Friday, December 19th 2025 Established 1905 27 Brickdam, Stabroek, Georgetown, Guyana Year 120, No. 49
To welcome another is to make room for God His Lordship Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB has given the following Christmas message :
Christmas Message: A Season of Welcome The word welcome is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “an instance or manner of greeting someone; a pleased or approving reaction; used to greet someone in a glad or friendly way.” As a verb, it means “to greet in a glad, polite, or friendly way; to be glad to receive or hear of.” As an adjective, it speaks of something “gladly received, very pleasing because it is much needed or desired; allowed or invited to a specific place or experience.”
In the days leading up to Christmas, during our Novena, and in the days that follow, we hear the Gospel readings from the Evangelists Matthew, Luke, and John. These sacred texts invite us into the profound moments surrounding the birth of Jesus. Throughout these narratives, the theme of welcome is strikingly present. Mary welcomes the invitation of the Angel Gabriel; Elizabeth welcomes Mary, and together these two women welcome and rejoice in the anticipated birth of their children. Even the unborn John welcomes the unborn Jesus with a leap of joy. The shepherds welcome the angelic proclamation, the Magi welcome and respond to the signs written in the heavens, and Mary and Joseph welcome the visitors who come to the humble stable. (please turn to page 2)
INSIDE Bethlehem holds first Christmas tree lighting since 2022 - p2 Christmas crib, tree are signs of hope, pope says - p3 Bishop’s Engagements - p3 Christmas party for Hispanic children at Kuru Kururu - p4 Caribbean bishops issue letter on Closing of Jubilee Year 2025 - p5 Christmas Scripture - p7 Children’s Page - p8 Vatican Christmas concert with the poor - p9 Aishalton Creative Arts Sunday - p9 Growing in Grace Week 75 -p10 Vatican publishes summary of 60 years of Catholic-Methodist dialogue - p11 First Communion at Kopinang - p11 The story behind ‘Silent Night’- p12 Christians should work on joint Jubilee in 2033 - p13 Festival of Carols 2025 - p14 God wants all people to be saved, Pope says at Jubilee of Prisoners - p15 Journey to Bethlehem - A Jubilee Christmas Celebration on the East Bank - p16
Next Issue January 9th This is the last publication for 2025. The first issue of the New Year will be on Friday January 9th 2026.
Have a Blessed & Joyful Christmas
A scene from the Grade 1 & Nursery Christmas Concert at Marian Academy, Wed. December 10th 2025 (Marian Academy FB)
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, December 19th 2025
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tree lighting ceremony since 2022
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
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A drone view shows Palestinians attending a Christmas tree lighting in Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the West Bank Dec. 6, 2025. (OSV News photo/Yosri Aljamal, Reuters) (CathNews) - A giant Christmas tree the square, erupting in cheers when “As Bethlehem lights its Christmas adorned with red and gold baubles the tree’s lights were turned on tree, the deep anguish endured by stands in the West Bank city of Beth- shortly before 8pm. our people in Gaza does not leave lehem for the first time since 2022. “We came to celebrate, watch and our hearts,” Bethlehem Mayor Source: ABC News. enjoy because for several years we Maher Canawati told reporters this The Palestinian city, revered by haven’t had the chance,” Randa week. Christians as the birthplace of Jesus, Bsoul, a 67-year-old Palestinian from “The wound of Gaza is our wound, had refrained from public Christmas Haifa in Israel, said. the people of Gaza are our people, celebrations over the past two years Although Gaza is about 60 kilome- and the light of Christmas has no as war raged in Gaza. meaning unless it first touches the But as a precarious ceasefire in Gaza tres from Bethlehem, the war has hearts of the afflicted and the enters its second month, the city affected Palestinians in the Israeli- oppressed all over Palestine.” held a ceremony on the night of occupied West Bank. Saturday December 6, lighting up the Many have family and friends in In Bethlehem, Palestinians said they 20-metre tree at the edge of Manger Gaza, and the war has shrivelled the were hopeful that Saturday’s Square. tourism that Bethlehem’s economy ceremony would bring some joy for those suffering in Gaza.❖ Thousands of Palestinians from relies on. across the West Bank and Israel filled
Bishop’s Christmas Message (From Front Page) At the same time, the biblical accounts do not shy away from experiences of unwelcome. Elizabeth would have endured social judgment for her barrenness. Mary, betrothed and with child, faced the very real danger of rejection and even death under the Law. There was no room for the Holy Family in the inn. The Magi were forced to avoid Herod, who saw the birth of a child not as a gift but as a threat to his power. Joseph, portrayed as a man of honor and integrity, initially struggled to welcome his unexpected situation. Yet through a dream and a deeper trust in God’s plan, he found the grace to say “yes,” welcoming Mary and the child entrusted to his care. Throughout the infancy narratives — and indeed throughout all of
Scripture — stories of welcome consistently open pathways to possibility, healing, and new life. God enters the world where welcome is offered, however fragile or imperfect it may be.
