Dec. 24, 2019
Dear Friends in Christ,
In his recent apostolic letter on the significance of the Christmas crèche, Pope Francis reminds us that it was the poor and lowly, in the form of shepherds, who greeted the Savior after His birth.
Their presence at the Nativity scene, the pope said, is evidence that “God became man for the sake of those who feel most in need of His love and who ask Him to draw near to them.”
Pope Francis wrote that from the manger, “Jesus proclaims, in a meek yet powerful way, the need for sharing with the poor as the path to a more human and fraternal world in which no one is excluded or marginalized.”
As we gather with our family and friends this Christmas season to celebrate the blessed birth of our Savior, let us be mindful of our privilege as Christians to care for the poor, the downtrodden and all those subjected to isolation and neglect.
In Pope Francis, who celebrated the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination this year, we have a model of what it means to accompany others and bring God’s mercy to the peripheries.
We are richly blessed in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to have strong outreach ministries offered through Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore and a host of other efforts run through our parishes, schools and Catholic organizations. We also are grateful for community partners such as pro-life pregnancy centers and ecumenical/interfaith programs to help us better serve those in need.
I encourage you to get involved in helping the poor and vulnerable of our community through one or more of these praiseworthy programs.
Through the #IamCatholic movement, I also invite you to share the gift of your faith and the gift of your service this Christmas and throughout the coming year.
Stay informed throughout the year on news and features about ministries across the Archdiocese of Baltimore by subscribing to the Catholic Review’s free e-newsletter by sending an email request here.
Know that you will be in my prayers this Christmas. Humbly, I ask that you also pray for me.
May the New Year offer an abundance of health, happiness and peace. Merry Christmas!
Faithfully in Christ,
Archbishop William E. Lori
