Germany: Christmas in the time of pandemic, the Bishops’ letter to pastoral workers and volunteers in family and charitable care

To coincide with the forthcoming Christmas season, the Bishops of the German Bishops’ Conference in charge of Caritas (mgr. Stephan Burger), pastoral care (mgr. Franz-Josef Bode), and families (mgr. Heiner Koch) wrote a letter to the devotees to encourage them in the run-up to Christmas, which shall be dealt with in the time of pandemic. In a letter published today, the three prelates directly speak to the staff of Caritas, advisory centres and pastoral workers, praising all those who work there for their huge personal efforts. “You are making so many precious gestures of solidarity in our society. We wish you the Good News of the Incarnation of God may give you the courage and the strength to keep being there for the people who need your help”. According to the prelates, “for the sake of our health, a good dose of solidarity, self-discipline, resignation and readiness to celebrate Christmas differently from the way we are used to, in mutual concern and responsibility, is needed this year”. There is, in the letter, the realisation of those who are most in need: “It is children and young people who cannot meet their friends in the usual way. Mostly though it is those who already suffer from loneliness, old age, physical and psychological stress due to illness, poverty, difficult family circumstances or the homeless”.
Valentina Bombelli