Christmas

Dear Friends of the Archdiocese of Calcutta,

CHRISTMAS is a celebration of life and love in a family. The Trinitarian family and shared its divine life with the entire human family by sending the Second Person as a humble, weak, helpless babe in the family of Joseph and Mary. Family, the fundamental unit of society, is under threat from many quarters, affecting its unity and peace.

May Jesus be born anew in each catholic family in the Archdiocese of Calcutta, enabling it to live what it is called to be: a 'domestic church'. The sanctity of family life can never be emphasised sufficiently. May this Christmas strengthen the bond of love and life between married couples, between parents and children, making sharing and giving a way of life in all families. May the families experience the presence of the Saviour in their daily mutual caring and sharing, in prayer and work. 'Small Christian Communities' (SCC) need a special mention here since it is only through the power of the word of God and sacraments that true Christian life can be lived as 'communion of families', as an experience of sharing and loving. I thank God for the deep faith and commitment of so many of our lay faithful lived in their families, parishes, schools and associations.

My Christmas wishes go to the "family of priests" (" Presbyterium") of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. May the newborn Babe of Bethlehem help all our priests to be what they are called to be: Holy priests after His heart, servant leaders of the community under their care. May the families (Communities) of consecrated men and women in the Archdiocese of Calcutta become powerful 'witnesses' to Jesus who was poor, chaste and obedient. I thank God for the wonderful and generous priests and consecrated men and women we have in the Archdiocese, serving the Lord and His People very specially the poor, marginalised and sick with generosity, courage and commitment.

Christmas is a time when all of them can feel encouraged in their mission since Jesus came to earth to do the same. May the joy and peace fill the hearts of our Archbishops Henry and Lucas, our priests - young, old, sick and suffering - , consecrated men and women and all lay faithful. May Baby Jesus and His Mother Mary bless all the friends of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. May this blessing be also on the new updated website of our Archdiocese and on all those who have worked hard to update it.

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS and A GRACE-FILLED NEW YEAR 2012 to all of you!