The Season of Advent

We have now entered the season of Advent. At Mass on Saturday night Tessa Crowe and Tahlira Rose lit the first Advent candle. 

The candles also have their own special significance. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday.

The first candle (purple) is the prophecy candle or the candle of hope. It represents Isaiah and other prophets in the Bible who predicted the coming of Jesus.

We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Our hope comes from God. Romans 15:12-13

God of hope, awaken our hearts to you this advent season and fill our hearts with hopeful anticipation of your coming, so that when Jesus arrives, we are ready to receive him in our hearts and minds. Amen.

The second candle, also purple, represents faith. It is called the “Bethlehem Candle” as a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.

The third candle is pink and symbolises joy. It is called the “Shepard’s Candle,” and is pink because rose is a liturgical colour for joy. The third Sunday of Advent reminds us of the joy that the world experienced at the birth of Jesus.

On the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle to mark the final week of prayer and penance as we wait for the birth of our Saviour. This final candle, the “Angel’s Candle,” symbolises peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”

The white candle is placed in the middle of the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve. This candle is called the “Christ Candle” and represents the life of Christ. The colour white is for purity—because Christ is our sinless, pure Saviour.

The wreath and candles are full of symbolism tied to the Christmas season. The wreath itself, which is made of various evergreens, signifies continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God and the everlasting life we find in Christ.

Celebrating Advent is an excellent way to prepare your mind and heart for Christmas. As we approach the Christmas Season, let us all remember the true meaning of Christmas. May you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love at Christmas and always.

           Faith makes all things possible,
           Hope makes all things work,
           Love makes all things beautiful,
          May you have all three this Christmas.

Altar Serving Practice

This Friday, Father Namora will hold an Altar Serving practice session. Our new Altar Servers along with our existing servers will have the opportunity to practice the various roles they undertake when serving. We thank Father for generously giving his time and the children for their continued support in this ministry.

End of Year Graduation/Thanksgiving Mass

Our Year 6 Graduation / Thanksgiving Mass will be held on Friday 9^th December at 12 noon. This Mass will be our opportunity to celebrate the conclusion of the Year 6 children’s time at St Patrick’s School. We also come together to thank God for another dynamic and productive year at our school. This is always a very special Mass, and we warmly welcome our parents to join with us to celebrate.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Please keep in mind our annual Christmas appeal to support the St Vincent de Paul Society. At our Year 6 Graduation / Thanksgiving Mass on Friday 9^th December, we are asked to donate food and household items that can be put together as hampers to assist those in our community who need some help during the festive season.

Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

To ensure we provide a broad range of hamper items we have designated each class a specific item to donate.

Kindergarten: Drinks (non-alcoholic)

Year One: Dinner Savoury Pantry (pasta, sauces, 2-minute noodles)

Year Two: Party Pantry (biscuits, nuts, chips, popcorn)

Year Three: Tins and Cans (fruit, soup, vegetables)

Year Four: Cleaning and Toiletries (spray & wipe, toothbrushes, laundry powder)

Year Five: Breakfast Savoury Pantry (cereals, spreads, food bars)

Year Six: Sweets and Desserts (mince pies, custard powder, chocolates, puddings).

Kate Howe

REC