A new Advent Calendar app promises to help busy Catholics to slow down and spiritually prepare for Christmas.
Meet Me in the Silence is the theme of the 2018 Advent Calendar, a joint project of Xt3 and Sydney Catholic Youth.
The free new app contains videos, podcasts, written reflections and animated meditation.
It includes messages and original content from young people, Catholic artists, and clergy and religious including Sydney’s Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP.
This is the third year the app producers teamed up with The Christmas Story Art Exhibition and Competition, an initiative of the Catholic education offices in Wollongong and Sydney.
“Silence is God’s first language,” wrote the 16th-century mystic John of the Cross, because silence is the normal context in which contemplative prayer takes place – 2018 Advent Calendar.
The app will feature a stunning new artwork from a school student each day.
Team leader for Sydney Catholic Youth Chris Lee believes the Advent app will enhance the spiritual journey of many young Catholics in the lead-up to Christmas.
“It’s all about connecting them to the Church directly via their iPhones and travelling with them along the Advent journey, drawing them closer to God and helping them prepare for Christmas,” he said.
Archdiocesan creative director Selina Hasham said that the emphasis this year on silence is “quite beautiful”.
“Silence is under siege in today’s society, but Christmas reminds us that we find Jesus in the silence of the manger,” she said.
“I think the use of this app helps us to find that ‘silent night’ in our heart as we prepare for Christmas.”
The first feature will be available on the First Sunday of Advent on December 2.
