SA国际传媒

By Lisa Zengarini

In a Pastoral Letter for the Feast of the Holy Family, which was celebrated on December 27, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW), called on Catholics to pray not only for their own families, but also for the Church, God鈥檚 family, so that they may both be places of compassion, forgiveness and love, especially in these difficult times.

Covid-19 has disrupted our homes 

Cardinal Nichols begins his reflection by focusing on the word 鈥渆cology鈥� which derives from the Greek root 鈥渙ikos鈥�,  meaning 鈥渉ome鈥�, and which 鈥� he explains 鈥� can be applied not only to the natural world, but also to our homes and to the Church. Both these 鈥渉omes鈥� have been disrupted this year by the COVID-19 pandemic, he notes: 鈥淗ome life has been tested, and financial worries burden many. Separation from loved ones has been painful and many have lost loved ones in death, with little chance to grieve them fully鈥�. This is why the Prayers of the Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family, asking for God鈥檚 blessings on our homes so that they may be 鈥減laces of kindness and joy鈥�, are particularly meaningful this year, Cardinal Nichols points out. Quoting St Paul鈥檚 Letter to the Colossians, the letter reminds that these words mean 鈥渃ompassion, gentleness, patience and forgiveness鈥� and, most of all, love, and that the Apostle applied them in the first place to the Church, that is 鈥渢o us, chosen by God to be a witness in the world to God鈥檚 love and compassion鈥�.

Pray for our families and for the family of the Church

The Archbishop of Westminster therefore calls on the faithful to pray for their own families, but also for the family of the Church: 鈥淲e can ask for God鈥檚 blessing on this family, this 鈥榚cology鈥� in which we live, the 鈥榚cology鈥� of the Church鈥�, he writes recalling how the Church too has been under strain over these last months because of the pandemic. He adds that, this year, Church life in Britain has also been 鈥渟tained鈥� by the 鈥渆mergence of the picture of the abuse inflicted on children and vulnerable people in the Church over the last fifty years鈥� (in reference to the recent publication of the Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse - IICSA), reiterating his deep regret for the mistakes made even by himself.

Fix your eyes on the Lord

Amidst these difficulties, Cardinal Nichols encourages Catholics 鈥渢o fix their eyes on the Lord, on the Child Jesus鈥�, who 鈥渘ever forsakes the Church, his own Body鈥� and 鈥渞emains with us always鈥�.  Quoting Pope Francis鈥� recent Letter 鈥淧atris Corde鈥�, he also encourages them to turn to St Joseph too, 鈥渁s the protector of the family of the Church鈥�, and 鈥渁 guide in times of trouble鈥�.

鈥淎s we come to the end of this year, a year of such pain and difficulty, try to see this 鈥榖igger picture鈥�: that our lives are in the hands of God; that our Church is constantly consoled by the presence of the Holy Spirit; that our world is God鈥檚 work of art鈥�, the letter concludes.