Churches pray for Australians suffering from drought, bushfire

Bushfire victims and fireys will be among those remembered in masses around the country | LIST OF CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Dr Glenn Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, remembered bushfire victims and fireys in his Christmas message. Picture: Britta Campion.

Victims of the bushfires raging in Australia and the fireys battling them will be remembered in masses around the country on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Sydney’s Anglican Archbishop Dr Glenn N Davies in his Christmas message extended his thoughts to the broader community, firefighters and bushfire victims.

“Firefighters are always a welcome sight – they bring help and hope, and God bless them! But God is the best companion of all – even as we face pain and loss,” he said in a statement.

Other church leaders also used their annual Christmas messages to pray for the “dark times” confronting many Australians.

Drought, corruption, political inaction and natural disasters were highlighted as they urged families to look past the “darkness” and find hope in the Christmas message.

“In Australia and around the world there is an air of uncertainty and anxiety as we move to the end of the year … The star leads us to the light,” Brisbane’s Catholic Archbishop Mark Coleridge said.

The services will also reflect the country’s cultural mix. In Adelaide, both the Catholic and Anglican cathedrals plan to hold sermons catering to their diverse throng of worshippers while the Cathedral of St Francis Xavier will hold an African mass on Christmas Day.

The traditional march of South-Sudanese parishioners to the Anglican Cathedral of St Peters will not take place this year after an apparent application mix-up, but in past years the South Sudanese worshippers would gather in Adelaide’s Victoria Square, before marching the two kilometres to St Peters in North Adelaide.

Reverend David Amol said this year the Sudanese community would instead hold its services in Elizabeth at the Holy Cross Anglican Church and local Columba college.

“The march is not happening so we will be gathering at the school instead,” he said.

“We used to gather at the cathedral with the welcoming from the archbishop and the dean of the cathedral. We will be resuming that next year if god wills.”

The Very Reverend Frank Nelson told The Australian it was disappointing the march would not be taking place this year as it was a great bridge between the African and broader Anglican community in Adelaide. .

“It’s very colourful and increasing numbers of people, the services that we organise one of them finish just as the march comes in, a lot of people stay behind to watch it,” he said.

South Sudanese Anglicans march to St Peters in Adelaide

In Melbourne, Steven Saputra, 36, will be attending an Indonesian service at the Scots Church on Collins Street.

Mr Saputra said he’s been attending the Church’s Indonesian sermons since 2004, and he loves the intimacy of congregations worship and their Christmas celebrations.

“Sometimes we have special items like children's choir, small gifts for the parents, and after the service we have a Christmas lunch together, and during the service itself we sing Christmas carols in the service, we pray and give thanks for what god has blessed us throughout the years,” he said.

St Andrews Cathedral in Sydney will hold several services across Christmas Eve and Christmas, with a similar story across the country.

Services around the country

Sydney: St Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral 

Christmas Eve

Anglican Bishop Michael Stead at St Andrews Cathedral in Sydney. Picture: John Feder.

3.30PM – Contemporary Service with Children’s Carols

6.00PM – With the cathedral choir and brass

8.00PM – With the cathedral choir and brass

11.00PM – With adult choir and brass

Christmas Day

8.30AM – Holy Communion (no choir)

10.00AM – Christmas Celebration (With the cathedral choir and brass)

Sydney: St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral Christmas Schedule

Christmas Eve

5pm – Vespers

6pm – Vigil mass with congregational carols

8pm – Choir Vigil mass (carols from 730pm)

11.15 – readings and carols

12am – midnight mass

Christmas Day

7am – Mass

9am – Mass with congregational choirs

10.30am – Solemn mass

6pm – mass with congregational carols

Parramatta St Johns Anglican Cathedral

Christmas Eve

10am – Mass

11pm – Mass

Christmas Day

8am – Mass

10am – Mass

Parramatta St Patrick's Cathedral

Christmas Eve

6pm – Christmas Vigil 1

9pm – Christmas Vigil 2

12am – Christmas Vigil 3

Mass Type Solemn Pontifical Mass with Cathedral Choir- Carols service with readings start at 11.30pm.

Christmas Day

8am – Midnight & Christmas Day Mass 1

9.30am Midnight & Christmas Day Mass 2

11am – Midnight & Christmas Day Mass 3

Mass Type Solemn Pontifical Mass with Cathedral Choir

6pm Midnight & Christmas Day Mass 4

Melbourne: St Paul's Anglican cathedral

Christmas Eve

Anglican Archbishop Philip Freier meets with members of the African community at St Paul's church in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart McEvoy.

