Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Peace be with you all.
These days after the feast of Christmas invite us to enter more deeply into the great
mystery we have celebrated. God has shared our humanity; the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us. Jesus the Christ knew what it is to be fully human and was also fully God.
He is born of a Virgin into the poverty of being homeless. His crib was the feeding trough
for the animals. The manger reminds us that he is the bread of life for us, our living bread.
Born at the time of year with the darkest and longest of nights, he is the light that shines
into the darkness. The light of this child who is God shines out of the manger, throws light
on the faces of Mary and Joseph and is our light to lead us through the joys and sorrows of
life.
During this Jubilee year, we have walked with each other as pilgrims of hope. I have seen
the way in which love brings hope and consolation to others. Children in our schools have
cared for the needy and the collections for Nugent have given gifts to families in need.
Many people have reached out to serve others. Others have shown hope by caring for the
gift of creation and being good stewards of God’s gifts.
I pray that your faith has been renewed, and you have new energy to follow Jesus as
pilgrims of hope. Those of you who have been on pilgrimage to Rome have deepened your
faith by entering the great basilicas through Holy Doors. Although the Jubilee doors in
Rome will close, the doors of our hearts remain open to the love of God which is poured
into them. The power of the Holy Spirit guides and leads us as a community of witnesses of
Christ to others.
When Pope Leo met Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Head of the Orthodox Church, in
late November, they celebrated the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea and prayed
together the Nicene Creed which we pray every Sunday. From that Council, the Church
received the words, ‘begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father’. In these words,
we profess our belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and of one substance with the
Father. He exists in the Godhead for all time. By the interior help of the Holy Spirit, we pray
to believe this ever more deeply.
Together Pope Leo and the Patriarch pledged to walk together towards 2033 which will be
the great Jubilee of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago.
They also pledged to work together to build peace with justice between peoples through
dialogue and mutual understanding. As the Church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, I invite
you to walk together with all our Christian brothers and sisters towards 2033 as pilgrims of
hope. We can accompany one another, pray together, build peace and serve others,
especially the poorest members of the community. This is our witness for mission.
Peace begins with those closest to us. On this feast of the Holy Family, we thank God for
the gift of our families. Parents are the first teachers of their children in the faith. This is the
commitment of baptism. May they be the best of teachers. I thank God for the gift of the
faith of my grandparents Agnes and John, and my parents Frank and Catherine. They gave
me the greatest gift they could – life and faith.
Of course, no two families are the same. Every family has its strengths and gifts,
weaknesses and challenges. There is no perfect family among us. Yet it is in our families
that we first are loved, learn to love, and are formed. Sadly, this is not always the case.
We pray for families that are challenged in so many ways today. Our Church is called to be
close to all families and accompany them in their joys and sorrows, hopes and griefs, and
to share her life with them. Let us renew our desire to do this, supporting one another’s
baptism, faith and life. Let us thank God for our Catholic schools which are beacons of light
in the world.
By looking at the Holy Family, we understand more about Jesus. May St Joseph and Our
Blessed Lady bless our families, our schools and the family of the Church in the coming
year.
May God bless you and your families,
