Advent: Week 3, Joy

This week we light three candles in the Advent wreath. We are reminded that the ancient peoples longed for someone to come to them and give them hope for a better way of living. We are reminded of our own hopes and longings as we prepare for Christmas. Find out more at Advent: Week 3, Joy.

Christmas Mass arrangements

Chirstmas Mass arrangements, including booking and streaming details are now posted at www.holyspiritparish.org.au/Mass-Times/Christmas-Services-2020. Bookings will open on Tuesday 15th December at 9 a.m.

Christmas Masses Helpers

Your Parish needs you!

With Covid restrictions in mind, we need several volunteers to help at each Mass. We want everyone to feel welcome, to feel that they belong to an active, vibrant community, and to return home knowing that they have experienced the joy and peace that Christ wants everyone to have.

At each Mass we need:

• 3 Special Ministers
• 1 Reader
• 6 Welcomers
• 1 Laptop operator
• 1 CD operator
• 4 people to Clean-up/reset after each Mass

If you would like to help, please email Jenny Philp with details of which Mass you would like to attend, the role you can assist with and your preferred contact number. Jenny will then contact you.

Christmas Carols Family Special

I know you will all be wanting to sing Christmas Carols so please tune into the Archdiocese Christmas Carol Event on Sunday 20th Dec at 7 p.m. for friends and family. Watch it on Channel 31 (Digital TV Channel number 44) or stream from youtube.com/ARCHMELB. Refer: Jesus is Christmas, Carols Special for more details.

Children's Reflection, Family Activities

Click to find a Children's reflection page plus other details of interesting things to do together as family.

The joy of advent comes with an inspiring message, John 1:6-8, 19-28 of hope and encouragement urging us to rejoice and be happy because the Lord is near. More so, it tells us that joy is basic to being Christian and our vocation is to radiate this joy. Experience tells us that rejoicing is not always the hallmark of a Christian. It has been associated with sadness. Many of us are more familiar with the gospel message of carrying the cross than of its characteristic of joy. While there is hardship and suffering in the life of Jesus, there is joy which is compatible with pain. We were created for happiness. It is the purpose of our whole being and we spend our lives searching and striving to attain it.

Parish Pastoral Council: Its role is to advocate this Parish's mission to live and communicate the love and values of Christ throughout our community. The PPC is a group of ordinary people across this Holy Spirit Community that arise together as a passionate and purposeful team that support this Parish’s future direction.

Who can be a member?
Anyone in our Holy Spirit Community can become a member. The PPC must be a diverse team representing many different activities in our Parish, coming together to share ideas.

Please consider nominating a fellow parishioner or even yourself by completeing and submitting the nomination form by 14th December 2020

Advent: Week 2, Love

This week we light the second of the Advent candles. We are reminded of the way John the Baptist called people to prepare the way for Jesus and we light these candles as a sign that we, too, are praying and preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus anew this Christmas. Find out more at Advent: Week 2, Love.

Increased Church Numbers - new booking arrangements

With the further relaxation of restrictions, Holy Spirit Church weekend mass capacity has increased to 70 and bookings are taken electronically. Holy Spirit weekday mass arrangments are unchanged except for the booking times. St. Gerard's mass arrangements are unchanged. Refer www.holyspiritparish.org.au/Mass-Times/Weekly-Services for more details.

Confirmation 2020

Due to the onset of the pandemic, our planned Confirmation Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in April was cancelled. Archbishop Comensoli has now given Fr Arsenio permission to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation upon our Grade 6 students. This will take place over this and next weekend, with a small number of candidates and their parents attending each of the weekend Masses on 5/6 December and 12/13 December. This will be a very joyous and special celebration for the candidates and their families after such a long and uncertain year. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers and on behalf of the Parish Community, congratulations!

Children's Reflection, Family Activities

Click to find a Children's reflection page plus other details of interesting things to do together as family.

St. Vinnies

St. Vinnies have Christmas cards to purchase in the church so don't forget to look out for them this weekend when you come to mass.

Christmas Masses

Next weekend 12th-13th December we will have sign up sheets for volunteers for our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day masses please look out for them and sign up if you can help.

After the government's announcement regarding Covid this weekend we will be able to advise the times of Christmas mass bookings and be able to set up a register on Try booking. An extra email will come out next week with all the releveant information so please watch out for it.

