AMERICA/VENEZUELA - Archbishop of Caracas makes a Christmas appeal, asking that “fighting may come to an end, that hate may be dispelled, and that we may seek fraternal communion.”

Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - “I invite you all, dear brothers and sisters, to take advantage of these days leading up to Christmas to intensify your spiritual life, with the reading of the Word of God, with prayer, and by listening to the voice of Saint John the Baptist, who calls us to conversion, to a spiritual renewal.” This was the call made by Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, Archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela), to all the faithful in his Christmas Message, which will be read in all the parishes this coming weekend (December 13-14).
Recalling the Bishops' message issued this past July, with an invitation to prompt conversion of heart, the Cardinal mentioned that “converting or spiritually renewing ourselves means leaving sin and all its manifestations, such as religious indifference and forgetting God, hate and violence, lust and greed, etc. and approaching the Father of Mercy who will welcome us with open arms.”
He then focuses on the theme of peace in his message, as “Christmas reminds us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.” It is a peace that God only gives to those who work for peace among men. He says: “Peace is a goal, a task, a commitment for every day. It is the result of fraternal coexistence, solidarity, of the practice of justice and charity.” Thus, “no kind of violence, whether it be verbal, physical, or legal, is Christian.” According to the Cardinal, “seeking peace means respecting others, respecting the law, respecting others' rights, even if they do not agree with us. Seeking peace means leaving behind all violence and respecting life and the value of every human person.” In this sense, he asks that all people may “fight to overcome the violence that is manifest in so many crimes and that weighs heavily on human hearts.”
He also asks that authorities and those working in public security, who “have the obligation of working unceasingly in unison to reduce the high levels of violence and delinquency that we are seeing in our city.” “It is absolutely necessary that the fighting come to an end, that hate may be dispelled, and that we seek fraternal communion. It is absolutely necessary that in the home, in work relations, in social life, we are all truly artisans of peace,” the Message says.
The Cardinal concludes by inviting all to “celebrate Christmas with authentic religious and Christian meaning,” remembering that in order to truly live Christmas, we must approach God with an open heart; receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion; unite the family in the Church and the home, participating in the Mass on Christmas, New Year's, and all the Sundays of the year. “And in order for Christmas to be truly religious and Christian, we need to open our hearts to our brothers most in need, and those whom we have offended or who have offended us. Christmas implies renewing our life in the faith in God and in love for Him and for our brothers.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 9/12/2008)