Dear People of Bermuda, In the name of the clergy and the members of the Roman Catholic Church in Bermuda, I am pleased and honoured to be able to extend Christmas greetings to all of you. May the peace of the Lord be with you.

What do you want for Christmas? I’m sure we’ve all heard this question repeated many times in the weeks leading up to today.

But what do you think God wants for Christmas? This was the question recently posed by Mrs Anna Faria-Machado as a writing assignment for her fifth grade class at Mount Saint Agnes Academy.

I found the student answers to the question very interesting and I would like to share a few with you.

Kristen said: “I think God wants everyone to love each other for Christmas.”

Ethan added: “What God wants for Christmas is world peace, because God never wanted war and evil in the world.”

Owen said: “God wants the earth back for Christmas, because as time passes the earth is being polluted.”

According to Jacob, “God wants us to spend time with our family. He wants us to remember that it’s not about (Christmas) presents, it’s about the Saviour coming to save us.”

Among the many other interesting responses, was that from Sadie who concludes the list saying: “I think God would want every person in the world to be able to feel his presence and his love at Christmas. I think God would want this because some people in the world don’t know what it feels like to have someone love them and what it feels like to have someone watch over them.”

Thanks be to God for the innocent wisdom of children! I pray that the Feast of Christmas will bring you the gift of knowing and believing in God’s love and care for you and that you share that love with your family members, friends and neighbours.

Let that love also flow out and express itself in care for the earth and in the desire to keep Bermuda beautiful, a desire that can also include the will to work and even sacrifice for the common good of all who call Bermuda their home. Peace be with you.