Mission & Religious Education News

Australian Catholic Youth Festival

Please keep our 60 pilgrims from all the secondary schools in the diocese in your prayers as they embark Friday to Melbourne to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival. 10 000 young people from all over Australia will converge in Melbourne for prayer, Mass, liturgy, keynotes, workshops, music, friendship and fun. Bishop Murphy will be attending and is looking forward to the event and spending time with the Armidale Diocesan Pilgrims. In true pilgrim style, travel is by train to Sydney followed by overnight train to Melbourne. Information about the Festival can be accessed here.

Advent Begins November 30

Advent is much more than simply the countdown to Christmas; it is the sacred season in which the Catholic Church calls us to embrace a dual journey of solemn preparation and joyful hope. Rooted deeply in tradition, Advent invites us to focus on the three comings of Christ: His coming in the flesh at Bethlehem, His coming in grace into our daily lives, and His final glorious coming at the end of time. This four-week period is marked by the colors of purple (penance, prayer, and sacrifice) and rose (rejoicing), encouraging a spirit of metanoia (change of heart). We can truly enter into Advent by intentionally prioritising prayer, practicing penance (such as fasting from distractions or excessive consumerism), and engaging in almsgiving and acts of service, thus creating a spiritual "room at the inn" in our hearts for the Christ Child, even amidst the busyness of the world.  

Upcoming Important Church Calendar Days

November  

Tue 25 Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Sun 30 1st Sunday of Advent

December

Wed 3 Saint Francis Xavier

Thu 4 Saint John Damascene

Sat 6 Saint Nicholas

Sun 7 2nd Sunday of Advent

Mon 8  The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Tue 9 Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin 

Wed 10 Our Lady of Loreto 

Thu 11 Saint Damasus I

Fri 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe 

Sat 13 Saint Lucy

Sun 14 3rd Sunday of Advent

Sun 21 4th Sunday of Advent 

Tue 23 commemoration of Saint John of Kęty

Thu 25 Christmas Day 

Fri 26 Saint Stephen

Sat 27 Saint John

Sun 28 The Holy Family

Mon 29  5th day within the octave of Christmas (commemoration of Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop, Martyr)

Tue 30  6th day within the octave of Christmas 

Wed 31 7th day within the octave of Christmas (commemoration of Saint Silvester I, Pope)