For today's podcast, Sister Cathy Jones, a Religious of the Assumption, talks about her experiences of community life and how religious congregations are called to fulfill a specific role in the Church revealing an aspect of Christ to the world.

The Feast of St John of Damascene, 4 December, is the date in the Church's calendar when we look to the Middle East and pray for its peoples. Syria comes sharply to the top of our prayer list today with so many people killed and internally and externally displaced. Today's podcast comes from Bishop John Arnold.

3 December marks the Catholic Church's World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Today's #thought4advent comes from Bishop Patrick Lynch, the Chair of the Office for Migration Policy at the Bishops' Conference.

It's the first weekday of Advent and in today's reflection for our seasonal podcast series 'Thought for Advent', Dr James Hanvey SJ looks how Advent is a time to wait attentively for God. Recorded in the Holy Land.

In this reflection, for the First Sunday of Advent, Margaret Shepherd, a Sister of Our Lady of Sion, looks at the day's readings and encourages us to walk in the light of Christ.