One year ends ...

At 5:00pm local time today (11:00am EST) inside the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of the first Vespers for the Solemnity of Holy Mary, Mother of God, which was followed by a period of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the traditional chanting of the Te Deum to mark the conclusion of the calendar year and the Eucharistic blessing.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

during the first Vespers of the Solemnity

of Mary, the Mother of God

At the end of the year, the Word of God accompanies us with these two verses from the Apostle Paul (cf Gal 4:4-5).  These are concise and dense expressions: a synthesis of the New Testament that gives meaning to a critical moment such as the passing of a year always is.

The first expression that strikes us is the fullness of time. It assumes a particular resonance in these final hours of a solar year, in which even more we feel the need for something that makes sense of the passage of time. Something or, better, someone. And this someone came, God sent him: he is his Son, Jesus. We have recently celebrated his birth: he was born of a woman, the Virgin Mary; He was born under the Law, a Jewish child, subject to the Law of the Lord. How is it possible? How can this be the sign of the fullness of time? Of course, for the moment it is almost invisible and insignificant, but within a little more than thirty years, that Jesus would unleash an unprecedented force, which lasts and which will last throughout history: the power of Love. It is love that gives fullness to everything, even to time; and Jesus is the concentrate of all the love of God in a human being.

Saint Paul clearly explains why the Son of God was born in time, the mission that the Father gave him to do: he was born to redeem. This is the second word that strikes us: to redeem, that is, to get out of a condition of slavery and return to the freedom and dignity of children. The slavery that the apostle has in mind is that of the Law, understood as a set of precepts to be observed, a law that certainly educates mankind, a law that is pedagogical, but does not free him from his condition as a sinner, as if to say nail him to this condition, preventing him from reaching the freedom meant for a son.

God has sent his Only Son into the world to uproot the ancient slavery of sin from the heart of man and thus to restore his dignity. In fact, it is from the human heart - as Jesus teaches in the Gospel (cf Mk 7: 21-23) - that all evil intentions, the iniquities that corrupt life and relationships come out.

And here we must stop, stop and reflect with pain and repentance because, even during this year that draws to a close, so many men and women have lived and still live in conditions of slavery, unworthy of human beings.

Even in our city of Rome there are brothers and sisters who, for various reasons, are in this state. I think, in particular, of those who are living without a home. They are more than ten thousand. In winter their situation is particularly harsh. They are all sons and daughters of God, but different forms of slavery, sometimes very complex, have led them to live on the edge of human dignity. Even Jesus was born in a similar condition, but not by chance, or by an accident: he wanted to be born this way, in order to manifest the love of God for the little ones and the poor, and thus to throw into the world the seed of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of justice, love and peace, where no one is a slave, but all are brothers, sons of the one Father.

The Church in Rome does not want to be indifferent to the slavery of our time, nor simply to observe and assist them, but wants to be within this reality, close to these people and these situations. Proximity, maternal.

I like to encourage this form of the motherhood of the Church as we celebrate the divine motherhood of the Virgin Mary. Contemplating this mystery, we recognize that God is born of a woman so that we could receive the fullness of our humanity, adoption as children. From its lowering we have been relieved. Our greatness has come from his smallness. From his fragility, our strength. From his becoming a servant, our freedom.

What name can be given to all this if not the name of Love?  The Love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, to which on this night, our holy mother the Church throughout the world raises her hymn of praise and thanksgiving.
(Original text in Italian)

Resignations in the Holy See Press Office

This morning, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, respectively Director and Deputy Director of the Vatican Press Office.  His Holiness has appointed Alessandro Gisotti as Director of the Press Office ad interim.

Alessandro Gisotti was born in Rome.  He is currently 44 years of age, is married and has two children.  Until now, he has been the Social Media Coordinator of the Dicastery for Communication.

Biography of Alessandro Gisotti

Alessandro Gisotti is a professional journalist. He graduated in political science from Rome’s La Sapienza University in 1999. He became Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Vatican Radio, where he began working in the year 2000. Among other things, he has followed the activities of the last three Popes, both in Rome and on various international apostolic journeys.

He has taught journalism at the Jesuit Maximus Institute in Rome, and Theories and Techniques of Journalism at the Pontifical Lateran University. He has written several articles and essays on Church communications, including The Decalogue of the Good Communicator according to Pope Francis, published in 2016 with a preface by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila.

Statement by Doctor Paolo Ruffini

In a statement following the resignation of Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, and the appointment of Alessandro Gisotti, the Prefect of the Dicastery of Communication, Doctor Paolo Ruffini made the following statement:

I have learned of the decision of Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, and the acceptance by Pope Francis of their resignation. In these few months of working together, I have been able to appreciate their professionalism, humanity, and faith. I thank them therefore for the dedication with which they have carried out their work thus far. Today, faced with what is their independent and free choice, I can only respect the decision they have made. 

Greg and Paloma (appointed to this task by my predecessor, Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò) were the first Director and Deputy Director of the Press Office following the start of the reform of the Holy See's communication system, called for by the Holy Father. Their significant commitment has contributed to the path of reform that today, according to them, in order to be carried out, requires a rapid hand-over of testimony, in the spirit of service to the Church that we all share. 

It is precisely with this spirit of service and fidelity to the Holy Father that I myself will carry forward the complex path of this important reform. The year ahead is full of important events that require the greatest effort in communication. I have full confidence that Alessandro Gisotti, until now Social Media Coordinator of the Dicastery for Communication, and former Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Vatican Radio, will be able to guide the Press Office ad interim, waiting for its new structure to be defined as soon as possible.

Statement by Alessandro Gisotti
I thank the Holy Father for the trust placed in me at such a delicate time for the communications of the Holy See. I have placed myself at the complete disposal of the Prefect, Paolo Ruffini. A relationship of esteem and friendship binds me to Greg Burke and Paloma G. Ovejero. I join the Prefect in thanking them for the work done over the last two and a half years in heading the Press Office. 

I will try to fulfill the task entrusted to me to the best of my ability, with that spirit of service to the Church and to the Pope that I had the privilege of learning by assisting Father Federico Lombardi for almost 20 years. I know well that my task, however temporary, is particularly demanding, but I am comforted to know the great value of my colleagues in the Press Office whose professionalism and dedication I have been able to appreciate on many occasions.   

Tweets by Greg Burke and Paloma Garcia Ovejero
In separate tweets, posted on his personal Twitter account, Greg Burke expressed the following:

Paloma and I have resigned, effective Jan. 1. At this time of transition in Vatican communications, we think it’s best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team.

I entered the Vatican in 2012. The experience has been fascinating, to say the least. Thank you, Pope Francis. Un abrazo muy fuerte .

New Year. New adventures.

Paloma Garcia Ovejero tweeted a message in Spanish which, translated, reads:

A stage ends. Thank you, Holy Father, for these two and a half years! Thank you, Greg, for your trust, your patience and your example.

Celebrating the Holy Family

Here is the text of the reflection I shared with those who came to pray with us and to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.

We are part of a family

Every one of us is part of a family: we all have a mother and a father.  Some of us have other siblings and extended family as well.  In modern times, the concept of family has become much more fluid but at its core, every family is meant to include adults who are the keepers of tradition and wisdom and children who look to their parents, guardians and other adults in order to learn the traditions and wisdom that are meant to be passed on to them.

The writings of Ben Sirach the Sage speak of some of this wisdom in today’s first reading in the context of the family of faith to which we all belong: Whoever honours a father atones for sins ... and whoever respects their mother is like one who lays up treasure (Sir 3:3-4).  Children don’t always know what it means to respect their parents or their elders, except if they have learned this behaviour from others.  Respect begins with an appreciation for the fact that parents have wisdom and knowledge which they are willing to impart.

