On the last Sunday of September, communities around the world celebrated World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

Parishioners gathered at St Mary’s Church in North Sydney on Tuesday 29th of September, for an evening concert in support of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia.

Generously organised by parishioner and musician James D’Arcy, alongside a volunteer ensemble, the concert featured Mozart’s Grand Partita, and brought together over 120 members of the Our Lady of the Way Parish and broader community.  

In introducing the concert, James shared the personal significance the evening held for him, combining both his love of music, and the memory of his parents. When James was a boy, his family welcomed refugees from Vietnam, and instilled in him a lifelong passion for protecting the rights of people seeking asylum in Australia.

Parish priest, Rev Dr. Richard Leonard SJ, also reflected on the wider significance of the evening, calling it a gift from the Holy Spirit. “This evening is testament to the welcoming, multicultural community we want to create in North Sydney,” he shared.

Molly Jackson from JRS Australia also spoke to parishioners about the organisation’s work accompanying, serving and advocating alongside people seeking asylum and refugees, and expressed the organisations sincere gratitude to the Parish for its ongoing support.

“When people are supported to rebuild their lives, they are able to share their own skills, experiences and gifts, and thrive in their new communities. Thank you for making this possible.”

The evening was so warmly received.

Following the concert, many people came up to share how much they had enjoyed the performance, and the time it gave them to spend time in quiet reflection amongst community.

One parishioner said she would love to see more events that bring people together in this way, and that she felt inspired to organise an event of her own!

Thank you once again to James for bringing the evening together, the musicians for volunteering their time and talent, to Fr Richard for hosting the evening at St Mary’s Church, and to the wonderful North Sydney community for putting their faith into action together at this special time of year. 

If your community would like to explore ways to support JRS Australia, visit our take action page or contact community@jrs.org.au to find out more.