Bringelly · 🌺 Island Wear
3:30 pm
Arrival - Live Instrumental Music
4:00 pm
Welcome, Formalities & Grace
4:30 pm
Banquet of Hope - Dinner begins
Live music and dinner
6:00 pm
Cutting of the Banquet of Hope Cake
Followed by the Banquet of Hope Raffle
6:30 pm - 7:15 pm

Ceremony of Lights

Ceremony of Lights commences
Blowing of the Davui
The Conch Shell - the ancient call to gather
Na Kaci - The Call
Lighting of the 12 Torches
Reflection: Light of the World
Lighting of the 100 Lamps
Reflection: Beacons of Hope
Candle Light Dance
Need Your Loving
Tribute - Memorial
In the Sweet By & By
Rings of Light Dance
Chariots of Fire
Step Dance
Never-Ending Love · Ceremony concludes
✝ In Loving Memory Tributes
7:15 pm
Trans-Tasman Chaplaincy Performances
9:15 pm
Social
11:30 pm
Conclusion
Sunday 30 August

Retreat & Thanksgiving

Villa Maria, Hunters Hill
Retreat Session I · 11:00 am
Mrs Mere (Mary) Fong
"Mary, God's Masterpiece"

A beloved speaker from Fiji. Mrs Fong reflects on Mary as the model of hope for every generation.

Retreat Session II · 1:15 pm
Sister Anne Lata SMSM
"The Eucharist is the Heart of the Church in Mission"

A Sister of Our Lady of Nazareth, Sydney. Sister Anne shares deep wisdom and a pastoral heart on the Eucharist in daily life.

11:00 am
Retreat Session I - Mary, God's Masterpiece
Mrs Mere (Mary) Fong
12:00 pm
Light refreshments
12:30 pm
Visit to the Marist Fathers' Cemetery and Rosary
1:15 pm
Retreat Session II - The Eucharist is the Heart of the Church in Mission
Sister Anne Lata SMSM
2:00 pm
Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction
3:30 pm
FSCC Monthly Mass & Festival of Hope Thanksgiving Mass
5:30 pm
Veiqaravi Vaka Vanua & Convivium
Friday 28 August · Marana Auditorium
Concert Programme

Every item builds toward one message - carried into Sunday: Our Blessed Mother, and the Power of the Eucharist.

Opening

Welcome · Acknowledgements · Opening Prayer - Father Epeli Qimaqima

Segment One
Item 1 · Opening
Our Blessed Mother
Item 2
Across the Generations
Item 3
Teach Your Children Well
Item 4
Up Yonder
Item 5
Tribute to Our Elders & Pioneers
Segment Two
Item 6
Servant Leadership
Item 7
Viri Koto
Item 8
Family, Love & Marriage
Closing

Closing Remarks · Closing Prayer - Father Pio Fong

Music
Songs of the Festival

Festival theme song

Verse 1

We're as strong as our faith and as young as our hope
We will run, sing and dance and we'll never grow old
We shall go, be pathfinders and beacons of hope
We calm the raging waters, beyond the wind and waves

When our little faith falters, as it often does
May your gentle voice, we hear, saying to us
Courage, my children, do not be afraid
Our “li'l” boat we steer, beyond the wind and waves

Interlude
We're as strong as our faith and as young as our hope
We will run, sing and dance and we'll never grow old
We shall go, be pathfinders and beacons of hope
We calm the raging waters, beyond the wind and waves
Verse 2

You're my sister, my brother, one family are we
He's the vine, we're the branches, we blossom in him
In our unity we go forth to the world
We're strong and relentless, beyond the wind and waves

We're as strong as our faith and as young as our hope
We will run, sing and dance and we'll never grow old
We shall go, be pathfinders and beacons of hope
We calm the raging waters, beyond the wind and waves
Outro

We shall go, be pathfinders and beacons of hope
We calm the raging waters, beyond the wind and waves
We're as strong as our faith and as young as our hope

Lyrics composed by Fr Pio Fong SM.
Practical Information
Venues, Dress & Getting There
Friday 28 Aug · Concert

Marana Auditorium

Cnr MacMahon St & Railway Pde
Hurstville NSW 2220
Open in Maps ↗
Thursday - Saturday · On-Site

St Joseph's Conference Centre

30 Tyson Road
Bringelly NSW 2556
Open in Maps ↗
Sunday 30 Aug · Retreat & Mass

Holy Name of Mary Parish

3 Mary Street
Hunters Hill NSW 2110
Open in Maps ↗
Dress Guide
Friday · Concert
Smart / Semi-Formal

A special evening - dress to celebrate

Saturday · Bula Night
🌺
Colourful Island Wear

Bula shirts, sulu, florals - the brighter the better

Sunday · Retreat & Mass
🕊️
Sunday's Best

White, Green, Blue, Gold

Acknowledgement of Country

Bringelly
We acknowledge the Dharug, Dharawal and Gundungurra people, the Traditional Custodians of the land, waters and skies on which we gather today. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all First Nations People.

Hurstville
We acknowledge the Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land, waters and skies on which we gather. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all First Nations People.

© Fiji Catholic Trans-Tasman Festival of Hope 2026