It is often only when children themselves become adults, and their parents grow older, that we are able to truly grasp the meaning of the wisdom that is set before us today.  If we have had the privilege of spending time in the company of elderly parents or grandparents, the words of Ben Sirach will apply even more to our situations: help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives.  Even if his mind fails, be patient with him ... kindness to your father will not be forgotten (Sir 3:12-14).

Today, we continue our prayerful gaze upon the holy family of Nazareth.  Saint Luke tells us that Jesus was obedient to Joseph and Mary ... and increased in wisdom and in years, and in favour with God and human beings (Lk 2:51-52).  Jesus’ parents probably were the first to tell him about the wisdom of Ben Sirach.  I wonder if the words we heard today from the prophet made sense to him when he first heard them read to him, or whether he too needed to grow in his understanding of their worth.  As time went on, perhaps Jesus heard these words echoed in his heart as he gazed upon Joseph in his old age.  We are not told any details of that time in their life, but we can surmise that there must have been a time when Jesus helped Joseph, just as Joseph had helped him in his younger years.  Perhaps there were times in Joseph’s life when his mind began to fail him.  Jesus is always patient with us; perhaps Joseph was among the first to benefit from his divine son’s kindnesses.

We too can ask Jesus to show us the same kindness that he showed to his parents.  We can also ask him to teach us to be patient with ourselves and with others.  Saint Paul gives us some practical advice about how we can recognize the fruit of God’s kindness and patience at work within us.  As God’s chosen ones, he says ... clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience (Col 3:12).  Each of these is a gift from God.  In fact, only with God’s help can we learn how to recognize these traits and to use them wisely.

In the coming days, let us all ask Jesus to help us to open our hearts to him so that his word can dwell richly in our hearts (cf Col 3:16), and let us give thanks for the gift of our families, the schools of discipleship in which we live every day.

Nous faisons partie d'une famille

Chacun de nous fait partie d'une famille: nous avons tous une mère et un père. Certains d'entre nous ont d'autres frères et soeurs ainsi que d’autres parents. De nos jours, le concept d’une famille est devenu beaucoup plus fluide, mais chaque famille est censée inclure des adultes détenteurs de la tradition et de la sagesse et des enfants qui se tournent vers leurs parents et d'autres adultes afin d’apprendre les traditions et la sagesse qui doivent leur être transmises.

Les paroles de Ben Sirach le Sage parlent d'une partie de cette sagesse dans la première lecture que nous avons entendue aujourd'hui dans le contexte de la famille de foi à laquelle nous appartenons tous: Celui qui honore son père expie ses péchés ... et celui qui respecte sa mère amasse un trésor (Sir 3, 3-4). Les enfants ne savent pas toujours ce que signifie respecter leurs parents ou leurs aînés, sauf s’ils ont appris ce comportement des autres. Le respect commence par une reconnaissance du fait que les parents ont de la sagesse qu'ils sont disposés à transmettre.

Ce n'est souvent que lorsque nous sommes adultes et que nos parents se trouvent plus âgés, que nous pouvons vraiment comprendre le sens de la sagesse qui nous est donnée aujourd'hui. Si nous avons eu le privilège de passer du temps en compagnie de parents ou de grands-parents âgés, les paroles de Ben Sirach s’appliqueront encore plus à notre situation: aidez votre père dans sa vieillesse et ne l’attristez pas tant qu'il vivra. Même si son esprit échoue, soyez patient avec lui ... la bonté envers votre père ne sera pas oubliée (Sir 3, 12-14).

Aujourd'hui, nous continuons notre regard envers la Sainte Famille de Nazareth. Saint Luc nous dit que Jésus obéissait à Joseph et à Marie… et qu'il grandissait en sagesse et en années et en faveur de Dieu et des êtres humains (Lc 2, 51-52). Les parents de Jésus ont probablement été les premiers à lui parler de la sagesse de Ben Sirach. Je me demande si les paroles du prophète que nous avons entendues aujourd'hui avaient du sens pour lui lorsqu'il les a lues pour la première fois, ou si lui aussi avait besoin de mieux comprendre leur valeur. Alors que le temps passait, Jésus entendit peut-être ces paroles résonner dans son cœur alors qu'il contemplait Joseph dans sa vieillesse. On ne nous dit aucun détail de cette période de leur vie, mais nous pouvons supposer qu'il y a eu une période où Jésus a aidé Joseph, tout comme Joseph l'avait aidé dans sa jeunesse. Peut-être y at-il eu des moments dans la vie de Joseph où son esprit commençait à lui manquer. Jésus est toujours patient avec nous; peut-être que Joseph a été parmi les premiers à bénéficier des bontés de son fils divin.

Nous pouvons aussi demander à Jésus de nous montrer la même gentillesse qu'il a manifestée envers ses parents. Nous pouvons également lui demander de nous apprendre à être patients avec nous-mêmes et avec les autres. Saint Paul nous donne des conseils pratiques sur la manière de reconnaître le fruit de la bonté et de la patience de Dieu à l’œuvre en nous. En tant qu’élus de Dieu, dit-il: revêtez-vous de compassion, de gentillesse, d’humilité, de douceur et de patience (Col 3,12) chacun de ceux-ci est un cadeau de Dieu. En fait, ce n’est qu’avec l’aide de Dieu que nous pourrons apprendre à reconnaître ces traits et à les utiliser judicieusement.

Pendant les prochains jours, demandons tous à Jésus de nous aider à lui ouvrir nos cœurs afin que sa parole puisse y demeurer (cf Col 3,16), et remercions-lui pour le don de notre famille, une véritable école de disciple dans laquelle nous vivons tous les jours.

Angelus about amazement and anguish

At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST), the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.

Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family and the liturgy invites us to reflect on the experience of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, who were united by intense love and animated by great trust in God.  Today's gospel passage (cf Lk 2:41-52) recounts the journey of the family from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover.  But, on the return trip, the parents realize that their twelve-year-old son is not in the caravan.  After three days of searching and fear, they find him in the temple, seated among the doctors, intensely speaking with them.  At the sight of their son, Mary and Joseph were amazed (Lk 2:48) and the Mother expressed their apprehension, saying: Your father and I were greatly anguished as we looked for you (Lk 2:48).

Amazement - they were amazed - and anguished - your father and I were anguished - these are two elements to which I would like to draw your attention: amazement and anguish.

In the family of Nazareth, wonder never ceased, not even in a dramatic moment like the loss of Jesus: they had an ability to be amazed by the gradual manifestation of the Son of God. This same astonishment also affected the doctors of the temple; they admired him for his intelligence and his answers (Lk 2:47). But what is amazement, what does it mean to be amazed? Amazement and wonder are the opposite of taking everything for granted, it is the opposite of interpreting the reality that surrounds us and the events of history only according to our criteria. A person who does this does not know what it means to marvel, what amazement is. Being amazed means opening ourselves up to others, understanding the reasons of others: this attitude is important for healing compromised relationships among people, and it is also indispensable for healing open wounds within the family. When there are problems in families, we assume that we are right and we close the door to others. Instead, we should think: What does this person have? ... and marvel at this good. And this helps the unity of the family. If you have problems in the family, think of the good things you know about that family you have problems with, and marvel at this. And this will help heal the family wounds.

The second element that I would like to grasp from the gospel is the anguish that Mary and Joseph experienced when they could not find Jesus. This anguish manifests the centrality of Jesus in the Holy Family. The Virgin and her husband had welcomed their Son, they guarded him and they saw him grow in age, wisdom and grace in their midst, but above all he grew up in their hearts; and, little by little, their affection and understanding for him increased. This is why the family of Nazareth is holy: because it was centred on Jesus, all the attention and solicitude of Mary and Joseph were focused on him.

