Catholic Religious Australia’s President, National Council Members, and National Executive Director have shared a video Christmas message, speaking of the hope the birth of Jesus Christ brought into our world in Bethlehem and continues to bring today, and urging each of us to share the life-changing joy of Christmas with those around us, and to be agents of peace.
CRA President, Fr Peter Jones OSA, said he recently came across a quote from St Augustine from a homily he wrote (Homily 365), which said: “God gave us our nature, God gave us our understanding. God healed our nature, God healed our understanding.”
“The key event in which this healing takes place is God becoming one with us in the person of Jesus,” he said. “That’s what we celebrate at Christmas. So, together with all my fellow members of the CRA Council I wish each of you a blessed, peaceful and joyful celebration of Christmas. God bless.”
Sr Philippa Murphy FDNC said that in these days we find ourselves witnessing in real time the unimaginable cruelty of war in so many places in our world.
“And God reminds us, time and time again that nothing is impossible to God, even coming to earth as a baby, born to a woman named Mary,” she said. At Christmas, God comes to us a fragile, powerless, vulnerable baby and at this moment, the divine spark of God’s love is born. I hope and pray that you have a deep sense of being loved this Christmas by those that God surrounds you with and may you be that loving, peaceful presence for those you encounter this Christmas.”
Br Gerard Brady CFC prayed that Christmas would be a time that “brings peace and joy to you, your families, your communities and those with whom you associate”.
“We are part of a global community, we are part of earth and the call of Christmas invites us to be responsible and care for our earth, as much as we care for each other,” he said. So may we, following Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si’ to be people who are committed to care of earth and of our Laudato Si’ platform, be people who can bring hope and joy to those around us and in that way bring hope and joy to our earth community. Happy Christmas.”
Sr Monica Cavanagh RSJ suggested that while world events and challenges may seem insurmountable, we could bring symbols and signs of peace and hope in our family, amongst our own friends and community.
“You can help spread hope and peace by acts of kindness, such as volunteering, donating to charity, and reaching out to those in need. Happy Christmas to you all,” she said.
Fr Alan Gibson CM took the opportunity to wish everyone “a very happy and holy Christmas and a prosperous New Year”.
“My prayer is that you and your family, your loved ones, communities, those you minister to, those who you socialise with, whatever contact you have with others, that you may all experience the joy and the peace and hope that the birth of our Saviour brings,” he said. “Merry Christmas.”
For Sr Melissa Dwyer FdCC, the birth of Christ amongst us at Christmas is a sign of peace in a troubled world.
“As we celebrate Christmas this year we get ready to welcome once again the birth of Christ amongst us,” she said. “As we look back on 2023, we can’t help but pray that the coming of Jesus, Prince of Peace this Christmas, will bring peace to our troubled world. I’d like to wish you, all the members of your Congregations, a blessed and Holy Christmas.”
Fr Philip Watkins SSS urged us to “allow ourselves the excitement to celebrate with different eyes, with a different vision and perspective”.
“For me, Christmas is a call to reawaken the Jesus child in me – childlike simplicity, purity, honesty, playfulness, of discovery, of not being restricted by boundaries and boundless entrenched traditions. Christmas is to see the Jesus child in the other, alive. That’s how this Christmas event blesses me, blesses our world, blesses our family and loved ones. God’s blessing this Christmas.”
Sr Mary Ryan OP said that as she reflects on Christmas she remembers “about the difference this one little baby made to the whole world”.
“It brought to mind that we too make a difference in whatever part of the world we are,” she said. “And so, I ask this baby to bless us in our own ministries and the difference we’re going to make in the world. And I hope at Christmas that you have much peace and joy wherever you are and in whatever ministries you have.”
And CRA National Executive Director Anne Walker said that as we celebrate the joyous season of Christmas we’re reminded that God, in his boundless love chose to heal us by becoming one of us in the form of Jesus, “a baby whose arrival ignited the divine spark of love within our midst”.
“Just as the coming of Jesus transformed the world, our unity and collective efforts can make a significant impact. Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges in our world today, let us become beacons of hope and peace,” she said.