Call for Nominations to the Parish Pastoral Council for 2021

The parish is calling for nominations to the Parish Pastoral Council for 2021. Please read more here and consider nominating a fellow parishioner or yourself.

Advent is an invitation to conversion and John the Baptist gives us some down to earth advice on how to change our lives for the better. He talks, Mark 1:1-8, about filling in valleys of prejudice, levelling down mountains of pride and straightening out the crooked paths of injustice. We ask ourselves what in our lives needs a complete turning around to allow God to come close to us. There are areas and dark corners of ourselves which we do not want disturbed. This advent time of prayer and penance brings home to us the need to make a fresh start. Welcoming God involves removing all blockages and obstacles which prevent Him from coming close. Preparing a way for the Lord may mean walking a new path. Christ cannot save us without our cooperation. He does not force an entry into our lives but waits to be invited.

No service re. Covid 19 lockdowns

Advent: Week 1, Hope

As we Light the first candle on the Advent wreath.
We watch and wait. To this waiting time we bring the experiences of the year past.
This circle of green reminds us of the love of God endless, but ever new.
As we focus on the candle, what memories of the year rise up for us?

Find out more at Advent: Week 1, Hope.

Increased Church Numbers - new booking arrangements

With the further relaxation of restrictions, Holy Spirit Church weekend mass capacity has increased to 45 and bookings are taken electronically. Holy Spirit weekday mass arrangments are unchanged except for the booking times. St. Gerard's mass arrangements are unchanged. Refer www.holyspiritparish.org.au/Mass-Times/Weekly-Services for more details.

Confirmation 2020

Due to the onset of the pandemic, our planned Confirmation Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in April was cancelled. Archbishop Comensoli has now given Fr Arsenio permission to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation upon our Grade 6 students. This will take place over the next 2 weekends, with a small number of candidates and their parents attending each of the weekend Masses on 5/6 December and 12/13 December. This will be a very joyous and special celebration for the candidates and their families after such a long and uncertain year. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers and on behalf of the Parish Community, congratulations!

Children's Week Activity: "Just as I have loved you"

As people of faith strive to live by Jesus’ message to his disciples: ‘Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’ (John 13:34) Jesus’ commandment reminds us that we are each loved by God, who created us in his own image and likeness. We are then invited to show that same love to our neighbours – within our families, our local parish, school communities and the wider community.

There is a note of high hope about this Advent season, Mark 13:31-37,. It proclaims the message that God has not abandoned His people. And we are to wait in joyful hope for our Lord and Saviour to be revealed. Echoed and re-echoed throughout the readings is the warning 'Be on guard, stay awake because you never know when the time will come'. To be found wanting and unworthy of the kingdom on that occasion will be painfully frustrating. The real challenge of Advent is to prepare ourselves in body and soul for that great moment, by letting God's presence and power get to work in our lives.

Christmas Masses

Christmas Masses will be held at Holy Spirit and Park Orchards.  We are expecting an update from the government and DHHS on 6th December and then the Archbishop's office shortly thereafter.  Once we have these, we will update you and ask you to pass them on to your fellow parishioners, friends and family.

Advent Discussion Group

Jacinta will be leading an Advent discussion group via Zoom on Wednesday mornings from 11 a.m. — 12 noon commencing Wednesday 25th November. Once again we will be using the Diocese of Wollongong resource "Adore". If you cant join the zoom chat, you may like to get a booklet for private reflection during Advent. Copies of the booklet can be dropped into your letterbox. To register for the discussion group and request a booklet, please call Jacinta on 0434 224 483.

The Ready, Set, Pray! Children’s Liturgy of the Word @ Home video series

The series consists of 10 weekly sessions of 15-20 minutes duration, continuing each Sunday until Christmas. We hope this experience of gathering for prayer will encourage families in this time when they cannot gather for parish celebrations of Eucharist. It is produced by Proclaim: The Office for Mission Renewal at the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

The latest episode and back episodes are available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP4Pb34ThQ34InNPfqs1fCtAmggV0fewQ

Children's Reflection, Family Activities

The feast of Christ the King brings the church's year to a close and with it comes a reminder that the cycle of our own lives here on earth will also reach its completion. The end of the year is review time and gives us opportunity to reflect on our behaviour as members of God's household. The gospel, Matthew 25:31-46, points out very strongly that admission into our eternal home depends on the effort we make to aid and comfort the needy. We will be assured of a place in Christ's kingdom only if we treat others as Christ would treat them.