Christmas Blessings 2024

A Blessed and Merry Christmas

The Nativity of the Lord; Year C


24/25 December 2024

The Light of Lovehas come to earth. Its time for us to pause to see this light and feel its warmth and celebrate its cause.

 

Dear parishioners of St Andrews Parish and Visitors,

On behalf of myself (Fr Darek), Fr Marian and the Parish Pastoral Council, I wish a Holy and Blessed Christmas and Peaceful New Year to all my dear parishioners.  May the Love, Joy and Peace of Baby Jesus be in your hearts and your homes.  Please remember that this year commencing December 29, 2025, we will begin the Holy Year of Jubilee.  So, as we celebrate Christmas, let us all enter the Year of Jubilee with a spirit of hope.  Let us show the Love of the Lord to all our dear and near ones and make Christmas really a joyful occasion.

As we celebrate Christmas Masses as one big Parish family, each one of you can be sure and certain that you are all remembered at the Holy Sacrifice of the mass and in the Liturgy of the Office.

All the readings for all the various Christmas liturgies proclaim the same mystery. God not only authors life and pours out grace in the midst of it, He chooses to join us in our lives by becoming one of us.  Jesus enters into life that we might do the same.  Whatever the circumstances of your life right now grief or joy, struggle or success, faith or doubt Jesus has lived it Himself, and He longs to live it with you.  Choose life with Jesus!  Let Him be born again in your heart.  Allow Him to enter into your moments and give you the life for which you were created.

I would like to thank all of our parishioners for your commitment to our Parish this past year.  The giving of your time, talent and treasure to the Lord continues to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.  I would also like to extend my gratitude to all who worked so hard to make our Christmas celebrations truly wonderful.  Thanks to all who were involved in decorating our church and setting up for the different liturgies, this season and throughout the liturgical year.  And a special thank you to the devoted members of the various ministries in our parish and especially to those who work quietly, behind the scenes.

Maybe the Christmas message this year should be a challenge for all of us to become more involved?  It is not so much a question of giving more; it is a question of giving more of ourselves.  After all, thats what God was doing when he got involved with us and our world at the first Christmas.  Christmas belongs to believers, to those who believe that Jesus Christ, Son of God, was born of the Virgin Mary to reconcile us to one another and to the Father.  This is why He comes. God will fill us with His peace if there is room in our lives for Him.

In closing, my and Fr Marians prayer today, is that you, your family and homes be filled with the Blessings of Peace, Joy and Love.  At the same time, we thank you all sincerely for your thoughtful prayers, Christmas greetings and gifts.  May all my dear parishioners be overshadowed with the mighty and powerful blessings of the Baby Jesus during the Christmas season and remain with you throughout the New Year 2025.

Fr Darek Krzysztalowicz, SDS (Parish Priest)

Merry Christmas from the Salvatorian Fathers

Each the Australian Region of Salvatorians are humbled by the overwhelming support from all the Salvatorian parishes across Australia. Our Community is sincerely grateful for the generous donations received throughout this year to support the formation of our seminarians and missionary projects. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry and safe Christmas with a joyous New Year. May God continue to bless you abundantly.

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A Christmas Prayer

God, we thank you for the message of peace that Christmas brings to our distracted world.
Give peace among nations, peace in our land, peace in our homes and peace in our hearts as we remember the birth at
Bethlehem of the Prince of Peace.
Christ our Lord.  Amen


THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY

Sunday 31 December

The Feast of the Holy Family is not just about the Holy Family, but about our own families too.

The main purpose of the Feast is to present the Holy Family as the model for all Christin families, and for domestic life in general.

Our family life becomes sanctified when we live the life of the Church within our homes. This is called the “domestic church” or the “church in miniature.”

St. John Chrysostom urged all Christians to make each home a “family church,” and in doing so, we sanctify the family unit.

Just how does one live out the Church in the family? The best way is by making Christ and his Church the centre of family and individual life.

Ways to do this include: reading scripture regularly, praying daily, attending Mass at least on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, imitating the actions of the Holy Family, and so forth, all done together as a family unit.

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY -

PRAYER TO THE HOLY FAMILY

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendour of true love, to you we turn with trust.

Holy Family in Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic Churches.

Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division: may all who have been hurt or scandalised find ready comfort and healing.

Holy Family of Nazareth may the approaching synod of Bishops make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family and its beauty in God’s plan.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Graciously hear our prayer.  Amen.


New Year’s Prayers

Holy Father, God of our yesterdays, our today, and tomorrows.  We praise You for Your unequaled greatness.  Thank You for the year behind us and for the year ahead.  Help us in Your new year, Father, to fret less and laugh more. To teach others to love by loving them.  Knowing, when Love came to the stable in Bethlehem, He came for us.  So that Love could be with us, and we could know You.  That we could share Love with others.  Thank You for another new year and for new chances every day.  We pray for peace, for light, and for hope, that we might spread them to others.  Forgive us for falling short this past year.  We leave the irreparable past in your hands, and step out into the unknown new year knowing You will go with us.  We accept Your gift of a new year and we rejoice in what’s ahead, depending on You to help us do exactly what You want. We ask this in Christ our lord.  Amen
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Dear Lord, please give me a few friends, work to do which has real value, without which the world would be poorer; a mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed; an understanding heart; time for quiet, silent meditation; a feeling of the presence of God; the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to recognize them when they come.  Amen

 

 


Merry Christmas from the Salvatorians

Each year the Australian Region of Salvatorians are humbled by the overwhelming support from all the Salvatiorian parishes across Australia.

Our Community is sincerely grateful for the generous donations received throughout this year to support the formation of our seminarians and missionary projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry and safe Christmas with a joyous New Year.

May God continue to bless you abundantly.

Salvatorians Australia

 


Have a Happy & Safe School Holiday

We welcome all visitors staying with their families in our parish and wish them a happy holiday.

To all parishioners travelling during this time we wish them bon voyage and a safe return home.

To all children, students, parents and school staff we wish a Merry Christmas and a very happy summer holiday

and we look forward to seeing you next year 2023.

 


PRAY FOR TRAVELLERS

Grant me O Lord a steady hand and a watchful eye.  That no one shall be hurt as I pass by.
You gave me life, I pray no act of mine may take away or mar that gift of Yours.
Shelter those, dear Lord, who keep me company, from the evils of fire and all calamities.
Teach me to use my car for others’ needs; nor miss through love of undue speed
the beauty of the world; that I may with joy and courtesy go on my way.
Lord protect me and lead me safely to my destiny.  Amen.

Christmas, Jesus, Ornament, Tree, Lights, Religious


Prayer for Peace

God of mercy and compassion, of grace and reconciliation, pour Your power upon all Your children in the Middle East: Jews, Muslims and Christians, Palestinians and Israelis.

Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope, oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation, that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces, and peace and justice could be experienced by all.  God of all creation, bring justice and peace to our world.  Teach us to be peacemakers.

Guide us in our pursuit of justice and the common good. Inspire us to welcome all, forgive all, and love all.  Direct us as we walk in the shadow of Jesus: the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Inspire us to perceive the world through your eyes, that we might find hope and joy each day, supportive of each other, for the sake of Your Kingdom.

Amen