The Advent period has been a tuneful and generous one around the SVD Australia Province, with a number of SVD parishes holding Christmas Carol events for the first time since COVID, and others preparing food hampers for those in need this Christmas season.

In Santa Teresa, Central Australia, the community held their first ever Carols event and their famous Christmas lights display took place in the usual spectacular fashion, lighting up the desert sky. On top of that, the isolated Indigenous community was also blessed to receive a brand new giant nativity scene.

The remote community of Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte) in Central Australia has once again lit up the desert sky with its now-famous Christmas lights display.

For more than 20 years the people of Santa Teresa have gone all out on the Christmas lights front, bringing the joy of the season to the Indigenous community of around 500 people.

As we are coming closer to celebrate the birthday of Jesus we may have many past fond memories of Christmas in our lives. As we know it is a time of remembering friends and celebrating the season with gifts and good food. I wish to share with you one of the many occasions in my missionary life where I experienced extra joy at Christmas.

It was when I celebrated Christmas with prisoners for the first time. It was in 2006. After visiting the prisoners for more than 10 years I thought I should do something special for Christmas for the locked up friends of mine.

The air around Marsfield in Sydney was filled with Christmas song last week for the annual SVD Multicultural Carol Celebration.

On a beautiful evening, the various groups who make up the SVD community at Marsfield gathered to share their Christmas spirit and look forward to the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It was a stormy night along the east coast of Australia, but that didn’t stop the crowds attending Carols by Candlelight at various SVD centres.

Marsfield, in Sydney, the Multicultural Carols by Candlelight had to move from the lawns into the St Arnold Janssen Chapel and at St Maximilian Parish in Marsden, Brisbane, they were moved into the hall – but in both cases, the show went on! St Mark’s Parish at Inala also showcased their multicultural singing gifts at their Carols, as did other SVD parishes and communities around the country.

Different cultures came together in music and song to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Multicultural Christmas Carols, hosted by the Divine Word Missionaries in Sydney and Brisbane.

The SVD Marsfield Community hosted its annual Christmas Carols Festival and St Mark’s Parish, Inala hosted an ecumenical, multicultural Carols evening in Brisbane.