A curated selection of useful and inspiring resources and articles from around the web, as well as from The Summit Online, to help you make the most of the Advent and Christmas seasons.
Advent in 2 minutes, produced by Busted Halo—a brief and engaging video explaining the basics of Advent
Information about Advent–Christmas, from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
What is Advent?—an overview of the season from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Advent resources from Loyola Press:
- information about Advent
- an invitation to the ‘Journey with St Joseph’ email series
- activities for children and families
- the ‘Arts & Faith: Advent’ video resource
- reading recommendations for kids and adults
- a range of Advent calendars for kids and adults
- Jesse tree resources
- a list of inspiring articles
- Advent prayers, including prayers for kids and families
- the Advent program from the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong—a popular and beautifully designed book of daily reflections for the season of Advent that can be ordered through the diocese’s website
Christmas resources from Loyola Press, including Christmas lesson plans for children and a range of Christmas-themed articles
Blessed, the 2021 Advent and Christmas program of the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong—a beautifully designed and thoughtfully written book of daily reflections, which can be ordered through the diocese’s website
New Life in Christ—a 28-day book of reflections from Evangelisation Brisbane, which can be ordered through their website and used as an Advent resource by individuals and groups, or at any time during the 2021–22 liturgical year
A selection of Advent and Christmas liturgy resources from the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth’s Centre for Liturgy, for Year A, Year B and Year C, including universal prayers, wreath blessings, music selections, children’s liturgy activities, and planning sheets
Advent and Christmas prayers and liturgies from the Catholic Diocese of Auckland: Advent family prayers, the ‘Welcome Home for Christmas’ prayer ritual, and two Christmas Eve home liturgies (an inauguration of the Christmas tree and an inauguration of the Christmas crib)
Creighton University’s ‘Praying Advent’ online resource
An Advent invitation to pray the examen daily, from the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle
Advent Examen—a series of articles in Thinking Faith (published by the Jesuits in Britian), exploring how the five stages of the examen—thanksgiving, prayer for the light, examination, sorrow and hope—might guide us through this season of preparation
Advent meditation with Laudato Si’—a four-week series of creation- and ecology-focused Advent reflections by Arthur Jones, a former editor and publisher of NCR, published in 2019 on the EarthBeat website
Caritas Australia’s Advent 2022 Parish Resource—a small-group resource that invites participants to journey through the four weeks of Advent exploring the themes of hope, peace, joy and love, incorporating Scripture, prayer, ritual, reflection, action and song, and focussing on stories from Caritas projects around the world.
Advent resources from Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Wentworthville, with a focus on the liturgical environment for this season, and a useful selection of quotes and directives from relevant Church documents in relation to Advent