That anguish they felt during the three days while they had lost Jesus should also be our anguish when we are far from Him, when we are far from Jesus. We should feel anguish when we forget about Jesus for more than three days, without praying, without reading the gospel, without feeling the need for his presence and his consoling friendship. And so many days go by without me remembering Jesus. But this is bad, this is very bad. We should feel anguish when these things happen. Mary and Joseph looked for him and found him in the temple while he was teaching: we too should do the same; it is above all in the house of God that we can meet the divine Master and welcome his message of salvation. In the Eucharistic celebration we encounter a living experience of Christ; He speaks to us, offers us his Word, enlightens us, enlightens our journey, gives us his Body in the Eucharist from which we draw strength to face the difficulties of every day.

And today, let us go home with these two words: amazement and anguish.  Am I aware of being amazed when I see good things in other people? Concentrating on the good things can help me to solve family problems.  Do I feel anguished when I feel like I am distanced from Jesus?

Let us pray for all families throughout the world, especially those in which, for various reasons, there is a lack of peace and harmony.  And let us entrust them to the protection of the Holy Family of Nazareth.



Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let us pray together for all those who in the Democratic Republic of Congo are suffering because of violence and ebola.  I hope that everyone is committed to maintaining a peaceful climate that will allow for regular and peaceful conduct of today's elections.  Let us pray together: Hail Mary ...

I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims; parish groups, associations and young people.  Today, I offer a special greeting to families who are here.  Let us applaud all the families who are here, all of them, and also those who are participating from home via television or radio.  The family is a treasure: we must always care for families, defend them.  May the Holy Family of Nazareth always protect and illuminate our journey.

I greet the Mercedari religious who have come together with altar servers from various parts of Italy, as well as the faithful from Legnaro and Gragnano.  I greet the scouts from Villabate; the young men and women who have recently been Confirmed in the pastoral unity of Codognè (Diocese of Vittorio Veneto) and also those from a few parishes in the dioceses of Bergamo: Curno, Palazzago, Gromlongo, Barzana and Almenno.  And I greet these two groups of sisters who are holding Spanish and Polish flags.

I wish all of you a good Sunday and a serene end to this year.  Complete the year with serenity.  I thank you also for your wishes and for your prayers.  Please continue to pray for me.  Enjoy your lunch and goodbye!
(Original text in Italian)

Condolences to Egypt

A telegram of condolence, signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, has been sent by the Holy Father to the President of the Republic of Egypt to express his closeness following the terrorist attack that took place yesterday near Giza (Egypt).

Telegram of Condolence

His Excellency Abdel Fattah Al Sisi
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Cairo

His Holiness, Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the recent bomb attack near Giza. In deploring this senseless and brutal act, he prays for the victims and their families, for the injured and for the emergency personnel who generously came to their aid. Trusting that all will work to overcome violence with solidarity and peace, Pope Francis invokes divine blessings upon Egypt and its people.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State

Christmas is here

Merry Christmas!  Here is the reflection I prepared and shared with all those who gathered to celebrate the Lord's Nativity.

When God appears

Each year, when Christmas arrives, we hear the story once again.  We know the characters very well: Joseph, the just man; Mary, a young girl who is betrothed; shepherds who heard the good news proclaimed to them by angels ... The picture seems to be the epitome of serenity and peace, but I think that serenity was the last thing on the minds of that young couple.

All the plans had been put in place.  Joseph, a good and just man, a carpenter from the village of Nazareth in Galilee was betrothed - formally promised in marriage - to a young virgin who also lived in that place.  Perhaps by the time we happen on the scene, the plans had already been put in place for a wedding to take place, and then everything seemed to come crashing down around them.  Joseph heard the news that Mary was with child.  Being a good and just man, he decided to dismiss her quietly, but then the plot thickened even more: an angel appeared to him and told him that the child was from God, that there was a much larger plan unfolding and that he and his betrothed were being invited to be part of it.

Joseph agreed to cooperate with the plan.   He did not dismiss Mary, but then there was yet another unexpected turn of events: a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered (Lk 2:1).  The Romans were very orderly in every aspect of governing.  They determined that in order to keep proper records about the population of their empire, everyone would go to their own towns to be registered.  So it was that Joseph ... went from the town of Nazareth ... to the city of David called Bethlehem because he was descended from the house and family of David ... along with Mary to whom he was betrothed (Lk 2:4-5).  Knowing that she was with child, Joseph probably would have preferred to keep her safely at home until the child was born, but he didn’t dare disobey the order to partake in the census.

There were other things about poor Joseph’s plans that also had to be changed: when they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them to stay in any normal accommodations, and to make things even more complicated, while they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child (Lk 2:6) so he had to find somewhere for her to rest.  They ended up not in a hotel, but in a stable, not in a hospital but surrounded by animals.  Against the bracing chill of the night air, a stable filled with animals would have provided some warmth and shelter from the wind but it certainly was not ideal.  Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes to keep him warm (Lk 2:7).  In the manger, it was not sheets and a pillow that made him comfortable, but the food that had been placed there for the animals.

There was nothing either normal, expected or preferred about the way all this came about, yet the grace of God appeared in this way, bringing salvation to all (Ti 2:11).  We too can find ourselves in situations where even the most well-intentioned of our plans sometimes get turned upside down.  In such situations, perhaps we need to pause and consider the possibility that God may be at work.  Because Joseph and Mary said yes, their lives were changed forever.  Because they said yes, a people who once walked in darkness, who lived in a land of deep darkness ... have seen a great light (Is 9:1).

Merry Christmas!  Buon Natale!  Joyeux Noël!  Feliz Navidad!  Feliz Natal!  Fröhliche Weihnachten!  Wesołych Świąt!

Quand Dieu apparaît

Chaque année, lorsque Noël arrive, nous entendons l’histoire de nouveau. Nous connaissons très bien les personnages: il y avait Joseph, l'homme juste; Marie, une jeune fille; et même les bergers qui ont entendu la bonne nouvelle que les anges leur ont proclamée ... L'image semble être l'incarnation de la sérénité et de la paix, mais je pense que cette sérénité était la dernière préoccupation de l'esprit de ce jeune couple.

Tous les plans avaient été mis en place. Joseph, un homme juste et bon, un charpentier du village de Nazareth en Galilée a été fiancé - c'est à dire officiellement promis en mariage - à une jeune fille qui habitait également cet endroit. Peut-être qu'au moment où nous arrivons sur les lieux, même les plans pour un mariage avaient déjà été mis en place, puis tout semblait s'écrouler autour d'eux. Joseph a entendu la nouvelle que Marie était enceinte. Homme bon et juste, il décida de la renvoyer doucement. Mais l'intrigue se compliqua encore plus: un ange lui apparut et lui dit que l'enfant venait de Dieu, qu'un plan beaucoup plus vaste se déroulait et que lui et sa fiancée étaient invités à en faire part.

Joseph a accepté de coopérer avec le plan. Il n'a pas congédié Marie, mais il y a eu une autre tournure imprévue: En ces jours-là, parut un édit de l’empereur Auguste, ordonnant de recenser toute la terre (Lc 2,1). Les Romains préféraient toujours mettre de l’ordre dans tous les aspects du gouvernement. Ils ont déterminé qu’afin de pouvoir conserver des registres appropriés concernant la population de leur empire, tout le monde irait dans leurs propres villes pour être enregistré. C’est ainsi que Joseph ... monta de Galilée, depuis la ville de Nazareth ... jusqu’à la ville de David appelée Bethléem.  Il était en effet de la maison et de la lignée de David.  Il venait ... avec Marie qui lui avait été accordée en mariage (Lc 2,4-5).  Sachant qu’elle était enceinte, Joseph aurait probablement préféré la garder chez elle jusqu’à la naissance de son enfant, mais il n’osait pas désobéir à l’ordre de participer au recensement.

ll fallait également changer d’autres aspects des plans du pauvre Joseph: lors de leur arrivée à Bethléem, ils ne pouvaient pas rester dans des logements normaux et pour rendre la vie encore plus compliquée, pendant qu’ils étaient là le temps où elle devait enfanter fut accompli (Lc 2,6).  Joseph a donc dû trouver un endroit où elle pouvait se reposer. Ils se sont retrouvés non pas dans un hôtel, mais dans une écurie, pas dans un hôpital, mais entourés d'animaux. Contre le froid glacial de la nuit, une écurie remplie d’animaux aurait fourni un peu de chaleur et un abri contre le vent, mais ce n’était certainement pas idéal. Marie a mit au monde son fils premier-né; elle l’emmaillota afin de le garder au chaud (Lc 2,7). Dans une mangeoire, ce ne sont pas les draps et un oreiller qui le mettaient à l'aise, mais la nourriture qui y avait été placée pour nourrir les animaux.

