Adelaide to host national liturgy and music conference
Events
Liturgical leaders, musicians, and educators will gather in Adelaide later this year for a national conference focusing on the theme, Pilgrims of Hope: Transformed through Sacrament and Song.
Jointly organised by the Australian Pastoral Musicians Network (APMN) and the National Liturgical Council (NLC), the conference responds to the call by the late Pope Francis to become “tireless cultivators of the Gospel” by focusing on the liturgy as the “source and summit” of Christian life.
To be held at the Hilton Hotel from October 1-3, the conference offers a rich program designed to refresh ministries and reimagine worship.
More than 50 workshops will be on offer – spanning liturgical art, sacramental ministry, choral leadership and youth engagement – with delegates learning about practical tools to reinvigorate parish and school communities.
Sessions on chant, organ, composition and intercultural worship will refresh musicians and liturgists alike, while renewed emphasis on sacred architecture and ritual will invite the reimagining of physical and spiritual spaces.
Keynote speakers Rita Ferrone, Fr Ricky Manalo CSP and Fr Richard Leonard SJ headline the conference program and will provide insights about rites, ritual and rhythm.
“Our pilgrimage of hope reconnects us to the gift of the liturgy. It’s not just ritual – it’s how we rediscover God’s presence in our communities,” said award-winning liturgical theologian Ferrone.
Fr Manalo, a Filipino-American composer and theologian, shared how his roots in devotional music and intercultural ministry reinforce the universal call to praise. His compositions, celebrated worldwide, exemplify how music reveals divine grace across cultures
“My pilgrimage began with a household resounding with faith and song. Liturgy must respond to the signs of the times, blending tradition and creativity,” he said.
Fr Richard Leonard SJ, bestselling author and pastor, spoke of the liturgy’s radical potential to evangelise.
“Baptisms, weddings, and funerals are ripe moments to reawaken faith,” he explained. “When we ritualise love and loss with authenticity, we remove barriers to God.”
His workshops will equip delegates to reclaim sacraments as encounters with hope.
The conference’s theme invites delegates to reflect on how worship resonates beyond church walls. From school choirs to parish councils, attendees will rehearse ways to radiate the Gospel through music and ritual.
A Mass at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, to be celebrated by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan, will reunite participants in a resplendent celebration of unity.
“Whether you’re a cantor, composer, or catechist, this event reaffirms your role in God’s mission. We’re rallying a community of resolute pilgrims,” said Michael Mangan, APMN chair.
For more information and to register, go to pilgrimsofhope.com.au
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