The Liturgical Season of Advent is a period of preparation for the feast of Christmas. The 4 Sundays immediately preceding Christmas are called the Sundays of Advent.

This is not only a time of preparation for Christmas but also for all the many occasions on Which the Lord comes into our lives, including also the Second Coming of Christ known as the 'Parousia' - the Final Judgement.

It is the Christian practice to prepare for the great feasts of the Church, especially Christmas and Easter, by a period of intense prayer, penance and mortification.

In the Diocese of Johannesburg, the Catholics are encoureaged to make the sacrifice of foregoing pleasures and entertainment, and even reducing food and drink. They contribute the resulting savings to those less fortunate than themselves.

On the 4 Sundays of Advent each year the offerings are collected in all churches of the diocese. The collection is called 'The Gaudete Collection'. The Diocese distributes these funds to needy organisations and persons.

The word 'Gaudete' comes from the liturgy of the 3rd Sunday of Advent which calls on allpeople to 'Rejoice' for the Lord's coming is very close!