The various faith communities of Alice Springs came together recently for a time of prayer and shared grieving following the killings at a Christchurch mosque and at Sri Lankan churches and hotels.

The interfaith gathering was the initiative of the Catholic Parish of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which hosted the event.

During the last supper discourse, Jesus gives his Peace to his disciples. He tells them, Peace I leave with you, my own peace I give you.

The new Director of the Janssen Spirituality Centre in Boronia, Fr Thien Nguyen SVD, says he is looking forward to helping bring to life the vision of the Centre as being a peaceful gathering place for people to share and celebrate their faiths and cultures.

Fr Thien says he will be working with the team at JSC to build on the work already underway to develop the original vision for the Centre as a place of welcome for interfaith and intercultural relations.

The beginning of Advent always comes as a bit of a shock in this increasingly busy world we live in. Just as everything seems to get busier in the countdown to Christmas, the Church asks us to slow down, to reflect, to prepare.

This year, as the world reels from recent terror attacks, we have more cause than usual to engage in some serious Advent reflection and to earnestly await the arrival of the Prince of Peace.