Il n’y avait rien de normal, d’attendu ou de préféré dans la façon dont tout cela se déroulait, pourtant la grâce de Dieu s’est manifestée de cette manière, pour le salut de tous (Ti 2,11). Nous pouvons nous aussi nous retrouver dans des situations où même les mieux intentionnés de nos projets se retrouvent parfois bouleversés. Dans de telles situations, nous devons peut-être faire une pause et envisager la possibilité que Dieu puisse être à l'œuvre. C’était à cause du oui prononcé et par Joseph et par Marie que leur vie a été changée pour toujours. À cause du fait qu'ils ont dit oui, un peuple qui marchait dans les ténèbres a vu se lever une grande lumière (Is 9: 1). Joyeux Noël!

Pope Francis' Christmas greetings

At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST), the Solemnity of the Birth of the Lord, from the Central Loggia of the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis spoke his traditional Christmas Message to the faithful present in Saint Peter's Square and to those who were listening and watching via radio and television.

Alle ore 12 di oggi, Solennità del Natale del Signore, dalla Loggia Centrale della Basilica Vaticana il Santo Padre Francesco, prima di impartire la Benedizione Urbi et Orbi, ha rivolto il tradizionale Messaggio natalizio ai fedeli presenti in Piazza San Pietro e a quanti lo ascoltano attraverso la radio e la televisione.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Solemnity of the Lord's Nativity

Dear brothers and sisters, Merry Christmas!

To you, the faithful of Rome, to you, the pilgrims, and to all who are linked to us from every part of the world, I renew the joyous proclamation of Bethlehem: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom he favours (Lk 2:14).

Like the shepherds who first went with haste to the stable, let us halt in wonder before the sign that God has given us: A baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger (Lk 2:12). In silence, let us fall to our knees and worship.

What does that Child, born for us of the Virgin Mary, have to tell us? What is the universal message of Christmas? It is that God is a good Father and we are all brothers and sisters.

This truth is the basis of the Christian vision of humanity. Without the fraternity that Jesus Christ has bestowed on us, our efforts for a more just world fall short, and even our best plans and projects risk being soulless and empty.

For this reason, my wish for a happy Christmas is a wish for fraternity.

Fraternity among individuals of every nation and culture.

Fraternity among people with different ideas, yet capable of respecting and listening to one another.

Fraternity among persons of different religions. Jesus came to reveal the face of God to all those who seek him.

The face of God has been revealed in a human face. It did not appear in an angel, but in one man, born in a specific time and place. By his incarnation, the Son of God tells us that salvation comes through love, acceptance, respect for this poor humanity of ours, which we all share in a great variety of races, languages, and cultures. Yet all of us are brothers and sisters in humanity!

Our differences, then, are not a detriment or a danger; they are a source of richness. As when an artist is about to make a mosaic: it is better to have tiles of many colours available, rather than just a few!

The experience of families teaches us this: as brothers and sisters, we are all different from each other. We do not always agree, but there is an unbreakable bond uniting us, and the love of our parents helps us to love one another. The same is true for the larger human family, but here, God is our parent, the foundation and strength of our fraternity.

May this Christmas help us to rediscover the bonds of fraternity linking us together as individuals and joining all peoples. May it enable Israelis and Palestinians to resume dialogue and undertake a journey of peace that can put an end to a conflict that for over seventy years has rent the land chosen by the Lord to show his face of love.

May the Child Jesus allow the beloved and beleaguered country of Syria once again to find fraternity after these long years of war. May the international community work decisively for a political solution that can put aside divisions and partisan interests, so that the Syrian people, especially all those who were forced to leave their own lands and seek refuge elsewhere, can return to live in peace in their own country.

My thoughts turn to Yemen, in the hope that the truce brokered by the international community may finally bring relief to all those children and people exhausted by war and famine.

I think too of Africa, where millions of persons are refugees or displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance and food security. May the Holy Child, the King of Peace, silence the clash of arms and allow a new dawn of fraternity to rise over the entire continent, blessing the efforts of all those who work to promote paths of reconciliation in political and social life.

May Christmas consolidate the bonds of fraternity uniting the Korean peninsula and help the path of rapprochement recently undertaken to continue and to reach agreed solutions capable of ensuring the development and well-being of all.

May this blessed season allow Venezuela once more to recover social harmony and enable all the members of society to work fraternally for the country’s development and to aid the most vulnerable sectors of the population.

May the Newborn Lord bring relief to the beloved land of Ukraine, yearning to regain a lasting peace that is slow to come. Only with a peace respectful of the rights of every nation can the country recover from the sufferings it has endured and restore dignified living conditions for its citizens. I am close to the Christian communities of the region, and I pray that they may develop relationships of fraternity and friendship.

Before the Child Jesus, may the inhabitants of beloved Nicaragua see themselves once more as brothers and sisters, so that divisions and discord will not prevail, but all may work to promote reconciliation and to build together the future of the country.

I want to mention, too, all those peoples that experience ideological, cultural and economic forms of colonization and see their freedom and identity compromised, as well as those suffering from hunger and the lack of educational and health care services.

A particular thought goes to our brothers and sisters who celebrate the Birth of the Lord in difficult, if not hostile situations, especially where the Christian community is a minority, often vulnerable or not taken into account. May the Lord grant that they, and all minorities, may live in peace and see their rights recognized, especially the right to religious freedom.

May the little Child whom we contemplate today in the manger, in the cold of the night, watch over all the children of the world, and every frail, vulnerable and discarded person. May all of us receive peace and consolation from the birth of the Saviour and, in the knowledge that we are loved by the one heavenly Father, realize anew that we are brothers and sisters and come to live as such!
(Original text in Italian)



The Holy Father then imparted his blessing Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) before speaking a final word:

I offer my Christmas greetings to all of you.  Happy and Holy Christmas!

Dear brothers and sisters who have come from Italy and from various other countries, as well as tose who are following us on the radio and on television and the other forms of media, I thank you for your presence on this day when we contemplate the love of God which appeared in the world through the birth of Jesus.  This love fosters the spirit of collaboration for the common good , revives the will to stand in solidarity and gives us all the hope that comes from God.

Happy and Holy Christmas!

Christmas Eve in Saint Peter's Basilica

At 9:30pm this evening (3:30pm EST), inside the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of the Holy Mass for the Vigil of the Lord's Birth.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Vigil Mass of Christmas

Joseph with Mary his spouse, went up to the city of David called Bethlehem (Lk 2:4). Tonight, we too, go to Bethlehem, there to discover the mystery of Christmas.

1. Bethlehem: the name means house of bread. In this house, the Lord today wants to encounter all mankind. He knows that we need food to live. Yet he also knows that the nourishments of this world do not satisfy the heart. In Scripture, the original sin of humanity is associated precisely with taking food: our first parents took of the fruit and ate, says the Book of Genesis (Gn 3:6). They took and ate. Mankind became greedy and voracious. In our day, for many people, life’s meaning is found in possessing, in having an excess of material objects. An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive.

