Mission & Religious Education News

The Heights

Please look out for a newsletter in your inbox called The Heights. It is a joint venture between Armidale Catholic Schools and the Chancery. This edition has information and resources on the season of Advent. Future editions will be a great resource informing readers of school and parish events and goings on across the diocese. It is due to be sent out this Friday.

DESIGNJANE.COM Advent Resource

Below is a link to the designjane.com website. The website has just made available some free advent resources which may be of some use for your school.  https://www.designjane.com/

CARITAS AUSTRALIA Advent Resource - Primary Schools - Secondary Schools - Parish Groups

This resource invites participants to explore Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love over four weeks, reflecting on Scripture and global stories. Emphasising justice and integral ecology as highlighted by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ (2015) and Laudate Deum (2023). 

https://www.caritas.org.au/advent/

NCEA Advent Resource

The National Catholic Educational Association  is providing free Advent resources via their website. Resources include, research-based strategies, publications, websites, and tech tools for celebrating the season with students. It groups its resources in three categories: ‘For Teachers’, ‘For Families’ and ‘For Anyone’. These resource are American produced so you might need to check some spelling.

https://ncea.org/NCEA/NCEA/How_We_Serve/Resources/Advent/Advent_Resources.aspx

FAQs! What is Advent?

The Church calendar begins with the Advent season, the four weeks leading up to Christmas. This period is a time of preparation, not just for Christmas gifts and meals and holidays, but for the great feast of God's revelation through the birth of Jesus Christ. How privileged we are to live in this age of salvation! For centuries before Jesus' birth, the Jewish people waited for the coming of the promised Messiah as foretold by the Scriptures. We find ourselves in a similar position as we look forward to the second coming of Christ at the end of time. Although we so not know the hour nor the day, each Advent we renew our faith in this great promise.

Upcoming Feast Days

November 30 St Andrew (Apostle)

December 3 First Sunday of Advent

December 4 St John Damascene (priest, doctor)

December 6 St Nicholas (bishop)

December 7 St ambrose (bishop, doctor)

December 8 The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary