Today, we celebrated two school advent Masses for all of our pupils led by Father Kevin, our wonderful school choir and our liturgical pupil team of readers and altar servers.

We heard from the Gospel of Luke about the time John the Baptist spent in prison, wondering if Jesus was the Messiah that had been fortold. We can imagine the doubts John must have had, having spend his mission dedicated to the coming of Chrisn. Jesus reassured him, sending back his disciples to "tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me". In this way, Christ is confirming the prophesies of Isaiah, he is the Messiah, but not a physical king, rather a spiritual one.

As we at Bishop Douglass celebrate this holy time, we ask God that we have a physical, mental and spiritual renewal over the holiday and look forward to beginning our New Year ready in the understanding that life in all its fullness centres on a deepening relationship with God.