Bethlehem is the turning point that alters the course of history. There God, in the house of bread, is born in a manger. It is as if he wanted to say: Here I am, as your food. He does not take, but gives us to eat; he does not give us a mere thing, but his very self. In Bethlehem, we discover that God does not take life, but gives it. To us, who from birth are used to taking and eating, Jesus begins to say: Take and eat. This is my body (Mt 26:26). The tiny body of the Child of Bethlehem speaks to us of a new way to live our lives: not by devouring and hoarding, but by sharing and giving. God makes himself small so that he can be our food. By feeding on him, the bread of life, we can be reborn in love, and break the spiral of grasping and greed. From the house of bread, Jesus brings us back home, so that we can become God’s family, brothers and sisters to our neighbours. Standing before the manger, we understand that the food of life is not material riches but love, not gluttony but charity, not ostentation but simplicity.

The Lord knows that we need to be fed daily. That is why he offered himself to us every day of his life: from the manger in Bethlehem to the Upper Room in Jerusalem. Today too, on the altar, he becomes bread broken for us; he knocks at our door, to enter and eat with us (cf Rev 3:20). At Christmas, we on earth receive Jesus, the bread from heaven. It is a bread that never grows stale, but enables us even now to have a foretaste of eternal life.

In Bethlehem, we discover that the life of God can enter into our hearts and dwell there. If we welcome that gift, history changes, starting with each of us. For once Jesus dwells in our heart, the centre of life is no longer my ravenous and selfish ego, but the One who is born and lives for love. Tonight, as we hear the summons to go up to Bethlehem, the house of bread, let us ask ourselves: What is the bread of my life, what is it that I cannot do without? Is it the Lord, or something else? Then, as we enter the stable, sensing in the tender poverty of the newborn Child a new fragrance of life, the odour of simplicity, let us ask ourselves: Do I really need all these material objects and complicated recipes for living? Can I manage without all these unnecessary extras and live a life of greater simplicity? In Bethlehem, beside where Jesus lay, we see people who themselves had made a journey: Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. Jesus is bread for the journey. He does not like long, drawn-out meals, but bids us rise quickly from table in order to serve, like bread broken for others. Let us ask ourselves: At Christmas do I break my bread with those who have none?

2. After Bethlehem as the house of bread, let us reflect on Bethlehem as the city of David. There the young David was a shepherd, and as such was chosen by God to be the shepherd and leader of his people. At Christmas, in the city of David, it was the shepherds who welcomed Jesus into the world. On that night, the Gospel tells us, they were filled with fear (Lk 2:9), but the angel said to them Be not be afraid (Lk 2:10). How many times do we hear this phrase in the Gospels: Be not afraid? It seems that God is constantly repeating it as he seeks us out. Because we, from the beginning, because of our sin, have been afraid of God; after sinning, Adam says: I was afraid and so I hid (Gen 3:10). Bethlehem is the remedy for this fear, because despite man’s repeated no, God constantly says yes. He will always be God-with-us. And lest his presence inspire fear, he makes himself a tender Child. Be not afraid: these words were not spoken to saints but to shepherds, simple people who in those days were certainly not known for their refined manners and piety. The Son of David was born among shepherds in order to tell us that never again will anyone be alone and abandoned; we have a Shepherd who conquers our every fear and loves us all, without exception.

The shepherds of Bethlehem also tell us how to go forth to meet the Lord. They were keeping watch by night: they were not sleeping, but doing what Jesus often asks all of us to do, namely, be watchful (cf Mt 25:13; Mk 13:35; Lk 21:36). They remain alert and attentive in the darkness; and God’s light then shone around them (Lk 2:9). This is also the case for us. Our life can be marked by waiting, which amid the gloom of our problems hopes in the Lord and yearns for his coming; then we will receive his life. Or our life can be marked by wanting, where all that matters are our own strengths and abilities; our heart then remains barred to God’s light. The Lord loves to be awaited, and we cannot await him lying on a couch, sleeping. So the shepherds immediately set out: we are told that they went with haste (Lk 2:16). They do not just stand there like those who think they have already arrived and need do nothing more. Instead they set out; they leave their flocks unguarded; they take a risk for God. And after seeing Jesus, although they were not men of fine words, they go off to proclaim his birth, so that all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds told them (Lk 2:18).

To keep watch, to set out, to risk, to recount the beauty: all these are acts of love. The Good Shepherd, who at Christmas comes to give his life to the sheep, will later, at Easter, ask Peter and, through him all of us, the ultimate question: Do you love me? (Jn 21:15). The future of the flock will depend on how that question is answered. Tonight we too are asked to respond to Jesus with the words: I love you. The answer given by each is essential for the whole flock.

Let us go now to Bethlehem (Lk 2:15). With these words, the shepherds set out. We too, Lord, want to go up to Bethlehem. Today too, the road is uphill: the heights of our selfishness need to be surmounted, and we must not lose our footing or slide into worldliness and consumerism.

I want to come to Bethlehem, Lord, because there you await me. I want to realize that you, lying in a manger, are the bread of my life. I need the tender fragrance of your love so that I, in turn, can be bread broken for the world. Take me upon your shoulders, Good Shepherd; loved by you, I will be able to love my brothers and sisters and to take them by the hand. Then it will be Christmas, when I can say to you: Lord you know everything; you know that I love you (cf Jn 21:17).
(Original text in Italian)

A visit for Christmas

Here is the text of the reflection that I shared with those who came to pray with us, just days before the celebration of Christmas.

A special visitor

Every year, on the fourth Sunday of Advent, we encounter Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Different parts of the story are recounted from one year to another.  This year, we meet Mary as she arrives at the home of Zachariah and Elizabeth; the moment of their initial meeting is described in the gospel of Saint Luke as a particularly joyous occasion, and this joy helps us to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christmas.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb (Lk 1:41).  In many parts of the Orient, when two people meet, they will bow to one another as a sign of greeting and respect for each other.  In some traditions, the belief is that the two persons who meet are recognizing the spirit that dwells within the person they are meeting.  Even before Mary and Elizabeth had exchanged any words, the child Elizabeth was carrying within her was aware that the Son of God was near, and with a leap, was alerting Elizabeth to the fact that this beloved relative of hers was indeed highly favoured.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry: ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb’  (Lk 1:42).  The scriptures speak of the angel’s conversation with Mary and so we know that Gabriel revealed to her the fact that her relative Elizabeth had ... conceived a son in her old age (cf Lk 1:36) but we are not told of any such apparition to Elizabeth, so it is possible that Elizabeth was unaware of Mary’s joyful news until the young girl arrived on the threshold of the older woman’s doorstep.  If this was indeed the case, the child leaping in Elizabeth’s womb and the words of greeting she offered are both signs that even before his birth, John the Baptist recognized the person of Jesus, and John’s joy was echoed in Elizabeth’s words.

During the three months that Mary stayed with Elizabeth (cf Lk 1:56), they had many occasions to spend time together.  Both these women would have been aware of the prophets and the words they had spoken.  It is quite possible that they pondered together the words that we heard in today’s first reading: from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel (Mi 5:1).  Along with their wondering about what the future would hold, both these women – the older one who had already lived her life, who had perhaps given up on the possibility of ever knowing the joy of having a child of her own, and the younger one who was only just setting out on life’s journey – would have pondered the wisdom of the prophet’s teaching.  What wonderful conversations they must have had.  I wonder if they both had moments of quiet reflection and prayer during which they were aware that they were in the presence of God, already participating in the miracle of bringing forth the one who would prepare the way and the one who would rule in Israel.

As we continue our preparations over the next few days for the celebration of Christmas, let us ask Mary and Elizabeth to share their joy with us.  Let us also humbly place ourselves in the presence of our God, as they did, simply saying: I have come to do your will (Heb 5:7).

