Merry Christmas! It is my prayer that, during this Holy Season, the light of Christ will bring joy, grace, and peace into your home and

into your heart. The Church commemorates Our Lord’s birth on this sacred day and proclaims “Let us all rejoice in the Lord, for our

Savior has been born in the world. Today true peace has come down to us from heaven.” Indeed, the world needs the “true peace” that

only Christ can bring.

Celebrating Christmas Day, let us all seek to grow closer to Our Lord. Accept God’s invitation to follow His only Son, the Prince of

Peace. Through participation in the Sacraments, in prayer, in caring for the poor, in loving one another, and in the cultivation of peace

throughout the world, each Christian can grow in holiness and strive to emulate Christ, who came to us as a meek and lowly servant.

May the joy of Our Lord be with you, your family and your neighbors this Christmas Season. Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed

New Year!

+Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida