The Bishops of Clogher have issued their Joint Christmas Message for 2025, offering words of hope, peace and reflection to communities across the diocese as the Christmas season approaches.
The message is shared jointly by Bishop Ian Ellis, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, and Bishop Larry Duffy, Roman Catholic Bishop of Clogher, on behalf of the Clogher Diocese Church of Ireland and the Clogher Diocese Roman Catholic Church.
“Christmas Tree Festivals have been very popular this year across churches in Fermanagh, Tyrone and Monaghan, attracting hundreds of visitors. Such festivals have a remarkable appeal displaying wonderfully crafted and decorated Christmas trees placed in beautiful settings in parish churches and halls. They appeal to a wide range of visitors, young and old from across the community including many who may not have been planning to attend a Christmas service,” the statement read.
“Christmas trees at such festivals come in all sorts of styles and sizes but essentially their design is triangular, and their lights draw our eyes upwards from being earth bound to looking heavenwards. Christmas tree lights in that sense shine out and direct us towards God. Equally we could see the lights as beginning at the top of the tree and cascading downwards reminding us that at Christmas the Light of the World, Jesus Christ came down to earth from heaven.
“At this season of short hours of daylight, we can be easily overcome with the dark. Light helps us locate where we are; keeping things in perspective, seeing situations and people in the light of love; recognising dangers and ways forward, finding our way, enjoying beauty, delighting in people.
“Light is a very powerful symbol of hope, truth, and guidance throughout scripture and history. The Christian Church proclaims that the life of Christ brings light into the world, and his light is for all people, regardless of background or circumstance. The people of God are also called to shine as points of light in a world to be people of bright hope.
“Light and life can be given and discovered on our daily journey – we can find such light in: listening to the Christmas story, or practically in acts of kindness, in the hands of volunteers providing Christmas meals for the elderly or those in crisis, in those who through foodbanks help to feed families in need. We see it in the work of charities and aid agencies bringing food and shelter to displaced people in areas of conflict across the world. We see that light too in simple cards, phone calls and time spent with friends who have been going through tough times.
“Twinkling Christmas trees tell of the light which we believe came into the world in the babe of Bethlehem. The Christmas story, however, is not just about what happened in the past, however wonderful -it is about us now. As the Gospel put it “but to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” John 1v12
“The whole purpose of the coming of the light in Jesus Christ is that we too might become daughters and sons of God. The early Christians liked to say God became human that we might share his divinity. This is our high calling and destiny. We are to grow in the love of God and others that we come to share his very nature.
“Through his coming to this world, God has indwelt our human life and lifted it above the dominion of darkness. Through that miracle he allows our lives to shine with the borrowed lights of love, joy and peace and making it a mirror of the beauties of a world unseen.
“Our prayer is that we may all make the presence of God more visible, like points of lights on a Christmas tree. As we look out on what at times is a world with much darkness, where war, disaster, suffering and hunger seem to have sway, our call is by prayer, word and action to strive earnestly for the kingdom of light to extend among us.
“Wishing everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas.”
