In the spirit of the Jubilee Year of Hope, choirs from across the Diocese of St. Augustine are invited to lift their voices in thanksgiving at the Jubilee of Choirs on Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22. The event honors Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians and singers, and celebrates the gift of sacred music that builds community, strengthens faith and inspires hope.
Pope Francis has often spoken of the vital role music plays in the Church’s mission. Addressing more than 8,000 singers at the Vatican in a 2018 address to choirs, he said, “Your music and your song are a true instrument of evangelization, which touches people’s hearts and allows one to perceive the beauty of Paradise.”
He later told the Pueri Cantores Federation that “singing is a language that leads to the communion of hearts,” reminding church musicians that their vocation is to serve unity through beauty and joy.
Pope Leo XIV also reflected on the spiritual depth of sacred music. Speaking in June 2025, he described polyphony as “a musical form full of meaning for prayer and for Christian life,” explaining that “the effect of this dynamic unity in diversity — a metaphor for our common journey of faith under the guidance of the Holy Spirit — is to help the listener enter ever more deeply into the mystery expressed by the words.”
These words capture the spirit of the Jubilee of Choirs: music as prayer, as communion, and as a joyful witness to the hope that never disappoints.
The jubilee celebration begins Friday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m. with Evening Prayer and music sharing at both St. Luke Catholic Church, 1606 Blanding Blvd., Middleburg, and St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11757 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville.
It continues Saturday, Nov. 22, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., diocesan school choirs and bands will offer a Concert of Hope at St. Joseph Church in Jacksonville.
All are welcome to attend and join in a song of faith and thanksgiving for our Church and our world.
For additional information about the Catholic Schools Concert of Hope, contact Lisa Moser at lisamoser@bishopsnyder.org. For information about Evening Prayer and Music Sharing, email Christine Couch at music@stlukesparish.org (St. Luke) or Frank DeProspo at fdeprospo@me.com (St. Joseph).
