Faith Formation

Learning Together in Advent

Advent is a time of waiting. But do we know how to wait? We do it all the time. But we are not good at it. Advent is about making a virtue of the waiting.

🕯️Our Advent book is ‘Do Not Be Afraid: The Joy of Waiting in a Time of Fear’ by Rachel Mann, priest, poet and theologian. “Waiting can be beautiful and, at least sometimes, it takes us to the heart of the Holy”, she writes. The book contains 4 weeks of meditations, which tell stories of God waiting with us. More details. Buy on Amazon for €13.75.

🕯️Our Advent film is ‘Of Gods and Men’ (2010), the moving story of the monastery of Tibhirine in northern Algeria, where nine Cistercian monks lived in harmony with the largely Muslim population until seven were kidnapped and assassinated in 1996, during the Algerian Civil War. Faced with saving their own lives and abandoning the villagers or staying and showing the true meaning of Christianity, the monks stayed…and paid the ultimate price. More details. 

🕯️Some Additional Videos. There are four Advent videos, one for each week of Advent, and include thoughtful discussion questions. More details.

🕯️A chance to participate in an online discussion to explore the themes of the book and the film.  Tuesday 17th December at 7.00pm. Zoom link here. Meeting ID: 847 6300 1381. Passcode: 879382.