A CLASSROOM RESOURCE FOR

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

www.caritas.org.au/advent

ADVENT RESOURCE

This resource invites participants to

journey through the four weeks of

Advent.

Each week of Advent has been

divided into six components:

• The ritual of lighting a candle on

the Advent wreath.

• The Gospel reading with reflection

questions.

• A Caritas Australia story with

reflection points.

• Actions to take.

• A group prayer.

There is also additional information in

the 'Notes' section of some slides.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

CURRICULUM LINKS Caritas Australia’s Advent resource can help students:

• Become more familiar with the Scripture stories for Advent.

• Identify important times of the liturgical year.

• Identify important symbols, signs and rituals of the Catholic Tradition.

• Demonstrate developing understanding and appreciation of the Church

as a community that continues the mission of Jesus.

• Compose and pray simple prayers.

• Learn about the Church’s response to injustice through its organisations.

THE ADVENT WREATH

The word ‘Advent’ means ‘coming’.

When we light the candles on the

wreath, it symbolises the coming of light

(Jesus) into the world.

Candle 1 (violet): represents hope

Candle 2 (violet): represents peace

Candle 3 (rose): represents joy

Candle 4 (violet): represents love

The central white candle is lit on

Christmas Day and represents Christ.

This Advent we will learn, act and

pray for a more just and fair world –

a world full of hope, peace, joy, and

love. Make your own Advent wreath.

MAKING THE ADVENT WREATH

A DAILY CUSTOM

Advent wreaths can be used in

Church, at school or at home. As

the Advent wreath helps us keep

our thoughts focused on the

coming of Jesus at Christmas, it

should be integrated into our daily

lives. The class could gather

around the wreath at a set time of

the day as a selected student lights

the relevant candle.

GLOBAL GIFTSSend a message to those you love

and give to mothers and babies in

need. When you choose a Global Gift

this year, your compassionate gifts

are bringing hope, peace, love and joy

to women and children by funding

training programs and supplies that

our midwives need to help mothers

give birth safely - and provide expert

care before and after babies are born.

This Christmas share a message of

compassion - simply select one of our

beautiful Global Gift cards, water,

food or sustainable livelihoods.

No matter what Global Gift you

choose, you’ll help people overcome

poverty – and transform their lives.

Order your card online at www.caritas.org.au/globalgifts or call us on 1800 024 413

Advent is a special time in

the church year when we

prepare and get ready to

celebrate the birth of Jesus.

God, you are our light and our

hope. May we share your hope

with our family and friends. As

we light this candle in your

name, we ask you to fill us with

your love this Advent.

Amen

FIRST WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the first candle of hope.

• What do you know about Advent?

• What are some things that you look

forward to?

• How do you prepare for them?

• Why is Jesus asking us to ‘be alert at

all times’?

• How can we show Jesus we are

hopeful?

Bayan waits for the program’s private bus to take her to the Caritas Education Program Credit: Richard Wainwright, Caritas Australia

Bayan is 12 years old, living with

her family in Jordan. She grew up

in Syria but the country became

too dangerous with all the

fighting. Bayan was scared for a

long time and she missed out on

a lot of school.

Her family became refugees,

travelling to live in Jordan. When

they left Syria, they took with

them hope, for a safer life with an

opportunity for Bayan to attend

school and get an education.

Bayan waits for the program’s private bus to take her to the Caritas Education Program Credit: Richard Wainwright, Caritas Australia

Bayan doing her homework. Credit: Richard Wainwright, Caritas Australia

FIRST WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the first candle of hope.

• Show solidarity by

participating in refugee

pilgrimage/simulation.

• Appreciate the gift of an

education and try your best

at school.

• Organise a solidarity walk.

• Bayan is reaching her goal.

What goals do you have?

• Bayan has shown patience

through many challenges.

When have you shown

patience?

• How can Bayan’s story give

you hope?

