Advent Enrichment
Advent Enrichment
The word Advent means coming and its orientation is towards the feast of Christmas. It is a time of prayerful and joyful expectation leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. These resources provide opportunities for prayer, reflection and action during Advent.
Advent Giving Tree
Decorate the tree together through our giving
This Advent, our parish has once again taken a practical approach to preparing for Christmas. An Advent Giving Tree has been placed in our five churches, offering the opportunity to support three of our partner organisations: the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project (BASP), CatholicCare and our St Vincent de Paul Conferences. Read more…
This year the tree began undecorated, and together we will decorate it through our giving. Please choose an organisation, donate by cash or credit card, and place a gift tag on the tree for your chosen organisation. We thank the Parish Life Teams for coordinating the Giving Tree and assisting at each Mass.
Advent Giving Tree
If you cannot visit our churches, you may still participate by donating via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). All contributions received will go directly to your chosen partner organisation.
Our bank details are as follows:
Our Lady of Pentecost Church Account
BSB: 083 347
Account: 68679 0501
Reference: BASP, CatholicCare or SVDP
Penance during Advent
Advent Penitential Service
A Penitential Service for Advent will take place on Tuesday, 9 December 2025 at 7.00 pm at Our Lady of Victories Basilica in Camberwell.
Individual Confessions
During Advent, there are opportunities for individual confession at:
- Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Camberwell on Saturday at 10.00 am
- Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Deepdene on Saturday at 4.45 pm
- All Hallows Church on Tuesday after 9.15 am Mass
Being Human at Prayer
Fr Frank O’Loughlin has produced yet another book. His latest book, Being Human at Prayer will be launched on Wednesday, 10 December at 7.00 pm in the Gathering Space at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Deepdene.
Fr Frank chose the title Being Human at Prayer because he believes we sometimes make prayer sound too difficult for ordinary people! He wants to highlight that we remain fully ourselves when we pray, and that this should shape how we approach prayer. Prayer is more than simply ‘saying prayers’; it is about being ourselves before God. The book explores how enriching it can be to use Scripture as a launching pad for prayer. It also looks at several specific themes, including the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer, praying for others and Our Lady’s role in our prayer, the Rosary.
Books will be available for purchase at the launch or from Pauline Books and Media.
Music this Advent
Many churches and local communities are holding special Advent services with music and carols.
- Melbourne Bach Choir presents a Christmas Fanfare on Saturday, 6 December at 3.00 pm at St John’s Anglican Church, 552 Burke Road, Camberwell. Bookings are essential, to book visit MBC Association…
- Carols in Canterbury on Sunday, 7 December at Canterbury Gardens, Canterbury Road, near Canterbury Station. Celebrate Christmas with your local community. Free entry. In case of wet weather, event will be held at Camberwell High School.
- Carols in St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne presented by the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic featuring the National Boys Choir of Australia, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir, Melbourne University Choral Society, Box Hill Chorale joined by soloists, piano, organ, Pipe Band and Orchestra on 19 and 20 December 2025. Bookings essential via TryBooking…
Virtual Advent Series 2025
Garratt Publishing is delighted to host a series of Virtual Advent talks. Each week, three Australian biblical scholars from Yarra Theological Union (YTU), Dr Mary Reaburn NDS, Dr Chris Monaghan CP and Br Dr Paul Creevey will work together to shed light on each of the readings for the week.
Event Details
Tuesday evenings from 7.00-8.00 pm AEDT on 25 November and 5, 9 & 16 December 2025 via Zoom. Online registration is essential. Zoom meeting details will be forwarded upon registration. The videos will be made available to view online on the Friday after the event.
Caritas Advent Resource
See – Judge – Act – Pray for a more just and peaceful world this Advent
Prepared by Caritas Australia
This resource for individuals and groups invites participants to journey through the four weeks of Advent, reflecting on the Gospel and sharing in the stories of our sisters and brothers around the world. Read more…
Advent Resources
You are invited to participate in the Advent Season through prayer and reflection.
Read ‘Understanding Our Faith’ by Fr Frank O’Loughlin where he reflects on the beginnings of Advent, noting how the early Christians expected Jesus to return in glory almost immediately, only to realise over time that his coming would not be so soon. Read more…
Pray ‘Word of God, Word of Hope’, an Advent resource offered by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Rediscover the ancient practice of lectio divina – ‘divine reading’. Read more…
Read A reflection on the Season of Advent by Fr Frank O’Loughlin. Advent is pervaded by the call “Come, Lord Jesus”. Read more…
Read Fr Sang Ho and Fr Hoang Dinh share their homilies during Advent. Read more …