My Christmas wish for each of you is that we might join this great chorus of welcome: welcoming Christ anew into our hearts, and becoming a presence of hospitality in our everyday lives — in our homes, our parishes, our workplaces, and our communities. In a particular way, my prayer is that families may rediscover the grace of welcome, that workplaces may be marked by respect and kindness, and that the spirit of welcome may gently dispel antipathy, coldness, estrangement, lingering hurts, and disappointments. May this Christmas season remind us that to welcome another is to make room for God. May the Christ Child, who was welcomed into the poverty of a stable, find a warm and generous welcome in each of us.❖
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, December 19th 2025
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Christmas crib, tree are Bishop’s Engagements signs of hope, pope says “The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope,” he said to all those present. “Let the tenderness of the child Jesus illuminate our lives. Let God’s love, like the branches of an evergreen tree, remain fervent in us.”
St. Peter’s Square Christmas tree lit in Dec. 15 ceremony
Pope Leo XIV stops to pray in front of the Nativity scene in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Dec. 15, 2025. Thanking the artists and donors responsible for the Vatican Christmas decorations, the pope asked for prayers for members of the Jewish community in Australia after the terrorist attack the night before. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope, Pope Leo XIV said. “As we contemplate them in our homes, parishes and town squares, let us ask the Lord to renew in us the gift of peace and fraternity,” he said, calling for prayers for all those who suffer because of war and violence. “We must eliminate hatred from our hearts.” The pope was speaking Dec. 15 during a meeting with the government representatives, artisans and donors responsible for providing the Christmas decorations in the Paul VI Audience Hall and in St. Peter’s Square.
Audience hall Nativity scene features ribbons representing lives saved from abortion, prayers of children Pope Leo thanked the Costa Rican artist who created the Nativity
scene for the audience hall, titled “Nacimiento Gaudium.” Created by Paula Sáenz Soto, it features a pregnant Virgin Mary and 28,000 colored ribbons, each representing a life saved from abortion thanks to the prayers and support provided to many mothers in difficulty by Catholic organizations, according to a press release by the Vatican City State’s governing office. On Christmas Eve, the statue will be replaced with a different statue of Mary kneeling in adoration of the newborn Baby Jesus, and 400 ribbons will be placed in Jesus’ manger containing prayers and wishes written by young patients at the National Children’s Hospital in San José. “I thank the Costa Rican artist who, together with the message of peace at Christmas, also wanted to launch an appeal for the protection of life from the moment of conception,” Pope Leo said.
Members of the Vatican Gendarmerie band perform as the Christmas tree is lit in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Dec. 15, 2025. (CNS photo/ Lola Gomez)
The pope thanked those from a small town in the northern autonomous province of Bolzano who donated the 82-foot-tall Norway spruce weighing 8.8 tons that was to be lit in a special ceremony Dec. 15 when the large Nativity scene in the square would be unveiled. “For pilgrims from all over the world who will gather in St. Peter’s Square, the Nativity scene will remind them that God draws close to humanity, becomes one of us, entering our history in the smallness of a child,” the pope said. “Before every Nativity scene, even those made in our homes, we relive that event and rediscover the need to seek moments of silence and prayer in our lives, to find ourselves and enter into communion with God,” he said. The Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square for 2025 came from a diocese south of Naples, not far from the Amalfi coast. Among the gifts being offered by the shepherds are agricultural products famous from the region, such as San Marzano and Corbarino tomatoes, walnuts, spring onions and artichokes. Both the creche and the tree were to be in St. Peter’s Square until Jan. 11 — the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Vatican City State governing office said that the tree’s needles and green branches will be sent to an Austrian company to extract its essential oils, and the wood will be donated to a charity. When Pope Leo met Dec. 13 with hundreds of people acting in a living Nativity scene being held at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, he said the creche “is an important sign: it reminds us that we are part of a wondrous adventure of salvation in which we are never alone.” “Spread this message and keep this tradition alive. They are a gift of light for our world, which so badly needs to be able to continue to hope,” he said.❖
Fourth Sunday of Advent: December 21st 05:00hrs – Mass at St. Anthony of Padua, Bartica Monday, December 22nd 05:00hrs – Novena at St. Anthony of Padua, Bartica Tuesday, December 23rd 05:30hrs – Novena at Holy Rosary, Kitty 13:00hrs – Christmas Interview at NCN Christmas Vigil: Wednesday, December 24th 10:00hrs – Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam
Christmas Season Sunday, December 28th 09:00hrs – Closing Mass for the Year of Jubilee, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Wednesday, December 31st 22:00hrs – Mass at Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Brickdam Sunday, January 4th 2026 07:30hrs – Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam
Francis Alleyne OSB
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, December 19th 2025
A Christian Perspective on Social Issues
Joy to the World By GHK Lall It’s here. Well, not quite. Christmas is on the doorstep, but not yet inside the threshold. The page flips, the clock ticks: 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th. Let the joyful bells ring out loud and long. Jesus Christ, the Savior is born. A moment of awe. God’s work, his monumental masterpiece, his saving grace. A moment of silent prayer: thanks, Father God for the gift of this beloved Son, who becomes such a beloved Savior. And a king! And a high priest! Isn’t that something? Of extraordinary heavenly vitality and majesty! Count me a believer, a follower, or whatever that I am asked to be. Counted as a privilege. What is Christmas? The more piercing and revealing question is what is the truth of Christmas? A world dragging at the bottom of the sea, a man coming to lift it sky high. In the bright flush of this birth of births, let us all do well and remember Mary. I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me. There is Jesus in his Christmas clothes and a palace that is all of a
manger. Next time that a donkey is seen, resist the urge to give it an impatient, dismissive look. Donkeys and horses, and other beasts were part of his honor guard in those first tense hours. The Magi came and were told to come back with word. They went the other way. Talking in code, and walking on eggshells, that one is. Herod is still waiting, hoping he doesn’t run out of food, patience, and time. All three deserted him, sending him into seizures and seeing spirits. A real likeable fellow he was, despite all the damage he had done. There is a hidden sign right in there. Watch out for the Herod(s) of these days. End times and the time of tyrants go together. Jesus kept going from that manager and his words have since circled the world several times over. I am the way, the truth, the life. Compete with that, see if that has any challengers. The ancient Chinese knew what they were talking about. Revisit that one about ‘out of small beginnings, there are great earthshaking movements. Jesus in person. Jesus in the impact that he made and left as a year-round gift. From Annunciation to a chance at reconciliation and restoration. God loves. God gave Jesus. Christmas is about giving. What is being given? To whom? Ah c’mon! Remember what he said about family and friends. A wonderful thought, but there are those strangers that don’t have, could use a little Christmas cheer. See them
on the roadways. See them in the passageways leading up to the Church. The hungry, the thirsty, those without a family. Sure, sure. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Sez who, those who have plenty? For whom, those who have nothing and no one else? So, amid the black cake and sponge cake and velvet cake, I hear that persistent echo: insofar as you cared for the least of these…. And, do you love me? Jesus may know, but the man with a hungry belly and a glaze around his eyes may not. Spread a little joy. Then some more. Joy to the world, and peace and goodwill among all men. The last piece can be a touch shaky, Christmas Season or no Christmas Season. Just check on all those ships patrolling in nearby waters. Two thousand years ago, there were emperors and governors peeling their eyeballs to get a glimpse of Jesus. Today, there are all their modern-day equivalents bristling with the grandness of their shadows, and the glorious nature of their friends. Where are the Romans? No one, whether believer or not, has to ask where is Jesus. He is all around, and in the hearts of believers. Christmas comes but once a year. But Jesus is every day of the year, and every moment of it. Really? Yes, really. Merry Christmas to all Guyanese, and to all others sharing space here. The best to all for a blessed 2026.❖
Christmas party for Hispanic children at Kuru Kururu
On Monday December 15th, the Office of Migrant Support (Catholic Charities Guyana - Migrant Support) and our Hispanic Community visited
Hispanic boys and girls at Kuru Kururu, EBD, for a Christmas party and gifts from the Baby Jesus.❖ (Comunidad Hispana De Georgetown FB)
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Prayer for our Priests
Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, December 19th 2025
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Caribbean bishops issue letter on The Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) have issued the following letter on the Closing of Jubilee Year 2025:
Letter to the People of God in the Antilles on the Closing of Jubilee 2025 “The Journey Continues Walking Together in Faith and Struggle”
GRACES OF THE JUBILEE YEAR: Grace to enter Darkness – trusting God together “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5) One of the Jubilee’s deepest graces has been the courage to name darkness honestly: experiences of confusion, failure, fear, and brokenness – personal and ecclesial. Rather than fleeing these moments, we are invited to remain with them in faith. Faith teaches us that darkness is not empty or meaningless. Like the Steelpan - born from painful struggles and the oil drums - or Reggae and Calypso - born from poverty and resistance - or Revival music - born from the pain sung into hope, our brokenness can become places where grace enters, and beauty is revealed. Synodality cannot grow where darkness is denied. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who first spoke of disappointment before recognising the Risen Lord, we learn that Christ meets us precisely on the road of struggle. When embraced with trust, darkness becomes the space where compassion, humility, and communion are formed.
As the Church in the Antilles joins the universal Church in closing the Jubilee Year 2025, we pause in gratitude to reflect on the fruits and graces that have quietly taken root among us. The Jubilee theme - “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5) - has not been merely a motto, but a lived experience within our dioceses. In a world marked by uncertainty, fragmentation, and rapid change, the Jubilee has reminded us that Christian hope is not a denial of suffering, but trust in God’s faithful love that accompanies history and transforms it from within. This grace of hope has strengthened our courage to face the shadows within ourselves, within our Church, and within our Caribbean societies not with fear, but with trust. It has renewed our confidence that even amid fragility and struggle, God is at work, patiently drawing new life from what appears broken or unfinished.
Grace of Conversion – from “I” to “We” “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Rom 12:2)
Jubilee and the Synodal Journey
Grace of Responsibility “I will give you shepherds after my own heart” (Jer 3:5)
The Jubilee Year has unfolded alongside the Church’s ongoing synodal journey, revealing how deeply hope and synodality are linked. To walk as a synodal Church requires patience, humility, attentiveness, and perseverance. It calls us to listen deeply, to allow ourselves to be challenged, and to remain open to conversion. These are precisely the graces the Jubilee has awakened among us. As we continue to grow into a synodal Church, the Jubilee has invited us to loosen our grip on old securities and to trust that Christ walks with us on the road, especially when the way forward is unclear. Hope steadies us in moments of uncertainty; it opens our hearts to one another and sustains us as we learn to listen, discern, and walk together as the People of God.
The Jubilee has renewed the call for conversion of hearts, minds and structures. This conversion invites us to let go of habits and assumptions that do not serve the Gospel and to open ourselves to a new experience of the Church, where Bishops, clergy, religious, and laity are all called to ongoing conversion of heart and mind. This grace calls us from self-centeredness towards community discernment, from solitary decision-making to communion. Conversion will make demands on us, but it leads us from fear to freedom. Only a Church that is willing to be converted can truly walk together. This means humility, vulnerability, and a willingness to shift from “I” to “we,” listening more deeply and accompanying more patiently.