FIRST WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the first candle of hope.

Hopeful God,

you are always patient and share with us the true

meaning of hope for our future. Help us to follow your

lead as we patiently wait in this season of Advent. We

pray for our brothers and sisters who are hopeful for

an opportunity to learn and build a better life. May we

always appreciate the gift of education.

In your name we pray,

Amen

Advent has a focus on light,

not darkness. Christ will

come again as the light of

the world.

God, you are our light and you

fill us with peace. As we light

our Advent candles today,

guide us to be peacemakers in

all that we do. Help us to see

your face in our family and

friends. Give us kind words of

peace for those we love.

Amen

SECOND WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the second candle of peace.

John the Baptist told people to make way

and prepare for the love of God in our lives.

• Identify a time in your life that you would

like to ask God’s forgiveness for.

• Can you turn your life around today?

What would you do?

• How can you help others to forgive and

turn their lives around?

Dinia in her rice field in the Philippines. Credit: Richard Wainwright

Dinia lives in the Philippines

where millions of people are

not living in peace as they

only live on US $1.90 a day.

She struggled every day to

get food and enough money

for her children to go to

school. Sadly, her husband

died and this made things

even harder for Dinia. She

heard about a program run by

Caritas Australia's partner

SPACFI (Socio Pastoral

Action Center Foundation

Inc.). When Dinia joined, she

learned lots of things that

have helped to improve her

life and live peacefully.

Dinia in her rice field in the Philippines. Credit: Richard Wainwright

Dinia making cassava chips at home for sale to her neighbours and community. Credit: Richard Wainwright

SECOND WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the second candle of peace.

• Create a to-do list of all the ways

you will show peace in the

season of Advent.

• Commit to ways that you are

going to remove distractions from

your life as you focus more on

Jesus.

• Pray for the vulnerable

communities around the world.

• What qualities do you see in

Dinia as a leader in her

community?

• How has Dinia brought

peace to her community?

• Reflect: Can this story

inspire you to bring peace to

others?

SECOND WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the second candle of peace.

Peaceful God,

you invite us to share in your peace. We seek your

guidance to be peacemakers in our schools and

communities. We pray that all nations around the

world will live in harmony and be blessed with

opportunities. We thank you for our brothers and

sisters who strive to help others to live peaceful lives.

In your name we pray,

Amen

The third Sunday in Advent is

Gaudete Sunday, from Latin

meaning ‘rejoice’.

God, you are our light and you

bring us joy. May we always

appreciate what you have given

us and may we share it with our

communities. As we light our

Advent candles today, help us

reflect on the joy that Christmas

will bring.

Amen

THIRD WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the third candle of joy.

• What response did John the Baptist give to

the people when they asked “what must we

do?”.

• What joy could this story bring to vulnerable

people and communities?

• Who do you think John is preparing the

people for? Who will bring Good News?

• John is asking people to have a change of

heart. Whose heart could you help to

change this week? How would you do this?

Marta says that she feels more confident through a positive collaboration with Caritas Australia. Credit: Caritas Australia

Marta is 33 and is married

with 4 children. Marta felt

trapped, food was scarce

and money was tight. She

could only afford to send

two of her four children to

school. Marta and her

husband were not able to

buy enough food, clothes

or pay school fees. They

had no choice but to

borrow money at a high

interest rate. This placed

pressure on their family

and only added to the

challenges that they

already faced.

Marta says that she feels more confident through a positive collaboration with Caritas Australia. Credit: Caritas Australia

By participating in a

Caritas Australia

program, Marta and

her husband learnt

how to save money.

Marta feels more

confident and is now

providing all four of her

children with an

education. Marta and

her family have a

better life, they have

enough food for a

whole year. They have

saved enough money

for emergencies.

Marta and her family

can now experience a

more joyful life in

Timor-Leste.

THIRD WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the third candle of joy.

• Explore ways you can be

generous in spirit.

