Christmas tree letters

“Sacred Heart Loving,” the sign says on the letter box beneath the Christmas tree at Mary Help of Christians parish, South Woden.

To support a theme of ‘Hope’ for Advent, the parish’s Liturgy Coordination Team has asked parishioners to send personal messages of love, encouragement and hope to fellow parishioners of the Archdiocese.

“The general feeling in the parish was a need for connectedness, empathy and to offer hope and healing both locally and more widely within the Archdiocese,” says parish priest Fr Richard Thompson.

“We thought our parishioners could write a letter, Christmas card, or other message to the people who have experienced loneliness and isolation since the beginning of the year, and to those in our own parish who have not been able to come to church due to the COVID restrictions.”

Fr Richard says that parishioners are invited to ‘post’ the messages in a letter box beneath the church’s Christmas tree and they would be delivered to those in need.

“As well as those who have suffered under the pandemic, the initiative has a special focus on the communities most affected by the fires earlier this year, including those at Cobargo, Bermagui, Narooma, Batlow and Adelong,” he says.