Catholic Identity

Reflection  

Religious Education Leader – Catholic Identity – Elizabeth Holligan

First Sunday of Advent 

As we enter the season of Advent the readings this weekend remind us, Jesus came to bring us new life, to open our eyes, heart and our mind to God’s gift of salvation. We are also reminded of Jesus’ promise to come again. 

The Catholic Church did not celebrate the birth of Christ for the first few hundred years of its existence. The focus in the early Church was on the baptism on Christ. As the early Church evolved, Advent became a time of preparation for the Feast of the Epiphany, the baptismal feast.  By the 10th century the focus had moved, from fasting for 40 days, to an emphasis on the second coming of Christ.

Advent today is a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ’s first coming to us is remembered and also a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time.  We recommit to our beliefs. God from God, Light from Light, and true God from true God, by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man, and that he will come again in glory.

You may like to set up an Advent wreath at home. A simple collection of three purple or violet candles with one pink candle. Light the first candle, a purple or violet candle this Sunday. This candle is the candle symbolising Hope, the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming of Christ.

On the second Sunday of Advent light the second purple or violet candle, the candle of peace. The third Sunday of Advent is the pink candle, the candle of joy as we are filled with excitement and joy for the near arrival of Jesus on Christmas day. The fourth candle, the candle of love, is lit on the last Sunday of Advent. This marks the final week of prayer as we wait for the birth of our Saviour and reminds us that God is love. 

We pray, Come Lord Jesus.

From all at St Anne’s College we pray may your family Advent season be one of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love as we await the coming of Christ at Christmas.

Blessings. Elizabeth Holligan REL. 

End of year whole school Mass 9.45 am, Friday, December 8

Christ the King Church, 18 Hamilton Street Shepparton. Students will travel from St Anne’s College to attend the end of year celebration Mass, where we will also announce the 2024 College Captains. Members of the College community are welcome to attend.

Sacramental Program:

Thursday, November 30 some of our grade 3 and 4 students, as part of the St Mel’s Parish, undertook their Sacrament of Penance and First Reconciliation Liturgy. We congratulate them on this step in their faith journey and ask you to keep them and their families in your prayers.

St Mel’s Parish and St Malachy’s Parish celebrations. 

St Anne’s College students have supported St Mel’s Shepparton and St Malachy’s Nagambie Parish celebrations over the past three weeks. Our students reverently supported Bishop Shane and Fr Rene and Fr Ruel as servers and in other roles. If you would like your child to be trained as an Altar Server, lector, choir member or other ministry in the parish please contact St Mel’s parish on 5831 2194 or myself at St Anne’s College for more information.