The Jubilee has heightened our sense of responsibility. While synodality is often spoken of with enthusiasm, it must be demonstrated through intentional leadership. This grace calls on all those in leadership roles to model discernment, humility, and collaboration; to commit and invest in formation; and to ensure that synodal processes are stable and credible. Prophetic witness is sustained not just by words but by consistent, accountable leadership rooted in prayer.
Grace of Communion for Mission – Love that sends “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship” (Acts 2:42) Despite the challenges, the Jubilee has
allowed us to taste the fruits of synodality: deeper communion, renewed fraternity, and shared joy. Where clergy, religious, and laity engage in genuine listening and discernment, relationships deepen, and new vitality emerges. We are reminded that the bedrock of synodality is love - a love that binds us together and sends us outward in mission.
Grace of Hope – Courage to continue “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” ((Is 40:31) Above all, the Jubilee has renewed our hope – hope that does not disappoint because it is anchored in a trust in God’s faithful love. This hope gives us the strength and courage to persevere in the midst of challenges. As the Jubilee Year closes, this grace carries us forward. Synodality is not a temporary initiative but a way of life the Spirit is forming within us. Christ remains our companion on the road. The dawn will come. The journey continues. We therefore exhort each diocese of the Antilles to actively implement the fruits of the Final Document of the Synodal Assembly (2024), allowing its insights to shape pastoral
priorities, leadership styles, formation programmes, and decision-making processes. We encourage regular evaluation of our synodal growth: Where are we becoming more participatory? Where do we resist conversion? How are we forming and inviting disciples to walk together? Standing at this threshold of grace, we place our hands confidently in the hand of the Father and walk forward with renewed hope. If we do so, the Jubilee Year will not end as a memory but will bear lasting fruits in a Church that listens deeply, discerns faithfully, walks together courageously, and witnesses prophetically to the Gospel in the Caribbean and beyond. We entrust this journey to the maternal care of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Empress of the Americas, asking her to walk with us, that we may have the courage to follow her Son and become a self-emptying Church that relates, listens, discerns, and is fearless in bringing Good News to the poor. Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference December 12, 2025 Our Lady of Guadalupe, Empress of the Americas ❖
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, December 19th 2025
First Reading Isaiah 7:10-14 The maiden is with child. The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask Yahweh your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above’. ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said: Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call ‘Immanuel, ‘ a name which means “God is with us.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23 Resp: Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory. 1. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples. It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm. Response 2. Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. Response 3. He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob. Response
As our Advent preparations end and Christmas fast approaches, it is fitting that today’s readings demonstrate the intensity of the Father’s perfect and passionate love for each of us,
Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7 Jesus Christ, descendant of David, Son of God. From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures. This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace. Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24 Jesus is born of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, son of David. This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph;
culminating in the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day. In response to such an overwhelming gift, what can we do except offer our lives as gift in return, embracing a stewardship way of life with all the love and strength we have to give? In our Gospel passage from Matthew, we find an unparalleled example of one who embraced this way of life in St. Joseph, as he obeys God’s call to him through the message of an angel.
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being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him ‘Emmanuel,’ a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’. When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home. ❖
We never hear St. Joseph speak, but the Scriptures tell us he was always listening, attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit for his family. It was Joseph who found the stable where the baby Jesus would be born. No doubt it was Joseph who cleaned it up and prepared it for Mary and Jesus since we know that Mary was about to give birth. Joseph protected the family, guarded them, and tended to their safety, their comfort, and their wellbeing at the expense of his own plans
and preferences. Though we do not hear any words from St. Joseph his actions clearly show that he offered himself, his whole life, as a gift to his family through his strong guidance, protection, and service. Let us imitate St. Joseph, then, as good stewards, giving our very lives to those around us in love and gratitude to God, who has given us everything we have, especially His own Son, Jesus Christ.❖ [http://www.catholicsteward.com/blog/ ]
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, December 19th 2025
The Nativity of the Lord:
Mass at Midnight First Reading Isaiah 9:2-7 A Son is given to us The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils. For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders, the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian. For all the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood, is burnt, and consumed by fire. For there is a child born for us, a son given to us and do-minion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace. Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end, for the throne of David and for his royal power, which he establishes and makes secure in justice and integrity. From this time onwards and for ever, the jealous love of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The Nativity of the Lord:
