Bishop Robert J. Kurtz, C.R.

Roman Catholic Church

Dear People of Bermuda,

A blessed Christmas to all of you in the name of the members of the Roman Catholic Church in Bermuda. May the peace of the Lord be with you!

This year we celebrate the Feast of Christmas in the shadow of the dramatic events of last September 11th. On that day a terrible crime was committed: In a few brief hours thousands of innocent people of many ethnic backgrounds were slaughtered. Two of our own Bermudians lost their lives in this tragedy - Rondelle Tankard and Boyd Gatton. May they rest in peace. Since September 11th, we in Bermuda and people throughout the world have felt profound personal vulnerability and a new fear for the future. Nevertheless, we now celebrate the Feast of Christmas and the mystery of God becoming man for our salvation gives us hope. Christmas helps us to testify to our hope that evil does not have the final word in human affairs.

At the Christmas Liturgy we hear once again God's promise in the words of Isaiah the prophet:

For a Child is born for us

A son is given to us

And he is named, Prince of Peace.

At this Christmas Season, I, like so many of you, feel a particular need to pray for peace, that peace which appears to elude our human efforts and must be recognised as a gift of God, Pope John Paul II in his letter for the World Day of Prayer for Peace on January 1, 2002 points out that “the pillars of true peace are justice and that form of love which is forgiveness.”

So often in our troubled world, when we call for “justice”, we actually express resentment and seek revenge. Yet, as Pope Paul states: “There will be no peace without (true) justice and no justice without forgiveness”. Forgiveness cuts through the vicious cycle of resentment and revenge. Forgiveness provides the basis and the hope for true lasting peace.

We need to pray for peace, but we also need to work for justice and we must also be ready to forgive...whether that be in Afghanistan, in Israel/Palestine, the Holy Land of our Lord's birth, or any other troubled area of our world. However, the peace process begins at home, in our own hearts. Today, we pray for God's gift of peace to fill our hearts and give us the strength to work for justice and to forgive others.

May the prince of peace fill our hearts and our homes throughout Bermuda with the gifts of justice, forgiveness and true peace.

Once again a Merry Christmas to all!