As you drive around Perth you will notice the Jacaranda trees are in bloom with their stunning blue/purple flowers. This flowering of the Jacaranda calls us to a time of reflective preparation, not a penitential purple as in Lent, but nevertheless reflective.
As has been a tradition at Holy Cross College, we start showing the symbols of Advent and Christmas from this weekend on. The altar cloths in classrooms and Da Vinci spaces have changed to purple and each of the Da Vinci spaces will start to have Christmas trees appearing, as well as Advent wreaths. The front office has an Advent wreath along with a wooden scene of the Holy Family and those that visited them after the birth of Jesus. The Christmas scene was purchased in New Norcia from one of the local artists.
Advent is the time of preparation where we reflect on the true story of Christmas. The birth of a child who had and continues to have a profound effect on the world 2000 years later.
We must also think of those who are finding it difficult at Christmas. This could be members of our community who have lost someone special during the last year, those who have lost an income and therefore will be finding it hard to buy the usual special things that make Christmas special. Let us keep these members of the community in our thoughts and prayers.
We started our annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal at the start of the term and the response from all families has been absolutely amazing. If anyone wishes to see how generous our families have been this year then please visit the front office on Wednesday as the St Vincent de Paul Society will be picking up those baskets of grocery items so that they have plenty of time to distribute them for Christmas. I hope that you will be able to see Geraldine and Mary through the mountain of goods.
The Giving Tree will be up in the front foyer on Monday. This tree will have tags on it for you to pick from the tree. The tag will have the description of an individual for whom we would like you to buy a present for. Please do not wrap these presents but if you wish to add wrapping paper to them then please do. For the adults, a voucher card from Coles/Woolies etc. will give them a great opportunity to have a choice of what they would love to buy for themselves. The tree ill be moving down into the Undercroft on the evening of the Christmas Carols for you to bring in the items to be placed under the tree. The items can be placed under the tree at any time during the next two weeks as well.
I am looking forward to a wonderful start to the season of the Jacaranda Tree and the symbolism it brings to Nature in the lead up to Christmas.
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