Christmas is being celebrated in a range of different ways throughout the SVD Australia Province, but at the centre of it all is the birth of the Christ-child in Bethlehem.

Several parishes across the Province held Christmas carol gatherings, while in others parishioners donated Christmas hampers for those in need, and in poorer parts of the Province, basic food staples were given to parishioners to help them celebrate.

In the Holy Family Parish Ingleburn, the Advent season began with a multicultural Christmas carol celebration.

Parish Priest, Fr Henry Adler SVD said the carols event has been a long-held Advent tradition in the parish, which is gathering pace again after the COVID interruption.

“We held it again last year for the first time after COVID and it was a great success with about 500 people attending,” he said.

“This year, we had groups performing from a range of cultural backgrounds, along with the school choir from the parish school, so it was wonderful to collaborate with them and have the presence of the students and their families and friends.”

The choir groups included an African group, a Samoan group, and a Filipino group, together with other parishioners.

“One of the great things is that the carols attracted people who go to church regularly as well as those who don’t, and people from the broader community, so it was really good to be able to celebrate Christmas together,” Fr Henry said.

In the Thailand SVD District, all residents from Ban Mae Marie in Nong Bua Lamphu, and those patients living at Villa Marie hospice have come together at Mother of Perpetual Help Centre to celebrate Christmas together. 

Br Damien Lunders SVD said all had been looking forward to having a big meal together with music and gifts.

“Prawns being barbequed have been a popular feature with the meal and been a yearly request from residents,” he said.

“The meal is prepared by staff and those patients at the Centre who are in better health. 

“Some of the kids from Ban Mae Marie are also busy at this time of the year making special and artistic Christmas cards.”

Meanwhile in Bangkok, over two consecutive Sundays, a group of Vietnamese migrant workers stayed on after Mass to construct a Nativity scene about 5 metres wide and 2.3 metres tall.

Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD said that most of the materials used for construction include bamboo, rice bags, grass, and coconut leaf. The scene is decorated with lights and various plants.

“Vietnamese Catholics have a tradition of constructing Nativity scenes not only inside the Church but also outside of churches where the faithful can congregate to get into the spirit of the season,” he said.

“For many Vietnamese parishes, the church is the centre of the spiritual and social life of the people, so a grand Nativity scene on church grounds is a must during this time of year.

“Although at our community, the migrants only come on Sunday for Mass, constructing the nativity scene allows them to live the memories of celebrating Christmas in Vietnam and also add to their sense of festivity during this time.

“Compared to the nativity scene at churches in Vietnam, ours is quite small, but it does indeed help to make our community space much more in the spirit of the season. Nowadays, we open our gates so that the people in our neighbourhood, who are all non-Catholic can see the Nativity scene when they pass by our place.”

And in Myanmar, Fr Tuyen Nguyen SVD said that poverty in the village where he is in ministry and the ongoing situation of conflict in the country prevents big Christmas celebrations, but he was still able to share the joy of the season with the people.

“I am preparing some gifts for our poor children in the villages and some rice and cooking oil for the poor in our villages,” he said. 

Out in Central Australia, the Santa Teresa community celebrated with a Carols event this week and many residents lit up their homes with Christmas lights.

In Wellington, New Zealand, the Parish of the Holy Spirit - Te Wairua Tapu began its seasonal celebrations on the Solemnity of Christ the King, with a gathering of all four communities within the parish to celebrate together.

“Our hearts on fire, feet on the move as one parish of the Holy Spirit – Te Wairua Tapu, we acknowleged Our Lord Jesus Christ Universal King. Afterwards we shared kai and fellowship,” a report on the parish website said.

The parish also honoured its seniors with a special Christmas Mass and lunch held at St Patricks, Wainuiomata.

And at Marsfield in Sydney, the SVD seniors community was joined by staff and friends for a shared lunch and Christmas fellowship.

PHOTOS

TOP RIGHT: The Holy Family Parish Ingleburn-Miinto gathered together for a multicultural Carols celebration.

MIDDLE LEFT: Children from the Ban Mae Marie children's home make artistic Christmas cards.

MIDDLE RIGHT: The Nativity Scene constructed by Vietnamese migrants at the SVD house in Bangkok.

BOTTOM LEFT: Fr Tuyen Nguyen SVD handed out small gifts to the children in his village in Myanmar.