Last Saturday 31 May over 60 people gathered in the Toohey Room to view the artwork created for the Jubilee Art Exhibition. It was evident in the creations that the artists had reflected deeply on the theme ‘Hope does not disappoint’.

In his Jubilee Year letter to us Pope Francis begins by quoting Saint Paul saying “Spes non confundit” – “Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom5:5). This letter encourages us to be “tangible signs of hope” for others, especially those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.

The artists reflected on the theme using colours, shapes, lines and symbols and transformed the words to provide a deeper meaning and provoke the thoughts and feelings of the audience.

Artists needed to describe how their artwork connected with the theme and prizes were awarded in Adult, High School and Primary School categories.

Commendation awards were given to Amaya Pomplun for her work Towards Hope & Lilijana Pomplun for The Tree of Love.

Primary School awards were given to:

Thomas Harker- Growth is Hope

Ava Davis- Pouring Kindness

Leena Al-Attar- The Power of Hope from a Single Spark

Ivy-Rose Harmer- Anchored in Hope

Overall winners:

1st Primary School – Gwen Competente- Bridge to hope

Artist Statement

A girl is desperate to escape the war. While fleeing, she comes across a bridge and discovers freedom from war on the other side. Initially the girl thought she was hallucinating but she realises her prayers have been answered. The girl sees Jesus, she hugs him in gratitude, feeling peace and happiness radiating from him. The girl has been praying for a long time that war has ended. Her prayers were answered as hope does not disappoint!

1st High school -Paige Jones – The Tree of Hope

Artist Statement

My painting embodies the theme of hope for this Jubilee Year through its symbolic use of the tree to represent Jesus as both human and divine. The Jubilee Year is a time of renewal, forgiveness and new beginnings, grounded deeply in the Christian message of hope. I painted a tree with one side representing Jesus’s divine nature, and the other representing his humanity. You may not think a tree is the best image to use to represent Jesus, but the way I see it, trees are the source of everything. Trees give us life, clean air, and beautiful scenery. I believe Jesus is the source of everything – He revealed God’s teachings to us, He taught us about God’s Kingdom, He suffered for us, and through His endurance, death and resurrection, He gave us hope. 

My tree, with its two sides, mirrors this dual nature of Christ, offering a powerful visual of how Jesus bridges humanity and divinity to bring salvation, restoration and hope. The darker, withered side of the tree conveys the hope given to us through Jesus’s humanity as he suffers alongside us. The bright, vibrant side of the tree represents the hope we are given through Jesus’s divinity as the Son of God and the eternal hope He brings.

Just as trees continue to grow and thrive through every season, so too does the hope we are given through Jesus as fully human and divine. Hope does not disappoint (Rom 5:5) and to me hope is more than just wishful thinking – hope is positive action. By acting to bring Jesus’s teachings to life, we are given the hope of building a better world.

Winner Adult -Michelle Lawson- Confirmed in Hope

Artist Statement

Anchored in both faith and personal legacy, the central element of this work is a printed reproduction of a page from my own Holy Bible—gifted to me by my grandparents at my Confirmation in 1983. Their love and spiritual guidance continue to shape my faith journey.

Crimson hues dominate the composition, symbolically chosen to reflect the colours of our Diocese while representing both sacrifice and the transformative warmth of divine love. The layering of rich reds and purples evokes life’s emotional and spiritual complexity, while the use of darks and lights reveals the deeper truth: that with Hope, light always overcomes darkness.

The composition is intentionally cruciform—a subtle yet firm visual foundation representing Christ’s ultimate gift of love and salvation. The mixed media layers—ink, acrylic, and scripture—speak to the multifaceted nature of our human experience and the Holy Spirit’s quiet, powerful presence within it.

Finishing the piece, my signature expressive ink markings form the word “Hope” in bold, sweeping strokes—a visual prayer and declaration. In this act of painting, I seek to honour both the verse and the lived experience of holding fast to faith, knowing that hope in God will never disappoint.

 Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Jubilee Art Exhibition- Hope does not Disappoint.