Live Reports

7:00pm
Singers and praise and worship team is practicing songs with the audience.

7:15pm
Vancouver singers start the concert with "Change the World with Love," "Walk with You", "Let Me Get Close to You."

7:25pm
MCs Simon Leung and Eva Yang introduce themselves and share briefly how they have been called by God to evangelize. They also explained the significance of Jubilee Year, which is a year of reconciliation, a year filled with Lord's favour.

7:28pm
Jubilee Children's Choir sings Jubilee Song. The choir consists of around 30 children from St. Francis Xavier parish and Canadian Martyrs parish. Two children were dressed up as angels. The children's singing and dancing created an atmosphere of joy and peace.

7:32pm
Vivien Lee and Martina Lee sing "Smile", with the angels dancing.

7:36pm
Candy Hui and Vivien Lee, then Gabriel Woo and Andrew Chan sing "Beautiful Me".

7:40pm
Anthony Yeung sings "Ho's Diary", with Chris Chen as dancer and rapper.

7:45pm
Drama, "Confused", starts. The story revolves around how an inactive Catholic learns to face the difficulties in life with faith.

8:05pm
Candy Hui and Gabriel Woo sing "Yoke of Jesus", sharing how Jesus lightens our load.

8:10pm

MCs Simon and Eva wrap up drama.

8:15pm

Pauline Szeto, a family therapist, shares how she experiences God's love in life. She shares two examples: 1. Her husband needs to work in Hong Kong; his departure helps his daughters realize how much they love him. 2. Pauline fell seriously ill once. An old neighbour prepares food for her and tells her that Pauline's younger daughter really cared and worried about Pauline. Pauline is extremely touched and feels immense love from her daughter - and from God. The 86-yr old neighbour travels by bus for >1 hr to buy food for Pauline. God tells Pauline how much He loves her through the neighbour and through her daughters.

God always loves us. Are we willing to accept Him?

8:24pm
Candy, Gabriel, Anthony dedicate the song "God Loves in Good Weather and Bad" to Pauline.

8:27pm
Veronica Wong shares how she experiences God love through serious trials in life - her repeated run-ins with cancer. Cancer destroys her life that has been carefully built up, like a cat that runs in and destroys buildings that have been carefully created by a child. However, God heals not only her body, but also her soul. Though she is left with half a lung, she is able to praise and glorify God with her beautiful voice. She shares the song "Only a Shadow" with the audience. Schola Au accompanies Veronica's singing with guitar.

8:38pm
MCs share their thoughts on the concert so far. Intermission starts.

8:58pm

2nd half of concert starts. Tony Kwong from Hong Kong shares his experience on evangelization. Then he introduces the members of the missionary team and the local Vancouver team. Tony also asks Candy, Matthew Shum and Odi Lee to share their thoughts on the evangelization with the audience. "It's a miracle that this concert is taking place," Odi Lee. "We want to share the love of Jesus with you," Candy Hui. "Seeing the audience enjoying the concert is worth every drop of sweat," Matthew Shum.

9:10pm

Everyone sings the EV2000 theme song, "Friends of Jesus's Passover".

9:15pm

Everyone sings "Catholic Youth".

9:20pm

Fr. Giampietro starts his sermon. All the singers, band members and MCs sit on stage behind Fr. Giampietro. Main message: Fly like an eagle. Though we experience difficulties in life, especially as an immigrant, we are called to rise beyond these challenges to fuse the best of two cultures. God calls us to a fulfilling life; our life has meaning because heaven is our destination. If there is no eternal life, our life is like painting plastic planes only to be destroyed at night.

Youth in Hong Kong seem to have no hope. More and more students try to commit suicide. Why have they lost hope in life? Because they don't feel treasured by their parents. Fr. asked his mom why he was born. His mom told him she had been waiting for him to come to the world, and that he brought good fortune to the family and she couldn't live without him. She developed in Fr. a tremendous sense of confidence.

Fr. asks everyone to fill out a reconciliation card, to commit to forgive. Audience then exchange cards with each other as gifts. Everyone also writes their feelings and thoughts on the card. This is a holy moment.

Fr. walks through the evaluation form with the audience.

10:10pm

Praise and Worship begins, led by 30+ singers on stage. Martina Lee prays, then the whole team sings "Be Not Afraid". "May we give our Lord our best, to be embraced and to be loved."

Martina prays, "Let go of our old selves, ... to see our neighbours in new light. Let me spread your love. Use me, use me, Lord."

Praise with "Here I am Lord".

"You remind us to follow You, and only You. Let's not be afraid. Let's reach out for the abundant graces."

Sing and praise, "Let Us Sing and Dance for Him." The whole audience is moved by the atmosphere, waving hands along with those on stage.

10:22pm

Fr. Giampietro now invites the audience to pray together. Everyone sings "Wind Blows Where It Wants". Everyone holds hands, clap hands, wave hands, together.

Prayer: "Please pray for those who've experienced stroke and car accident."
Prayer: "Please pray for the seniors, who've contributed much to our society but are often neglected. Please also pray for my mother-in-law and my son."
Prayer: "Please pray for the eradication of cancer, that everyone lives in peace and in good health."
Prayer: "Please pray for the non-Catholics that they would accept the gift of faith."
Prayer: "Please pray for the relationships between parents and children."
Prayer: "God, you have given us lots of graces. We ask for your mercy, that we as a humanity could return to you as one to praise and glorify you, and you live in your love forever."
Prayer: "Please pray for the Catholic church in Hong Kong and in mainland China, and that the young people here would continue spreading God's love."
Prayer: "Please pray for the pilgrimage from Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church that'll depart tomorrow. Please also pray for the married couples and their families."
Prayer: "Please pray for those children who don't have access to education. Please also pray that non-believers would encounter Christ through their family and friends."
Prayer: "Please pray for my dad who's suffering from serious neck pain."
Prayer: "Please pray for those who're learning the ways of God."

Fr. Giampietro wraps up and invites everyone to spend a moment in silence to pray for individual intentions.

10:40pm

Fr. Giampietro invites priests and nuns to come onto the stage to bless non-believers. He then invites non-believers to come up to be blessed. A very moving moment.

10:43pm

All religious now bless those on stage. Special mention: Fr. Jim O'Niel from St. Mark's College at UBC is on stage as well and today is his birthday!

All sing "He is God."

10:49pm

MCs thank sponsors and introduce Mr. Dominic Chung.
Everyone sings EC2000 Vancouver theme song, "Leap!"
Fr.Giampietro wraps up the concert and blesses everyone to continue to evangelize. Fr. also thanks Vancouver for the warm hospitality.

11:00pm

Concert ends in a joyous and peaceful atmosphere!