Mass During the Day FIRST READING Isaiah 52: 7-10 All the end of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. How beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of one who brings good news, who heralds peace, brings happiness, proclaims salvation, and tells Zion, “Your God is king!” Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices, they shout for joy together, for they see the Lord face to face, as he returns to Zion. Break into shouts of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord is consoling his people, redeeming Jerusalem. The Lord bares his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 95 Response: Today a saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord 2. O sing a new song to the Lord sing to the Lord all the earth. O sing to the Lord, bless his name. R/ 2. Proclaim his help day by day, tell among the nations his glory and his wonders among all the peoples R/ 3. Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise, let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth. Response 4. With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth. Response Second Reading Titus 2:11-14 God’s grace has been revealed to the whole human race. God's grace has been revealed, and it RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 97 Response: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 1. Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. Response 2. The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. 3. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord all the earth, ring out your joy. 4. Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp, with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord. SECOND READING Hebrews 1: 1-6 God has spoken to us through his Son. At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the
has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in his present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good. Gospel Luke 2:1-14 Today a saviour has been born to you. Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census – the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name. God has never said to any angels: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him. GOSPEL John 1: 1-18 The Word was made flesh, and lived among us. In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be Not one thing had its being but
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registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, "Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy his favour"❖ through him. All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the world. He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of God himself. The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father full of grace and truth. ❖
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Dear Girls and Boys, Christmas is here! What do you like best about Christmas? Is it the Christmas tree with its blinking lights? Maybe it's the beautiful music. Perhaps it's pepperpot, garlic pork, sorrel drink and black cake. For some it might be all of the parties or visiting with family and friends. For many people the best thing about Christmas is the presents -- both the ones we give and the ones we receive. Especially the ones we receive! Hmmm... Can you think of anything we have left out? Oh yes! It's someone's birthday, isn't it? Whose birthday is it? That's right! It is Jesus' birthday. You know, sometimes we get so caught up in all of the decorations, lights, parties, and presents that we miss the real Christmas. If we are not careful, we can get so caught up in the celebration, the decorations, and the gifts that we miss the real Christmas -the birthday of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Dear Jesus, it is your birthday. We pray that we won't get so caught up in the celebration that we miss the real Christmas. Amen. ❖
[ NFC - Sources: http://www.sdc.me.uk , http://www.catholickidsbulletin.com/, http://www.sermons4kids.com , http://www.salfordliturgy.org.uk, young-catholics.com & https://thekidsbulletin]
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Christmas carols sing of God’s love, pope says
Pope Leo XIV and thousands of guests assisted by the papal almoner and Catholic charities attend the Vatican’s annual Christmas concert with the poor, featuring Canadian singer Michael Bublé, in the Paul VI Audience Hall Dec. 6, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christmas carols in every language and culture are expressions of how music can convey “feelings and emotions, even the deepest movements of the soul,” Pope Leo XIV said after listening, clapping and singing along at the Vatican Christmas concert with the poor. “As the melodies touched our hearts, we felt the inestimable value of music:
not a luxury for the few, but a divine gift accessible to everyone, rich and poor, learned and simple,” the pope said Dec. 6 as he thanked Canadian singer Michael Bublé, Italian singer Serena Autieri and the choir of the Diocese of Rome. Pope Leo was seated in the center aisle behind the main guests — about 3,000 people assisted by the papal almoner and Catholic charities in
Rome.
Pope: Music reminds us “we are God’s beloved children” “Music is like a bridge that leads us to God,” the pope said. It is like “an imaginary stairway connecting earth and heaven.” “It is not a coincidence that the feast of Christmas is very rich in traditional songs, in every language and every
culture,” he said. “It is as though this mystery could not be celebrated without music, without hymns of praise.” And it was that way from the very beginning, the pope said, noting how the Gospel of Luke “tells us that while Jesus was being born in the stable in Bethlehem, there was a great concert of angels in heaven.” “And who listened to that concert? To whom did the angels appear? To the shepherds, who were keeping watch at night to guard their flock,” he said. “Music can lift our hearts,” the pope told his audience, which included migrants and refugees, people who sleep outside around the Vatican and people in need because of job loss. Music is uplifting “not because it distracts us from our sufferings, because it numbs us or makes us forget the problems and difficult situations of life,” he said, “but because it reminds us that we are not just this: we are far more than our problems and our troubles, we are God’s beloved children!” Pope Leo asked everyone in the audience to use Advent and the preparation for Christmas as a time to be attentive to people in need and open to listening “to the song of God’s love, which is Jesus Christ.” “Yes, Jesus is God’s song of love for humanity,” he said. “Let us listen to this song! Let us learn it well, so that we too can sing it with our lives.”❖
Creative Arts Sunday at Aishalton
On Sun. December 14th, catechism children of St Robert Bellarmine Church, Aishalton, Deep South Rupununi, Reg. 9, Essequibo, Guyana, took part in a Creative Arts Sunday. Guided by their catechists, they used paper to create simple artworks that will be used to decorate the church for Christmas.❖(Robert Bellarmine R.C Church Aishalton FB)
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Christmas cheer at Brickdam By Renika Anand
On Tuesday December 16th, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam, Georgetown, spread Christmas cheer to the children of the surrounding area by hosting a social. At the event, Assistant Parish Priest Fr. George KP, SJ, gave a brief explanation of the meaning of Christmas, after which games were played. The event concluded with the joyful distribution of gifts, leaving the children smiling and filled with the true spirit of Christmas.❖ (Catholic Media Guyana FB)
Breaking Hopelessness
The Messiah
Dear Editor, Israel’s highest hope was that God would one day visit and redeem His people from their sins and from their enemies. God would send His Messiah to effect this deliverance and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. The Messiah was the dominating figure in Israel’s dreams of the future.