Un visiteur spécial

Chaque année, lors du quatrième dimanche de l'Avent, nous rencontrons Marie, la mère de Jésus. Il y a différentes parties de l'histoire qui sont racontées d'une année à l'autre. Cette année, nous rencontrons Marie alors qu'elle arrive à la maison de Zacharie et d'Élisabeth; le moment de leur première rencontre est décrit dans l'évangile de saint Luc comme une occasion particulièrement joyeuse et cette joie nous aide à préparer nos cœurs à la célébration de Noël.

Quand Élisabeth entendit la salutation de Marie, l’enfant tressaillit en elle (Lc 1,41). Dans de nombreuses régions de l’Orient, lorsque deux personnes se rencontrent, elles s’inclinent en signe de salutation et de respect mutuel. Selon certaines traditions, les deux personnes qui se rencontrent reconnaissent l’esprit qui habite la personne qu’elles rencontrent. Même avant que Marie et Élisabeth aient échangé des paroles, l'enfant qu’Élisabeth portait en elle était conscient que le Fils de Dieu était proche et, en tressaillant, alertait Élisabeth que Marie était vraiment très favorisée.

Élisabeth fut remplie d’Esprit saint et s’écria d’une voix forte: ‘Tu es bénie entre toutes les femmes et le fruit de tes entrailles est béni’ (Lc 1, 42). Les Écritures racontent la conversation que l'ange du Seigneur a eue avec Marie et nous savons donc que Gabriel lui a révélé le fait que sa parente Élisabeth avait … conçu un fils dans sa vieillesse (cf Lc 1,36), mais rien ne nous a été dit concernant une telle apparition à Elisabeth. Il est donc possible qu’Elisabeth n’ait pas eu connaissance de la joyeuse nouvelle qui était partagée avec Marie jusqu’à ce que la jeune fille arrive chez la femme âgée. Si tel était bien le cas, l’enfant qui tressaillait dans le ventre d’Élisabeth et les paroles de salutation qu’elle prononçait sont des signes du fait que même avant sa naissance, Jean-Baptiste reconnaissait la personne de Jésus et que la joie de Jean se répercutait dans les paroles d’Élisabeth.

Pendant les trois mois de séjour de Marie chez Élisabeth (cf Lc 1,56), elles eurent souvent l'occasion de passer du temps ensemble. Ces deux femmes auraient été au courant des prophètes et des paroles qu'ils avaient prononcées. Il est tout à fait possible qu’elles aient réfléchi ensemble aux paroles que nous avons entendues lors de la première lecture d’aujourd’hui: de toi ... sortira pour moi celui qui doit gouverner Israël (Mi 5: 1). En même temps qu'elles se demandaient ce que l'avenir leur réservait, ces deux femmes - la plus âgée qui avait déjà vécu sa vie, qui avait même peut-être renoncé à la possibilité de connaître la joie d'accueillir un enfant, et la plus jeune qui ne faisait que commencer sa vie - auraient réfléchi à la sagesse de l'enseignement du prophète. Quelles conversations merveilleuses elles ont dû avoir. Je me demande si elles ont toutes deux eu des moments de réflexion et de prière tranquilles au cours desquels elles se sont rendu compte du fait qu'elles étaient en présence du Seigneur et qu'elles participaient déjà au miracle de créer celui qui préparerait le chemin ainsi que celui qui régnerait en Israël.

Alors que nous poursuivons nos préparatifs au cours des prochains jours en vue de la célébration de Noël, invitons Marie et Élisabeth à partager leur joie avec nous. Posons-nous aussi humblement en présence de notre Dieu, comme elles l'ont fait, en disant simplement: Je suis venu pour faire ta volonté (Héb 5: 7).

Angelus for Advent IV

At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST), the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

The liturgy for this fourth Sunday of Advent focuses on the figure of Mary, the Virgin Mother, waiting to give birth to Jesus, the Saviour of the world. Let us fix our gaze on her, a model of faith and charity; we can ask ourselves: what were your thoughts during all those months of waiting? The answer comes from today's Gospel passage, the story of Mary's visit to her elderly relative, Elizabeth (cf Lk 1: 39-45). The angel Gabriel had told her that Elizabeth was expecting a son and was already in the sixth month (cf Lk 1:26.36). And then the Virgin, who had just conceived Jesus by the work of God, had left Nazareth in Galilee, and reached the mountains of Judea, where she found her cousin.

The Gospel says: She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth (Lk 1:40). Surely she was happy for her, for her motherhood, and Elizabeth in turn greeted Mary saying: "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord has come to me? (Lk 1:42-43). And she immediately praises her faith: Blessed is she who believed in the fulfillment of what the Lord had told her (v.45). There is an evident contrast between Mary, who had faith, and Zechariah, Elizabeth's husband, who had doubted and not believed in the promise of the angel; therefore he remained silent until the birth of John.

This episode helps us to read the mystery of man's encounter with God with a very special light. This was an encounter that was not under the banner of amazing prodigies, but rather in the name of faith and charity. In fact, Mary was blessed because she believed: the encounter with God is the fruit of faith. Zaccaria instead, who doubted and did not believe, remained deaf and dumb. He grew in faith during the long silence: without faith we inevitably remain deaf to the consoling voice of God; and we remain unable to pronounce words of consolation and hope for our brothers. We see them every day: people who have no faith or who have very little faith, when they have to approach a person who are suffering, speaking words of circumstance, but which can not reach the heart because they have no strength. He has no strength because he has no faith, and if he has no faith the words that can reach the heart of others do not come. Faith, in turn, is nourished in charity. The Evangelist tells us that Mary went with haste (Lk 1:39) to find Elizabeth: in a hurry, not anxious, not anxious, but in a hurry, in peace. She got up: a gesture full of concern. She could have stayed home to prepare for the birth of her son, instead she cared first of all for others, other than herself, demonstrating in fact that she was already a disciple of the Lord she was carrying in her womb. The event of the birth of Jesus began like this, with a simple gesture of charity; moreover, authentic charity is always the fruit of God's love.

The gospel account of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, which we heard today in the Mass, prepares us to live Christmas well, communicating to us the dynamism of faith and charity. This dynamism is the work of the Holy Spirit: the Spirit of Love who made Mary's virginal womb fruitful and who urged her to come to the service of her elderly relative. A dynamism full of joy, as we see in the meeting between these two mothers, which is a hymn of joyous exultation in the Lord, who does great things with the little ones who trust in Him.

May the Virgin Mary obtain for us the grace of living an outward focused Christmas, but not dispersed, outward focused: in the centre of our focus there is not our I, but the You of Jesus and our brothers and sisters, especially those who need a helping hand. Then we will leave room for love that, even today, wants to become flesh and come to live among us.



Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters!

My thoughts go, right now, to the populations of Indonesia, affected by violent natural disasters, which have caused serious losses in human lives, numerous missing and homeless people and extensive material damage. I invite everyone to join me in prayer for the victims and their loved ones. I am spiritually close to those who are displaced and to all the people who are being tried at this time, imploring God for relief in their suffering. I call upon the International Community so that our solidarity and support for our brothers and sisters is never lacking.

Let us pray together ... Hail Mary ...

I greet all of you, the faithful of Rome as well as pilgrims from Italy and from various countries. The day after tomorrow will be Christmas and my thoughts go especially to families, who are reunited these days: those who live far from their parents leave and go back home; brothers and sisters try to find each other ... At Christmas it is beautiful and important to be together in the family.

