“Neither death nor life, nor anything else can separate us from the love of God in Christ. It is only through the eyes of this great hope that we can look at ourselves and our world and not despair”. Thus begins the letter addressed by the Catholic Bishops of Scotland to more than 800,000 faithful in the run-up to Christmas which will be distributed to all 500 Scottish parishes. In their message, the prelates take stock of the pandemic, saying that “the love and compassion we have shown amid so much suffering and death in recent months might now become a way of life” and that “love of neighbour might now become the vital principle of our culture”. In their letter, the Bishops also welcome the news of the vaccine approval which will “allow an early immunisation programme to protect our population and offer the prospect of some return to normal life”.