Jesus was the Messiah he could not deny it. He declared that he is the Messiah to the Samaritan woman at the well. "The woman said to him I know that the Messiah will come and when he comes, he will tell us everything." Jesus answered, "I am he, I who am talking with you." (John 4: 25-26.) But his way as Messiah, if he were to be the true fulfiller of God’s purpose, the true redeemer, was opposed to the way people who called him Messiah would have expected their Messiah to take. Their popular idea of a Messiah is one who is a political deliverer, one
anointed by God certainly and called to be King of Israel, one who would be strong in warlike strength, who would set Israel in its promised blessed state by sheer force, one who would arrogantly and without mercy crush all that withstood him. Jesus was Messiah but never could he be that kind of Messiah and do his Father’s will as he knew it. He was the Servant-Messiah. He said, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). Leon Jeetlall
Meister Eckhart, a German theologian once said “Truly, it is in the darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest of all to us.” During the course of our lives, we all experience different emotions - joy, anger, sadness and excitement. In fact, this rollercoaster of experiences is what makes growth and change so exciting. There is no point in our lives when we stop experiencing emotions, but we may change the way we respond to them. As we become mature, we learn to harness and express our emotions in a productive manner so that we are in control of them. Yet, there is one emotion that seems to be one of the most powerful of them all. This is hopelessness. Hopelessness is difficult to overcome even when we seem to have attained a state of maturity. It consumes every part of our lives and takes over our identities. However, like all things, we can conquer this too. When we are in darkness, we tend to accept it and become a part of it. Instead, we must gather the courage to overcome it. We must seek the light, and if we cannot find, we must create it ourselves. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged - Deuteronomy 31:8❖
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Faith Formation & years of Catholic-Methodist dialogue CITY (CNS) — Celebrating alLiturgical VATICAN most six decades of Catholic-Methodist dialogue, the Vatican Commission theological publishing house has released a book summarizing the issues dialogue memoffers bers have agreed on and briefly outlined the issues where work is ongoing. book, “We Believe in One God: 60 formation The Years of Methodists and Catholics
The Faith Formation & Liturgical Commission of the Diocese of Georgetown is pleased to announce a series of training initiatives to support our parishes and to assist all the faithful in deepening their love for the Church’s liturgy and teaching:
1. Liturgical Training: General Lay Ministry Workshops are designed for lectors, decorators, altar servers, and parish teams, focusing on reverence, confidence, and the celebration of beautiful and meaningful liturgies.
2. Catechist & Faith Formation Training Practical and engaging sessions for catechists, youth leaders, and all who desire to grow in their understanding of the Catholic faith.
3. Training of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Service Leaders
Walking Together,” is based on the results of 11 reports produced by the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission since its formal dialogue began back in 1967. The reports explore topics such as baptism, holiness, Scripture and tradition, Eucharist, the nature and mission of the church and the call to visible communion. The Rev. Edgardo A. Colón-Emeric, dean of Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, and the dialogue’s Methodist co-chair, and Archbishop Shane Mackinlay of Brisbane, Australia, the Catholic co-chair, wrote in the introduction that while leaders and theologians of both communities welcomed the 11 reports, their content is not really known among most Catholics or Methodists. “During the year in which Christians mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — the first attempt to reach consensus amongst the early Christian communities — the publication is designed as ‘a gift to all the churches, as they affirm their faith in the Triune God and reflect on the next stages of the quest for Christian unity,'” said a press release from the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome. The book cites “remarkable convergence” on “the central question of the Eucharist,” the press release said, “with Methodists increasingly ‘recognizing that the Lord’s Table belongs to the fulness of Christian worship, while Catholics are appreciating the fundamental importance of preaching the Word.'”
The cover of “We Believe in One God: 60 Years of Methodists and Catholics Walking Together,” a summary of the work of the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission, features a detail from the Resurrection Window at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, USA, and includes images of St. John XXIII, John Wesley, Teresa of Avila and others. The book is published by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana. (CNS photo/LEV) In the new book, as in the dialogues themselves, the press release said, issues “including the ordination of women, same-sex marriage, contraception and
abortion, are raised in a thoughtful way, highlighting the need for further study in order to find paths forward to a deeper consensus.”❖
Helping candidates serve faithfully at the altar and lead Sunday and other Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest, with sound theological and practical preparation.
4. Spiritual Enrichment Retreats, days of reflection, and ongoing formation opportunities to nurture personal prayer, deepen discipleship, and strengthen our Christian witness.
5. Music & Liturgy Workshops Support for parish choirs and musicians, offering guidance, resources, and formation to enrich the Church’s worship and sacred music. We look forward to journeying with you as together we grow in faith, unity, and service to the People of God. Please let us know how we can assist your parish or community. For more information, please contact the Religious Education Department: 610-5706 or 688-9586.❖
First Holy Communion at St. Teresa's Church, Kopinang, North Pakaraimas , Region 8, Essequibo, Guyana, December 15th.
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The story behind ‘Silent Night’: Origins of the Christmas classic (OSV News) — Father Josef Mohr (1792-1848) was the pastor of St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Obendorf, Austria. In 1816 he composed the six verse lyrics to “Silent Night,” which would become one of the most popular Christmas carols of all time. Exactly why he wrote the song is unclear. However, we do know that on Christmas Eve 1818 he presented the poem to the parish organist, Franz Xavier Gruber, with the request for Gruber to compose an appropriate melody for two solo voices with choir and guitar accompaniment. The carol was first performed during Mass that Christmas Eve. Gruber sang bass as the church choir sang the refrains of each verse. Father Mohr, a talented musician himself, played the guitar accompaniment. The tune was warmly received by those who heard it that first night. Father Mohr died in 1848. Before his death, the composer of “Silent Night” is reported to have said that his composing of the Christmas carol was one of the “most treasured moments” of his life.
