Bishops make plea for peace in joint Christmas message

CORK’S two main bishops have called for peace in their joint Christmas message, issued this week.

The Most Reverend Dr Fintan Gavin and the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton have sent greetings to the people of faith and asked that they be filled ‘with the hope which Christ brings’. Peace is the gift most conspicuously lacking this Christmas, the bishops said.

‘The images from the Middle East on the nightly news are horrifying. In Gaza, men, women and children are starving, wounded, living in fear for their lives. These innocent civilians suffer, as did the victims of Hamas’ October 7th invasion of Israel. There seems no end in sight to the pain of the innocents.’

They noted that the images from Gaza are like those that have been beamed from Ukraine for the past 21 months, since the Russian invasion began. The bishops said that refugees from Ukraine travel across Europe looking for a safe refuge, with some arriving in Ireland.

‘Across Europe the challenge of welcoming refugees has seen politics swing from centrist parties to the extremes. In Ireland, the recent Dublin riots reflected a trend towards violent extremism. An absence of peace is not the only lack the world suffers,’ they said, adding: ‘As pastors, we are aware of many other ills plaguing our people. The shortage of homes impacts on many in our congregations, and we can never forget the homeless men, women and children on our streets. Financial pressures also afflict many families, with more and more finding it hard to make ends meet, as charities such as the Cork Penny Diners and St Vincent de Paul Society – among many – regularly report.’

The two men said that these external pressures afflict people inwardly also, causing much anxiety and stress.

‘Social media often leave people isolated and even more vulnerable,’ they said.

In the face of all these challenges, Christians might be tempted to give up, they said. ‘But we never do. We pray for deeper faith and meaning in those who search for it, for harmony and peace for all, even when it seems to be slow in coming.’

They urged their congregations to welcome strangers and make sure they feel at home in our midst. ‘We do not give up when our prayers seem to be in vain. For we know that, behind the scenes, in a divine and mysterious way, the Spirit calls even the most belligerent fighters to thoughts of peace, working patiently and delicately to end wars everywhere.’

‘The work of peace includes the work of aid agencies, seeking to help those who suffer in war-torn lands – to bring light inn the midst of darkness. Their efforts to provide a safe-haven for refugees from the war in the Holy Land is a sad echo of the flight into Egypt by the Holy Family with the new-born Christ-child.’