But many people do not have this possibility, for different reasons; and today I would like to speak in a special way to all those who are far from their family and from their homeland. Dear brothers and sisters, our heavenly Father does not forget you and does not abandon you. If you are a Christian, I wish you the gift of finding in the Church a true family, where you can experience the warmth of fraternal love. And to all - those who are far from their family, Christians and non-Christians - I say: the doors of the Christian community are open, Jesus is born for everyone and gives everyone the love of God. I wish you a good Sunday. Do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and goodbye.
(Original text in Italian)

New Eparchy for Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada

This morning, Pope Francis elevated the Apostolic Exarchate for Syro-Malabar Catholics resident in Canada to the rank of Eparchy (the Eastern Church's equivalent to a Diocese) and assigned it the name Mississauga, maintaining the same territorial configuration.  His Holiness has appointed His Excellency, Jose Kalluvelil, who has until now served as Apostolic Exarch as the new Bishop of Mississauga for Syro-Malabar Catholics.

Meet His Excellency, Jose Kalluvelil

Eparch of Mississauga for Syro-Malabar Catholics

His Excellency, Jose Kalluvelil was born on 15 November 1955 in Thottuva, in the Eparchy of Palai (India).  Ordained a priest for the Eparchy of Palghat on 18 December 1984, he served in various parishes including at the Cathedral of Saint Raphael in Palakkad.  He also held the position of Director of the residences for young people and, after having obtained his doctorate in catechetical theology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, he was appointed as Eparchial Director of Catechesis. Since 2013, he has been transferred to Toronto to serve as chaplain to the Siro-Malabar faithful.

On 6 August 2015, His Holiness, Pope Francis appointed him as the first Apostolic Exarch for the Syro-Malabar Catholics resident in Canada, promoting him to the dignity of Bishop and assigning to him the titular see of Tabalta.  In addition to Malyalam, he speaks English, Italian and German.

The Eparchy of Mississauga for Syro-Malabar Catholics
Mississauga, the see of this new circunscription, is a city within the Metropolitan area of Toronto, but the territory of the new Eparchy includes the entire country of Canada, where the Syro-Malabar population has reached 20,000 faithful.  Pastoral efforts are organized in 12 parishes and 34 missions.  In these places, there are 23 priests including both secular and religious priests, along with 7 seminarians who are in formation for the new Eparchy.  There are also 12 Religious women who are involved in various pastoral activities.

The Cathedral of Saint Alphonsa is the Eparchial Curia, located at 6630 Turner Valley Road, Mississauga, Ontario.  The Eparchy is immediately subject to the Holy See.

Greetings for the National Civil Protection Service

At 11:50am this morning in Rome (5:50am EST) in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the Italian National Civil Protection Service.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

offered to the members of the

National Civil Protection Service

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

I am happy to meet today with the various operational structures that make up the National Service of Civil Protection. I greet the representatives of the voluntary organizations, the scientific community, the Fire Brigade, the Police and Armed Forces, the local, regional, state institutions and the companies that provide essential services. I thank the Head of the National Department for his presentation of the Italian Civil Protection; and I also greet the delegations of foreign states who are present here.

On this beautiful occasion, made increasingly joyous by the proximity of Christmas, our thoughts and our prayers must include the people who this year have been victims of disastrous phenomena, as we feel the desire to remember those rescuers who - even recently - have given their lives to save the lives of others.

Today, at this multi-coloured assembly, rescuers and people who have been rescued participate together with many ordinary citizens who have decided to make their skills and their free time available to the community, with commitment and generosity, ensuring the full operation of a system that constitutes the most complex and articulated form of public solidarity to protect individual and collective security.

The Italian territory is characterized by the beauty of the landscape and by the richness of its historical-artistic heritage. These wonderful elements unfortunately coexist with situations of danger and vulnerability, which often add up to creating situations of very high potential risk.

Today the sciences and technologies are able to help us to know and predict many natural phenomena, but these assessments are not always able to translate into preventive interventions that could drastically reduce the damage to people and things.

Thus, the Italian Civil Protection never ceases to remind us that the defence of human life and the protection of the territory and infrastructure are not only occurring in emergencies, but also and above all in forecasting and prevention activities and in the subsequent phase of return to normality that despite everyone's commitment, is sometimes longer and more complex than one might imagine.

You above all, operators and volunteers, you know well that, as I said in the Encyclical Laudato si ', ecological culture can not be reduced to a series of urgent and partial answers to the problems that arise with regard to environmental degradation, exhaustion of nature reserves and pollution. Instead, we need a different look, a thought, a political system, an educational program, a style of life and a spirituality, because to seek only a technical remedy for every environmental problem that presents itself, means isolating things that are connected in reality, and to hide the real and deeper problems of the world system (LS, 111).

For these reasons, the most important mission of civil protection becomes that of education, so that in times of peace each citizen is trained to know the places of daily life and, in this way, they can adopt behaviours that reduce risks for themselves and for others. In this sense, initiatives that are carried out in schools with children and young people - who will be tomorrow's citizens and volunteers - are particularly useful. I always ask young people to commit themselves to loving and protecting nature and to spreading the value of coexistence, to ensuring that everyone's daily commitment can live in a more supportive and therefore safer world.

The territorial institutions are entrusted with the task of planning the correct use of the territories, in some cases also trying to remedy possible errors committed in the past, very often due to a lack of knowledge, and to providing for its management and constant maintenance. Equally important is the preparation of civil protection plans and their dissemination: they are indispensable tools for planning prevention interventions and organizing the appropriate response in emergency situations. Often the exercise of these functions involves the assumption of great responsibilities, to which few resources and procedures correspond that are not always linear.

Civil Protection, which more and more often is called to operate even outside national borders, is a system organized on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity, and this is why it represents a peculiarity that could inspire other sectors of public life. Sitting quickly around a table to agree and implement effective choices and overcoming individualism in view of a shared goal can become the best method to respond with greater appropriateness to the needs of the population from the perspective of the common good.

Along this path, it becomes easier to keep before our eyes not only the problems, but also and above all the people, sensing their mission as a qualified and qualifying service for the whole community.

With this spirit, I hope that you can celebrate Christmas with joy and peace of heart. May the Lord bless you and may the Virgin Mother protect you. And I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you.
(Original text in Italian)

Christmas Greetings for Canadians

One week ago, while the staff of Salt+Light Television was in Rome, the Holy Father recorded video greetings for Christmas which he offers to all Canadians.

The video greeting is being shared with all Canadians via the Salt+Light Television network which continues to share the gospel with all of us, and with many others beyond our borders.

With gratitude to all those who dedicate their efforts to sharing the good news of the gospel, and in thanksgiving to God for their dedication to sharing the light of faith and the joy of the gospel.

Christmas greetings for the families of Vatican staff

At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST) inside the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with family members of the staff of the Holy See and of the Vatican City State in order to exchange Christmas greetings.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

offered to members of the families of the

staff at the Vatican and within the Vatican City State

Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you for coming, many of you have also brought your family members.  I was pleased to greet all the families, but the prize goest to the 93-year-old great-grandmother, with her daughter who is the grandmother, along with their children who are parents to two children.  Families like that are beautiful!  And you work for the family, for the children, so that families can go on.  This is a grace!  Take care of your families.  And Merry Christmas to all of you!

Christmas is a feast par excellence of joy, but we often realize that people, and sometimes we ourselves, are caught up in many things and in the end, there is no joy, or if there is, it is very superficial.  Why?

I am reminded of that expression by the French writer Léon Bloy: There is only one sadness, [...] that of not being saints (La donna povera, Reggio Emilia 1978, page 375, cf Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et exsultate, 34). Therefore, the opposite of sadness - which is joy - is linked to being saints. Also the joy of Christmas. Be good, or at least have the desire to be good.

Let's look at the crib. Who is happy, in the crib? I would like to ask you children, who love to look at the statues ... and maybe even move them a bit, move them, angering your fathers who arranged them with such care!

So who is happy in the crib? Our Lady and Saint Joseph are full of joy: they are looking at the Child Jesus and they are happy because, after a thousand worries, they have accepted this gift of God, with so much faith and so much love. They are overflowing with holiness and with joy. And you will tell me that this is forced! They are the Madonna and Saint Joseph! Yes, but we should not think it was easy for them: saints are not born, they become, and this is true for them too.

