An Cosantóir

13 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Christmas Message From the Head Chaplain Fr Seamus Madigan A Chairde, I am delighted to be offered this opportunity to extend greetings to the women and men of Óglaigh na hÉireann and to your families, as we prepare to celebrate Christmas 2021. The wonder of Christmas, while never lost on children can sometimes be lost on us adults. The Christmas message; that 'God became flesh' (Jn 1:14) and wishes to be one with us, invites us to live the wonder of each precious moment, to respect the sacredness of each person, to love and protect the natural beauty that surrounds us. God is with us right now, where we are, in all sorts of ways and 'Our Mission, should we choose to accept it,' is to allow God to find us. The man began to shout: God, show me a miracle And a baby was born However, the man did not bend over the cradle so that he could marvel at the miracle of life. Desperate, he cried out again: Touch me, God, and let me sense you exist And a butterfly landed softly in his shadow. However, the man angrily brushed it aside with his hand. Disappointed and in tears he continued on his journey. (Author Unknown) Christmas encourages us to see everyone in this world as a brother and sister with an innate right to be treated with dignity and respect. As my time with the Defence Forces Chaplaincy Service comes to an end, I would especially like to pay tribute to all who advocate for our personnel and I salute those who continue to have the enthusiasm to make representation for a better life for our soldiers, sailors, air crew and their families. Thank you! We have been through almost two (2) tough years living with the COVID-19 virus. Members of the Defence Forces have been generous and truly exceptional in their response to this crisis and so have our families. May we cherish each moment with those who are precious to us. To all our colleagues on duty during this Christmas time at home and overseas, particularly those of you with children, I want to say a big thank you for your sacrifice and commitment. Wherever you are stationed at this time of year; at home or overseas, on land, sea or in the air, may the child Jesus, born in a simple stable in Bethlehem, touch your life with love and wonder. I hope the Irish Defence Forces, continues its rich tradition of responding generously to the needs of our troubled world and remains committed to providing spaces for people to live in peace, and experience healing, justice and hope. I am particularly mindful this Christmas of all who have died during the past year in the context of COVID-19. To the families of those who have died, we keep you in our thoughts and prayers. We also pray that the souls of our deceased personnel (serving and retired), especially those who died during the past year, may Rest in Peace. Next Year (2022) your Chaplaincy Service will celebrate and mark 100 years since its foundation. Over this time many Chaplains have come and gone and some have died, but as far as I am aware, all have loved serving you and our country and have experienced their time with Óglaigh na hÉireann as blest and privileged. This too has been my experience over the past 15 years and I simply say, thank you! On behalf of the Chaplaincy Service, I wish everyone in Óglaigh na hÉireann, serving and retired, and your families a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and every blessing for a brighter 2022! «We bless this year for all we learned, For all we loved and lost And for the quiet way it brought us Nearer to our invisible destination.' John O' Donoghue Beannachtaí na Nollag agus Síochán san AthBhliain! An tAthair Séamus Ó Madagáin God's love endures forever (Psalm 117)

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