Advent and Christmas have been celebrated in a variety of different ways across the SVD Australia Province, from multicultural carols to Christmas lights, concerts to shared meals and gifts – all with the common theme of highlighting Jesus as the reason for the season.

From the Indigenous communities in the Tiwi Islands, Central Australia, Daly River and Balgo to city suburbs in Australia and New Zealand and across to villages in Thailand and Myanmar, the Province has expressed a range of different cultural celebrations of Christmas.

The Central Australian desert sky was once again lit up in Santa Teresa - Ltyentye Apurte with the renowned Christmas lights competition and once again the life-sized nativity scene is on full display.

Residents young and old go to great lengths to try and win the competition, now in its 24th year, transforming their homes into festive spectacles, blending their Catholic heritage with Indigenous traditions.

“Yes, the houses are all lit up and volunteers helped light up the church as well,” said Parish Priest Fr Olivier Noclam SVD. “Everything looks great.”

And, about an hour’s drive away, parishioners at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Alice Springs enjoyed their annual Seniors Christmas Luncheon, a day of community and Christmas festivity, while in remote Daly River there was Mass and carol-singing.

In the Tiwi Islands, the parish of Our Lady of Peace and St Therese Parish, Wurrumiyanga, held the Tiwi Christmas Concert, a festive event which brought the community together in a joyous celebration of Christmas.

The evening began with prayers and carol singing, creating a spiritual and uplifting atmosphere. With more than 10 groups participating, both young and old showcased their talent, reviving memories of the vibrant Tiwi Christmas Carols competitions of the past. Many in the community reflected on the pride and joy these events brought during the "old Tiwi days". This event marked the first step in rekindling that tradition, and it filled everyone with hope for many more events to come.

In North Queensland, SVD confreres and SSpS Sisters joined Townsville Bishop Tim Harris for the blessing and opening of the city’s popular ‘Stable at Riverway’.

“Stable is a much-loved Christmas festival recreating Bethlehem with actors, animals and authentic sets,” said Bishop Tim. “This event has attracted up to 40,000 people as it tells the Christmas story. The Townsville Community loves it and it powerfully reminds us that Jesus is the reason for the season.”

Parishioners at SVD parish, the Ministerial Region of the Good Shepherd in Townsville, celebrated the season by gathering for a Parish Christmas Lunch ahead of other Christmas celebrations. They also continued their tradition of donating Christmas Hampers for distribution to those in need by St Vincent de Paul

The SVD Thailand District celebrated in a variety of ways in their parishes and ministries. In Fr Truong Le’s small village, the people set up an impressive Christmas lights display. Having introduced the idea of Christmas lights to the largely Buddhist area when he first arrived, five years ago, the parishioners embraced the idea and now, as Fr Truong prepares to move on to another assignment, the Christmas lights are a firm tradition with parishioners coming up with bigger ideas for the lights and decoration of the nativity scene.

“With parish life thriving, I had so many people helping out, so this year's Christmas lighting has outdone previous years,” he said. “Usually, Christmas lighting is only seen at shopping malls and in larger cities. They’re all decorative, and the majority of the people have no idea what’s being celebrated. It’s not the norm or tradition at rural parishes. But they do serve a purpose -not only decorative but highlight and emphasise the meaning of Christmas. At the centre of all the lighting is the nativity scene; it’s the main emphasis.”

Christmas lights are also a feature of the SVD community house in Bangkok, thanks to a group of Catholics who spent the last several weekends putting it all together.

While in Nong Bua Lamphu, Br Damien Lunders SVD said that residents from Ban Mae Marie and those patients living at Villa Marie hospice came together at Mother of Perpetual Help Centre to celebrate Christmas together.

All enjoyed having a big meal together with music and gifts, with the meal prepared by staff and those patients at the Centre who are in better health.

Christmas in Myanmar is once again taking place in the shadow of ongoing conflict, but Fr Tuyen Nguyen SVD said he was once again able to share small gifts of food staples with the local people to hep share the Christmas spirit.

In the New Zealand District, the St Bernadette’s Church-Mount Wellington Parish in Auckland is gearing up for a big Christmas Carols gathering before Christmas Eve Mass, with a range of choirs, including a combined parish choir, a Tongan choir, a children’s choir and more. While in the Te Awakairangi Parish in the Archdiocese of Wellington, a Christmas Concert showcased the musical talents of the parishioners and featured a range of multicultural performances.

In Victoria, Sacred Heart Parish Preston parishioners joined in the Carols event held by the parish school, while kids are preparing to dress up and take part in the presentation of the Gospel story at the Family Mass on Christmas Eve, before more carols ahead of the 10pm  Mass. And the SVD seminarians and faculty at Dorish Maru College will share their different cultures with Christmas singing, worship and shared meals over the Christmas period.

Multicultural carol-singing was also a feature in NSW parishes, with popular Christmas Carols events held at Holy Family Parish Ingleburn and Mary Mother of the Church parish in Macquarie Fields.

While at the SVD’s Marsfield Community, the annual carols event featured a broad array of choir groups from different cultures, sharing in the festive spirit. Santa Claus made an appearance too, which was a big hit with the kids. The event concluded as always with a rendition of Silent Night, sung in a range of different languages and then a shared meal in the grounds.

PHOTOS

TOP RIGHT: The winning home in Santa Teresa's annual Christmas Lights Competition.

TOP LEFT: Children performing at the Our Lady of Peace and St Therese Parish, Wurrumiyanga Tiwi Christmas Concert.

MIDDLE RIGHT: Mass and Christmas Carols in Daly River NT.

MIDDLE LEFT: In NZ, the Te Awakairangi Parish in the Archdiocese of Wellington held a Christmas Concert which showcased the musical talents of the parishioners and featured a range of multicultural performances.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The annual SVD Marsfield Multicultural Christmas Carols once again brought together a fantastic line-up of cultural groups singing carols together.