Then, the shepherds are full of joy. Even the shepherds were holy, sure, because they responded to the proclamation of the angels, they immediately rushed to the stable and recognized the sign of the Child in the manger. It was not obvious. In particular, in the cribs there is often a young shepherd, who is looking towards the cave with a dreamy, enchanted air: that shepherd expresses the astonished joy of those who welcome the mystery of Jesus with a child's spirit. This is a trait of holiness: to preserve the capacity to be amazed, to wonder at the gifts of God, at his surprises, and the greatest gift, the ever new surprise is Jesus. The great surprise is God!

Then, in some cribs, the bigger ones, with so many characters, there are the tradesmen: the cobbler, the water trapper, the blacksmith, the baker ..., and so on and so forth. And everyone is happy. Why? Because they are infected by the joy of the event in which they participate, that is, the birth of Jesus. So their work is also sanctified by the presence of Jesus, by his coming among us.

And this also makes us think of our work. Of course, working always involves a bit of fatigue, it's normal. But in my homeland I knew someone who was never tired: he pretended to work, but he did not work. It was not hard, of course! But if everyone reflects a little of the holiness of Jesus, it takes very little, a small ray - a smile, a bit of attention, a courtesy, an apology - then the whole work environment becomes more breathable, is not it? The heavy climate that sometimes we men and women create with our arrogance, closures, prejudices, and work is even better, more fruitful.

There is one thing that makes us sad in our work, something that makes the work environment sick: that is gossip. Please do not speak badly about others, do not speak badly. Yes, but that one dislikes me, and that one .... Look, pray for him, but do not speak badly, please, because it destroys: it destroys friendship, spontaneity. And do not criticize this and that. Look, it's better to keep quiet. If you have something against someone else, go and say it directly. But do not speak badly. Ah father, it happens by itself, speaking badly ... But there is a good medicine to help us not to speak badly, I'll tell you what it is: bite your tongue. When you feel like speaking badly, bite your tongue and then you will not talk.

Even in the workplace there is the holiness of next door (cf Gaudete et exsultate, 6-9). Even here in the Vatican, of course, I can testify to this. I know some of you who are an example of life: you work for your family, and always with a smile, with healthy, beautiful hard work. Holiness is possible. It's possible. This is now my sixth Christmas as Bishop of Rome, and I must say that I have known several saints who work here. Saints who live the Christian life well, and if they do something bad they beg pardon. But they go on with the family. You can live like this. It is a grace, and it is so beautiful. Usually these are people who do not appear, they are simple people, modest, but who do so much good in their work and in their relationships with others. And they are joyful people; not because they always laugh, no, but because they have a great serenity inside and know how to transmit it to others. And where does that serenity come from? Always from him, Jesus, God-with-us. He is the source of our joy, both personal and family joy, both at home and at work.

So, my hope is this: be saints, in order to be happy.  But not imaginary saints, no, no.  Normal saints.  Saints in flesh and bone, with your own characteristics, your own defects, even with your sins - let us ask forgiveness and let us keep on going - but let us be ready to allow ourselves to be caught up in the presence of Jesus in our midst, ready to run to Him, like the shepherds, to see the One who is coming, the incredible Sign that God has given to us.  What did the angels say?  Behold, we proclaim great joy to you, which shall be for all the people (Lk 2:10).  Will we go out to see for ourselves? or will we be taken up by other things.

Dear brothers and sisters, do not be afraid of holiness.  I assure you, this is the path to joy.  Merry Christmas to all of you! 
(Original text in Italian)

Speaking with young people from Catholic Action

At 12:10pm today (6:10am EST), in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a representative group of young people from Catholic Action with whom he exchanged Christmas greetings.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

offered to youth from Catholic Action

Dear young men and women from Catholic Action (Acierre)

It is always nice to meet you at Christmastime - to hear one, two, three! -. I greet you with affection. I also greet those who accompany you: the National President of Italian Catholic Action, Doctor Matteo Truffelli, the Assistant General, Monsignor Gualtiero Sigismondi, your educators and all those who collaborate at the national level. It is a gift of God, for which we are always thankful, the fact of having adults, priests and laity, who are so concerned with your human and Christian formation; and therefore you must pray for them, so that they may have wisdom and patience to provide this service well!

I know that this year your formation journey is centred on the theme of the encounter between Jesus and the two sisters Martha and Mary of Bethany, as narrated by the evangelist Luke. Starting with this episode, you and the other children from all the Italian dioceses are rediscovering the call to be friends of Jesus, to know him better and better, to meet him every day in prayer, in order to be his missionaries. It is about communicating a beautiful proclamation, a message of salvation ... to your peers, and also to adults. And what is this message? May we all be loved by the Lord: this is the true and great, good news that God has given to the world with the coming of his Son Jesus among us. All of us are loved by the Lord. He loves us! All together and one by one. This is nice!

I am happy that, together with your formative journey, you always carry forward a gesture, an initiative of charity. This year is intended to support the right to food and the dignity of those who work the land. I really appreciate this choice, and I encourage it.

And then I thank you for your gift that will go to the Apostolic Almsgiver, something that is very useful, that is to say, these products will be used for the personal hygiene of many poor people. Thanks for thinking about this!

Dear children, once again this Christmas, Jesus wants to be born in you, in your heart; he wants to give you the true joy that no one can take away from you. And you, offer this joy to other boys and girls who live in situations of suffering, moments of difficulty, especially those you see who are more lonely and perhaps mistreated. Be generous channels of goodness and welcome with all of them, to build a more fraternal, more supportive, more Christian world.

I wish you a happy and holy Christmas, to you, to your families and to all members of Action Catholic.  With all my heart, I bless you and I ask you please to pray for me.  Don't forget, please.  Thank you!

Declaration of the delegation to COP24

The 24th session of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (known as COP24) recently concluded in Katowice, Poland.  Today, the Holy See Press Centre published the final declaration which was prepared by the Holy See's Delegation which participated at the COP24 Conference.

Final Declaration of the Holy See's Delegation

which took part in the COP24 gathering

In His Encyclical Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis stressed the importance of strengthening responsibly the policies related to climate change, which is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods (cf LS 181 and 23-26).

Global leaders gathered in Katowice for COP 24 struggled to find the will to set aside their short-term economic and political interests and work for the common good. After a long and complex debate, they have found a consensus on the rulebook for the implementation of the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015. We are grateful to the leaders from States and other stakeholders who contributed to this multilateral dialogue and the writing of the rulebook. The consensus on the final document, rather complex and technically detailed, represents a confirmation of the commitments made three years ago in Paris and of the significance of multilateralism.

Unfortunately, we must also note that the rulebook does not adequately reflect the urgency necessary to tackle climate change, which represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day (LS, 25). Moreover, the rulebook seems to downplay human rights, critical in reflecting the human face of climate change, which affects the most vulnerable people on earth. Their cry and that of the earth demand more ambition and greater urgency.

The Holy See Delegation, led by the Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, explained that advancing the dignity of the human person, alleviating poverty by the promotion of integral human development, and easing the impact of climate change through responsible mitigation and adaptation measures go hand in hand. We need a just transition period with all parties assuming their respective responsibilities according to the principle of equity.

As the IPCC Special Report issued in October 2018 distressingly indicated, we are called to limit responsibly the average global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Therefore, we encourage much greater ambition in delivering Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and stronger mechanisms toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing the decarbonisation of the current fossil fuel-based economy, transparently sharing the way each nation implements its commitments, addressing the issue of loss and damage, ensuring solid financial commitments, and promoting education in sustainability, responsible awareness, and lifestyle changes.

Faith and reason must come together enabling us to make positive choices in our lifestyles, in how our economies are run, and in building a true global solidarity necessary to avert this climate crisis.