Christmas Greetings
from the Sisters, Home Visitors of Mary
The Word Became Flesh Among Us
We have seen for ourselves and can witness that the Father has sent the Son as savior of the world. 1 Jn 4:14
2,000 years ago Mary and Joseph knocked repeatedly but found doors closed to them. Since 1949 however the Home Visitors of Mary have walked the streets of Detroit and the roads of Nigeria knocking on doors to Welcome others. Welcome into our church home! We are one!
Pope Francis has declared this the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The papal announcement of the Jubilee contains this moving passage that both validates and celebrates the SHVM mission of last 65 years:
In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society: fringes modern society itself creates. How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich! During this Jubilee, the Church will be called even more to heal these wounds, to assuage them with the oil of consolation, to bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care. Let us not fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism!
The Sisters Home Visitors of Mary wish you the best in this season of hope. May you be abundantly blessed. May we grow together in opening the doors of our hearts and our minds to others, especially to the poor and those marginalized by social attitudes and structures in our city and country.
May the peace of The Lord be with you and yours!
