ARCHBISHOP John Bathersby of Brisbane has announced a 2006 archdiocesan focus on Mission in his Advent Pastoral Letter.
The letter will be read at Masses in parishes across the archdiocese on November 26-27.
Archbishop Bathersby reminds Catholics that Christmas is a time for rejoicing in the faith, while remembering its responsibilities.
“Sadly, in our rush towards Christmas we do not always use the season well,” Archbishop Bathersby wrote.
“This is a shame because it is all too important to neglect.
“Both Advent and Christmas show us God’s great love in coming to live among us.”
At the same time they also show God’s great power because we were saved, not by a child born in a marble palace, but by a child born in the manger of a small unimportant town of Judea, the archbishop says.
He says that over the last two years in response to the archdiocesan synod, Catholics in the archdiocese had been asked us to focus on two major aspects of faith – Jesus and Communion.
“Filled then with an understanding of these two great spiritual realities we are now ready in 2006 to study Mission – the responsibility we have as believers to take our good news out to others by word and action.”
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