During the Winter General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Maynooth, Bishops stated, “we have now begun our Advent journey, a time of patient waiting and joyful hope. We look forward to the celebration of Christmas with quiet expectation and turn our hearts to the Lord with confidence and trust. We are thankful for the continuing commitment of so many in our parishes to ensuring that our churches remain safe places where people can gather in confidence to worship. It is important that we remain vigilant, conscious of the threat posed by the Coronavirus, its variants and other respiratory illnesses. It is important to continue to take the steps to protect our own health and the health of others. The coming of Christ that we celebrate at Christmas brought light into a darkened world, ‘a light that darkness could not overpower’. However, this time of year also brings great difficulty to many in terms of surviving and staying warm. We urge those who can to respond generously to the Christmas appeals of Trócaire, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Crosscare and other charities that bring hope to the lives of those families bearing the brunt of the cost of living and energy crises. Through the coming days of Advent may our hearts be open to the grace and power of the Lord and filled with joy when we celebrate His birth.”
Digital Advent Calendar on catholicbishops.ie
A popular resource for prayer and reflection during Advent is the interactive digital calendar on www.catholicbishops.ie. Now in its ninth year, the theme for this year’s calendar is on #Synodality. Each day a virtual Advent calendar door can be opened to access faith content and a brief personal video reflection. Bishops encourage parishes to avail of the digital calendar which has proven to be a well-received resource for families and schools during this holy season.
ENDS