The Silent Night Chapel, which is in the town of Oberndorf in the Austrian state of Salzburg, is a monument to the Christmas carol "Silent Night." The chapel stands on the site of the former St. Nikola Church, where on Christmas Eve in 1818 the carol was performed for the first time. (CNS photo/courtesy www.stillenacht.com) Today a memorial chapel (the Silent Night Chapel) stands at the place
where this famous song was composed. It is the site of an annual
remembrance of the two men who composed the song.❖
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Christians should work on joint Jubilee
Pope Leo XIV prays between Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, left, and Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of Antioch and All the East during a meeting with ecumenical leaders at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez) ISTANBUL (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV, leaders met for speaking to Christian leaders in Turkey, washed their feet, and the place of Church said he hoped they could meet in Pentecost,” the press office said. But 1,700th anniversary of the Jerusalem in 2033 to celebrate to facilitate the encounter, the leaders Council of Nicaea together the 2,000th anniversary of need to make progress in their efforts toward full unity, the pope had told The Council of Nicaea also set a the death and resurrection of Jesus. them, “citing his episcopal motto, ‘In common date for all Christians to And, later in a joint declaration with Illo uno unum,'” or literally “In the celebrate Easter — on the first Sunday Orthodox Ecumenical Orthodox One, we are one,” referring to faith in after the full moon following the spring equinox. But the Julian Patriarch Bartholomew of one Lord. calendar, which is what Christians Constantinople, he called on Christians Leo joined Patriarch used in the fourth of the East and West to finally agree Pope was on a common date for Easter. The Bartholomew again in the early century, pope and patriarch also appealed for evening in the Patriarchal Cathedral of increasingly out of St. George for a doxology prayer sync with the an end to war. service of praise to God. actual solar year, The two met in Istanbul Nov. 29 with so March 21 — the Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and “Yesterday, and again this morning, we generally assumed Protestant leaders who had joined experienced extraordinary moments to be the date of them the previous day in Iznik, site of of grace as we commemorated, the Northern the ancient city of Nicaea, to together with our brothers and sisters Hemisphere’s commemorate the 1,700th in faith, the 1,700th anniversary of the spring equinox — anniversary of the Council of Nicaea First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea,” gradually “drifted” away from the and the basics of the Nicene Creed, Pope Leo said at the service. which all mainline Christians share. “By remembering that highly actual equinox. The meeting with the leaders was held significant event and inspired by the In 1582, Pope XIII at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor prayer of Jesus that all his disciples Gregory may be one,” the pope said, “we are reformed the Ephrem, which was inaugurated in 2023 — the first and only Christian encouraged in our commitment to calendar, dropping days and church to be built in Turkey since the seek the restoration of full 10 the foundation of the Republic of Turkey communion among all Christians, a making equinox fall on task that we undertake with God’s as a constitutionally secular nation in March 21 again. help.” 1923. Eastern During the doxology, he said, “the Most Pope proposes celebration of deacon addressed to God the petition Christians did not the new 2033 jubilee in Jerusalem’s ‘for the stability of the Holy Churches adopt calendar though, and for the unity of all.’ This same leading Cenacle to a petition will also be repeated in situation where According to the Vatican press office, tomorrow’s Divine Liturgy. May God, Pope Leo spoke to the leaders about the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Easter occasionally having a Jubilee 2033 celebration have mercy on us and indeed fulfill is on the same day, but Eastern together in Jerusalem. that prayer.” Christians’ The pope would like to celebrate “in celebration can be the Cenacle, place of the Last Supper as much as four of Jesus with his disciples, where he weeks later.
St. Paul VI and all the popes who succeeded him, including Pope Leo, have said the Catholic Church is open to accepting an Orthodox proposal for a common date for Easter. In their joint declaration, the pope and patriarch said the anniversary of Nicaea should inspire “new and courageous steps on the path toward unity,” including finding that common date. “We are grateful to divine providence that this year the whole Christian world celebrated Easter on the same day,” they said. “It is our shared desire to continue the process of exploring a possible solution for celebrating together the Feast of Feasts every year. We hope and pray that all Christians will, ‘in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,’ commit themselves to the process of arriving at a common celebration of the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Part of the goal of Christianity, they also said, is to contribute to peace among all people. “Together we fervently raise our voices in invoking God’s gift of peace upon our world,” they said. “Tragically, in many regions of our world, conflict and violence continue to destroy the lives of so many. We appeal to those who have civil and political responsibilities to do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately, and we ask all people of good will to support our entreaty.”❖
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Festival of Carols 2025 A Festival of Carols was held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam, Georgetown, on Friday December 12th 2025.(photos: St. Joachim's Youth Centre, Springlands, Corriverton, Berbice FB)❖
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God wants all people to be saved, that involves more than 300 inmates in prisons throughout Italy that regularly make hosts for 15,000 churches and parishes.
For the Lord, only one thing is important that all “be saved”
Pope Leo XIV arrives in procession for his Mass for the Jubilee of Prisoners in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 14, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Even in difficult situations and harsh places, like prisons, when people focus on caring for one another, respecting each other and offering forgiveness, “beautiful flowers spring forth from the ‘hard ground’ of sin and suffering,” Pope Leo XIV said. Dressed in rose vestments for Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, the pope celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Dec. 15 for the Jubilee of Prisoners.