• Identify ways you can support

vulnerable families (hampers,

gifts, tutoring, food).

• Share the story of Marta with

others.

• Pray for the gift and joy of water.

• Imagine you were faced with

the same challenges that

Marta and her family faced.

How would you feel?

• What message of joy did you

take from Marta’s story?

• How has Marta inspired you to

bring joy to others?

Women in Timor-Leste can build peaceful relationships, economic well being and resilience, independence and influence. Credit: Richard Wainwright

THIRD WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the third candle of joy.

Joyful God,

you bring us joy during the Advent season as we

await the celebration of Jesus’ birth. May we share

this Good News with our family and friends. May we

live joy filled lives as we look towards the celebration

of this special time in the church.

In your name we pray,

Amen

Our final days of Advent, are

a time when we can reflect

on our Advent journey.

God, you are our light and

you show us unconditional

love. Continue to teach us

how to share our love with

others around the world. As

we light our Advent candles

today, we pray it leads us

closer to your love.

Amen

FOURTH WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the fourth candle of love.

• Why do you think that baby John leapt

for joy in Elizabeth’s womb?

• Can you remember a time when you

have leapt for joy?

• Decide if a personal visit from a cousin

is more special than a phone call?

• Who will you be visiting for Christmas

this year?

Rowan, General Manager, Aboriginal Carbon Fund. Credit: Kowanyama Land Office

Rowan is from the Wondunna clan of the Badtjala people, traditional owners of

Fraser Island and Harvey Bay in Queensland. He is a ranger and he has cared

for and shown love to Australia's traditional lands. Rowan runs projects on the

land and supports traditional land owners. His work is important because

climate change is making Australia hotter. This means that there are more fire

risk days each year and the bush fire season is longer. Australia’s First People

are connected to their lands but their lands are located in the hottest areas of

the country. Fires harm the land, health and wellbeing of traditional owners.

Rowan, General Manager, Aboriginal Carbon Fund. Credit: Kowanyama Land Office

In 2010, Rowan became the General Manager of the Caritas Australia-

supported Aboriginal Carbon Fund. Through the fund, Rowan wants to create a

partnership between traditional landowners and business to reduce the effects

of climate change across the country. By using cool burning techniques, he

aims to reduce the intensity of wildfires in the hotter months, which produce

more carbon and warm the planet. Ultimately, Rowan demonstrates a love and

care for our common home. Rowan is helping to strengthen people’s love and

connection with the environment. We are reminded to love where we live.

Credit: Kowanyama Land OfficeAboriginal carbon Fund helping to reduce wildfires. Credit: Richard Wainwright, Caritas Australia

FOURTH WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the fourth candle of love.

• Host a Caritas Kitchen event to

highlight the importance of

hospitality during Advent.

• Visit your friend or cousin and offer

support and love.

• Write a ‘Hearts for Climate’ letter to

your local MP.

• Show care for your environment:

recycle, reuse and reduce.

• What and who is affected by

climate change and a

warming planet?

• How can we care and love

our environment?

• Why should we care and

show love for our common

home? Would God agree?

FOURTH WEEK

OF ADVENTLight the fourth candle of love.

Loving God,

you continue to love each of us unconditionally. As

we draw nearer to the celebration of Christmas,

inspire us to care for all in what we say and do. Help

us protect your creation, love and care for our

common home and work for the common good of all

people.

In your name we pray,

Amen

MAKING A WREATH

Use the symbols that follow on the

proceeding slides to create an Advent

wreath.

Make your own Advent wreath.

• The seedpods, nuts and cones are

used to decorate the wreath and

are symbolic of life and

resurrection.

• The laurel signifies victory over

persecution and suffering.

• Pine and holly signify immortality.

• The apple represents the

nourishing fruitfulness of the

Christian life.

Candle Christ Candle

Evergreen Holly

Pine cone Apple

Laurel Nuts

Seed Pods

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