chURCHES IN BRIEF
France: Christmas message from CECEF”If God became vulnerable, it is because we’re invited to look at human nature in all its weakness” and “to be generous and available towards all those that are facing ordeals”. An invitation to extend our glance to the weak was advanced past December 15 in view of the Christmas of the Conseil d’Églises Chrétiennes en France (CECEF) in a joint message signed by three co-presidents. Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, President of the French Bishops’ Conference; metropolitan Emmanuel, president of the Assembly of France’s Orthodox Bishops, and pastor Claude Baty, president of the French Protestant Federation, pointed out that “for many people these are dark times” because “the ongoing economic crisis over the past months has placed many of our citizens in a situation of precariousness”. For the young in particular, “the future is very uncertain”. The Council of Christian Churches recalls that “around us many people are sick; some of them loose their autonomy due to health problems”, while “in many world regions Christians are threatened because of their faith and are forced to exile”. “Every year, at Christmas” we celebrate “the vicinity of the Emmanuel – God with us” who “with a extraordinary act took on our extremely fragile human nature and made us His children”. Hence the hope that “God’s incarnation may come to illuminate our gesture, and our words, so that a ray of light will be shed on world darkness”.Portugal: Oporto, Jesus, “the great gift”Until December 23rd, the children of the city, of the periphery and of other areas of the diocese of Oporto will hand out copies of the bishop’s message titled: “Accept a gift, become a gift for someone, for all people”. “We can be our own presents by being near those who most need us, so that they may enjoy a true Christmas. There are many places and situations that require our Christian witness”, declares Msgr. Manuel Clemente in the message. After having underlined that Christmas 2011 should be lived “with greater strength and determination”, CEP vice-president writes that “gifts should be offered especially to those who are least visited and assisted in their daily lives”. Recalling that “Jesus is God’s great gift to humanity”, Msgr. Clemente invites everyone to take stock of the present difficulties experienced by so many people “to become living mangers, revealing Jesus at home, at school, in hospitals, on the workplace”. Moreover, for the second year running, in agreement with the Secretariat for Christian education, the diocese proposes that parishes involve children in creating a “Cordon of light”, a silent march with lit candles and lanterns, understood as “a public demonstration of faith”, of which the chairperson of the Secretariat, Isabel Azevedo, underlines the educational trait: “Catechesis of initiation cannot be reduced to a single weekly hour. Instead, it should teach life in the faith, ensuring that even the younger ones may be witnesses of Gospel proclamation for those who are not members of Christian communities”.Ireland: a joint Christmas messageA call to the essential message of love in a world where the costs of the first years of life of a child amount to over 100 000 pounds and to the recovery of faith in these difficult times of economic crisis: it is the content of two Christmas messages, the message by cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, head of the Scottish Bishops’ Conferences and the joint message released by the Catholic bishop of Clogher, Ireland, Msgr. Liam MacDaid and his American counterpart John McDowell. “Recent reports suggest that the cost of a child is now over £100,000 in its early years”, the Cardinal writes in his message. “In the midst of our plenty we may lavish many gifts on our new born. Yet think of the lack of any expensive trappings in that birth in a stable, but realise that that child was surrounded by what is most important in the life of any person, namely basic love. We heard recently, that the population of our world has reached 7 billion. I wonder if each and every life is valued as it should be as our Saviour was”. The Catholic and the Anglican bishop of Clogher propose faith to overcome the difficulties caused by the ongoing economic crisis. “In Ireland at Christmas 2011 people are now afraid that they may not have a roof over their heads this time next year, nor be able to put a meal on the table for their children this time next week. The turnaround in many people’s lives has been so enormous that it has completely overwhelmed them, and the authorities are struggling to cope with the consequences”, wrote the Bishops of Clogher Liam MacDaid and John McDowell. “God offers an alternative to fear. And that alternative is faith; particularly faith expressing itself through love and simplicity of life”.