Inmates and former inmates — both adults and juveniles — from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Chile accompanied by guards and chaplains participated, as well as representatives from 85 other countries. It was the last of the major Jubilee events before Christmas and the closing of the Holy Year Jan. 6. The hosts consecrated during the Mass were made by inmates at the Italian prisons of Opera, San Vittore and Bollate. They are part of a project
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican’s fat red yearbook, known as the Annuario Pontificio, will now be available and updated regularly on an app and online. The digital platform “will guarantee reliable and immediate access to certified content, promoting an accurate and documented account of the life of the church,” the Vatican Secretariat of State said in a press release Dec. 9.
of great use to so many people who work serving the church,” the pope told those present. “I encourage you to continue in this spirit of service, so that what is established with care and attention may become an even greater help over time.” Archbishop Parra said, “The digitization of the Pontifical Yearbook represents a significant step in the renewal of the Holy See’s tools of service. At a time when communication is increasingly rapid and global, offering immediate and reliable access to information on the life of the church — with certified data — means putting technology at the service of the church’s mission.” The thick, hardcover yearbook typically numbers more than 2,500 pages and is available only in Italian. Printed once a year, the Vatican used to send out changes and updates once or twice a month via email and post them online. Officials from the Secretariat of State are responsible for updating the volume. Now, as a digital resource, information will be revised and updated more often, the secretariat’s press release said.
Pontifical Yearbook lists key Church figures, stats The pontifical yearbook lists: all Vatican offices and staff; the world’s dioceses and mission territories; bishops, cardinals and international religious orders of men and women; papal diplomats and ambassadors to the Vatican; historical notes, such as a list of the popes and their years in office, and more. Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, substitute for general affairs in the secretariat, and others met with Pope Leo XIV Dec. 6 to present the initiative and to let him try searching the platform on a tablet. “Thank you for this work, which will be
In his homily, Pope Leo acknowledged that living and working in a prison is difficult “and even the best proposals can encounter many obstacles.” But inmates, staff and family members must never give up, he said. “No human being is defined only by his or her actions,” and “justice is always a process of reparation and reconciliation.” Prisons, jails and detention facilities must keep working to address overcrowding and a lack of commitment to guaranteeing “stable educational programs for rehabilitation and job opportunities.” “On a more personal level,” he told them, everyone involved must deal with “the weight of the past, the wounds to be healed in body and heart, the disappointments, the infinite patience that is needed with oneself and with others when embarking on paths of conversion, and the temptation to give up or to no longer forgive.” For the Lord, though, “only one thing is important: that no one be lost and that all ‘be saved,'” Pope Leo said.
“Let no one be lost! Let all be saved! This is what our God wants, this is his kingdom, and this is the goal of his actions in the world,” he said. “As Christmas approaches, we too want to embrace more strongly his dream, while being steadfast and faithful in our commitment.” Christians, he said, “know that even in the face of the greatest challenges, we are not alone: the Lord is near, he walks with us, and with him at our side, something beautiful and joyful will always happen.”
Gaudete Sunday Angelus Reciting the Angelus at noon, Pope Leo quoted the introductory words to the day’s Mass: “‘Gaudete in Domino semper’ –- Rejoice in the Lord always.” On Gaudete Sunday, the church calls believers to rejoice because “Jesus is our hope, especially in times of trial, when life seems to lose meaning and everything appears darker, words fail us, and we struggle to understand others.” “The words of Jesus,” he said, “free us from the prison of despair and suffering. Every prophecy finds its expected fulfillment in him.” Christ “gives voice to the oppressed and to those whose voices have been silenced by violence and hatred,” the pope said. “He defeats ideologies that make us deaf to the truth. He heals the ailments that deform the body.”❖
Pope Leo XIV tries a new digital platform of the Vatican's yearbook, known as the Annuario Pontificio, at the Vatican Dec. 6, 2025. (CNS photo/screengrab courtesy Vatican Secretary of State) After creating an account online and paying the annual subscription fee ($79), the online version is available at annuariopontificio.catholic or on an app optimized for smartphones and tablets. After the initial rollout, the platform
will add expanded capabilities, such as other languages and past data for archival purposes. The hardcopy volume will still be published, the secretariat said, because of the historical value of such documentation.❖
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Christmas Celebration on the East Bank
On Saturday December 6th 2025, the East Bank communities gathered for a special Christmas event titled “Journey to Bethlehem,” held as part of their ongoing Jubilee celebrations.
The evening began at St. Joseph Husband of Mary Parish, Little Diamond, where participants assembled for a meaningful and creative Christmas motorcade. Leading the procession was a beautifully decorated truck carrying youths who reenacted the Nativity scene, bringing to life Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the angels, and the humble setting of Bethlehem. Following behind were the other vehicles, all “following the star,” echoing the Scripture story of those who were guided toward the newborn Christ. The motorcade made its way to Ss Peter and Paul Church, Peter’s Hall, carrying the joyful message of the season along the East Bank. The celebration continued with a Concert at Ss. Peter & Paul. The event offered the community a chance to celebrate together, deepening the spirit of the Jubilee while entering the Christmas season with hope and unity. (Catholic Media Guyana) ❖