Advent

Advent

Advent invites us to a commitment to vigilance, looking beyond ourselves, expanding our mind and heart in order to open ourselves up to the needs of people, of brothers and sisters, and to the desire for a new world.

Pope Francis

Resources for the Advent season

We are happy to share resources with you to ensure this is a special season of joy and anticipation of the birth of the savior, Jesus.

Print or download this Advent calendar to your computer so you can enrich this season:

Advent Calendar 2023

Read the Scripture slowly and more deeply through the season of Advent with this Bible study. This type of prayer is called Lectio Divina.

Advent Wreath

Traditionally, Advent wreaths are constructed of a circle of evergreen branches into which four candles are inserted, representing the four weeks of Advent. Ideally, three candles are purple, and one is rose, but white candles can also be used. 

The purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over, and they are close to Christmas.

The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead.

What is ADvent?