T minus 1 week and counting…

We are in overdrive as we get ready for the birth of Christ. Yet the church continues in Advent. Parishioners here are getting upset with me (as they did last year), wondering why we aren't getting the church ready! Last year I had written a notice for the church bulletin explaining how it's okay to decorate our homes for Christmas, but our worship space needs to be kept in the Advent Season for as long as possible; thus we wait until the last minute to decorate!

Unfortunately, the custom around the churches here is to start putting out a tree and a tiny nativity, minus the Christ Child, at the beginning of Advent! And basically that's all they do for Christmas. I have the last laugh, however, when they see the four 8 foot trees and the four 5 foot trees in church all lit up and the beauty of the manger placed in the center of church. This year I also had all the statues, that had once belonged to the Parramatta Cathedral, restored. I felt so bad for the poor donkey with the broken ears. (I'll keep you posted on how long his ears remain repaired!)

Besides the Advent battles, we had two end of year, all-school masses, two graduation ceremonies, two awards ceremonies (we have two primary schools attached to the parish, if you haven't figured it out.) and one funeral (that had nothing to do with our schools, thankfully!) So it was really, really busy for me. Not much going out.

But we did have visitors coming in: the cockatoos have returned (1-3). They'd been missing for a bit. I suspect Br. Louis has been shooing them away as they can be pretty destructive to fruits and vegetables. I remember the secretary here telling me, "Oh Father, they're such pests! You'll get tired of taking pictures of them soon enough!" after showing her some of my photos. I've been here a year and a half, and I still don't tire of them! They fascinate me.

Flowers are in bloom around the house, as summer is now fully here (4-9). Here are some agapanthis egyptialis in front of a neighbor's house (4-5). This flowering plant (6-8) grows in our patio and is some of the flowers used in a making a Hawaiian lei. It's called frangipani. A pretty clamatis blushes blooms next to the frangipani (9). And here is a nice sunset with the eucalyptus trees silhouette in the foreground (10).

There's an Aussie show here that comes to cul-de-sacs and decorates them for Christmas. They chose one of our parishioner's streets near the church. Here are some images of their work (11-12). (I am not really all that impressed, to be honest with you!)

Friar Thomas Fetz, an American student studying in Melbourne, has been here at Our Lady of the Rosary for his summer break. He is such a get up and go person. He's been a really big help since he's been here. And very talented too. Parishioners just love him.

I love that he's a big Star Wars fan! (In case you didn't know…the original movie is my favorite movie and partly inspired my religious vocation…but that's another and long story.) We went to see Rogue One on the day after opening night with a praishioner who is equally wild about Star Wars (Daniella).

Here we are in the theatre before the movie started (13). I think Thomas looks a lot like my nephew Christian! And he also has some similar characteristics. Isn't that funny? Here is a selfie with the Death Star (14). I won't say much else, other than I really enjoyed the new film and plan to see it several more times! Next week…Christmas!