3pm – Children’s Christmas Service

6pm – Service of Lessons and Carols

8pm – A Mandarin Christmas

10pm – First Eucharist of Christmas

A traditional service with Holy Communion, led by the Cathedral Choir.

11.45pm – Midnight Mass

Christmas Day

8am – Holy Communion with Carols

10am – Christmas Morning Choral Eucharist

1pm – Mandarin Eucharist

Melbourne: St Patrick's Catholic cathedral

Christmas Eve

6pm – Christmas Vigil Mass,

11pm – Carol Service 1

12am – Midnight Mass

Note:- Cathedral will be closed from midday till 5pm and no 1pm mass

Christmas Day

8am Mass with Cantor and Organ,

9.30am with Cantor and Organ and

11am Solemn Mass

Note:- Cathedral will be closed after 11am Mass

Adelaide: Catholic Cathedral of St Francis Xavier

Christmas Eve

6pm – Family Mass

8pm – Vigil

11pm – Carols and prayer

12am – Midnight Mass

Christmas Day

7am – Mass;

9am – Mass;

11am – Mass;

2.30pm – Mass (African)

(no 6pm Mass)

Adelaide: Anglican Cathedral of St Peters

Christmas Eve
4pm – Children’s Crib Service with Carols
7pm – Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
9pm – Sudanese Christmas Service

Christmas Day

8am – Holy Communion (BCP) with Carols

10am – Festive Choral Eucharist

Hobart: St. David's Anglican Cathedral

Christmas Eve

8.30am – Morning Prayer

10am – Cathedral craft and gift shop

5pm – kids Christmas service

7pm – nine lessons and carols

11pm – Midnight communion

Christmas Day

8am Christmas holy communion

10am Family communion with choir

Hobart: Saint Mary’s Catholic Cathedral

Christmas Eve

6pm – St Mary’s Cathedral (Family Vigil Mass)

8pm – Sacred Heart Church (Family Mass)

11.15pm -Midnight Mass with Service of Carols beginning

Christmas Day

8.30am – Sacred Heart Church Mass

10.30am – St Mary’s Cathedral Mass

Please note there is NO evening Mass on Christmas Day

Brisbane: Catholic Cathedral of St Stephen

Christmas Eve
6pm – Mass
8pm – Mass
11.30pm Carols
12.00 midnight mass

Christmas Day
8.00am – Mass
10.00am – Mass
12.00pm – Mass

Brisbane: Anglican Cathedral of St Johns
Christmas Eve

7.30am – Holy Eucharist with Hymns
9.30am – Choral Eucharist
11:30am – Children’s Christmas Liturgy
3:30pm – Children’s Christmas Liturgy
7pm – God is With Us Lessons + Carols
10:40pm – Pre-Service Carols
11pm – First Eucharist of Christmas

Christmas Day

7:30am – Holy Eucharist with Hymns
9:30am – Choral Eucharist
11.00am – 4.00pm – Cathedral closed
5pm – Holy Eucharist

Perth: St Georges Anglican Cathedral

Christmas Eve

7.30pm – Festival of Lessons and Carols

11.30pm – First Eucharist of Christmas

Christmas Day

8.00am – Holy Eucharist with Carols

10.00am – Choral Eucharist with Carols

Perth: St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral

Christmas Eve

6pm -Children's Nativity Mass with Nativity Play

9pm – Solemn Christmas Vigil Mass

10.30pm – 11.30pm – Lessons and Carols (leading up to Midnight Mass)

Christmas Day

12 midnight – Midnight Solemn Pontifical Mass

8am – Dawn Mass

9.30am – Mass

11am – Solemn Pontifical Mass

5pm – Mass

Darwin: Christ Church Anglican Cathedral

Christmas Eve

5.30pm – Christmas Eve Children’s Service

11.30pm – Midnight Mass

Christmas Day

7.30am – Holy Communion

9.00am – Sung Eucharist

Darwin: St Mary’s Catholic cathedral

Christmas Eve
6.30pm – Family Mass
11.20pm Christmas Carols followed by Christmas Mass at 11.45pm

Christmas Day
9.30am – Mass
7.00pm – Mass