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Your Defence Forces Newsletter Christmas Message from the Head Chaplain Rev Fr Seamus Madigan A Chairde, I am delighted to be offered this opportunity to extend Christ- mas greetings to you; the women and men of Óglaigh na hÉ- ireann and your families, as we prepare to celebrate the Feast of Christmas. This is my first Christmas message as your Head Chaplain and it's a great privilege. A 'Holy Year of Mercy' called by Pope Francis has just begun on 8th December. During this 'Year of Mercy 2016', we in Ireland will commemorate the centenary of the Easter Rising. I pray that 2016 will be a year of mercy for all, through which we can open our hearts to a hope of being loved despite our shortcom- ings. I also pray that we will continue to push back the horizons of our hopes here in Ireland and that the brave may respond to God's invitation to build a new world of compassion, inclusion and engagement. Christmas is a wonderful family time and children make it so special with their sense of wonder, expectation and excitement. They keep us in the present moment. May we cherish every moment with them. 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. In our sometimes complicated world, we need reminding that over two thousand years ago, on a dark night in troubled times, God touched our world quietly, gently and with light. The message of Christmas is simple, God is with us now, in this moment. God loves us wherever we are, wherever we are stationed; at home or overseas, on land, sea or in the air! May the child Jesus, born in a simple stable in Bethlehem, touch your lives this Christmas. May we in the Defence Forces continue to be merciful to those who are troubled and continue to live in hope of a more merciful world, a more merciful Ireland, a more merciful self! I am particularly mindful this Christmas of serving members who died during the past year leaving behind young families; mother of two Pte Sara Leigh and father of three Lt Col Jack Griffin come to mind immediately. To you their families, please be assured of our thoughts and prayers at this time. May the souls of all our serving and retired personnel who died during the past year, Rest in Peace, Amen. Le gach dea-ghuí I gcomhair na Nollag agus na h-ath bhliana Rev Fr Seamus Madigan Head Chaplain to the Defence Forces God's love endures forever (Psalm 117) capability development that will inform the future direction of Óglaigh na hÉireann. Implementation planning in line with the provisions of the document is already ongoing, and it behoves us all to work to achieve its objectives in the coming year. Our reputation as a professional, agile, innovative Defence Forces in both national and international contexts is built on our performance on challenging operations, both at home and overseas. I acknowledge that our achievements in this regard are a product of the good work carried out by the soldiers, sailors and aircrew of Óglaigh na hÉireann. It is also worth noting that our openness to organisational change underlines our adaptability and our commitment to keep pace with a rapidly changing and increasingly inter-connected world. Looking ahead, it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to maintain Óglaigh na hÉireann's reputation and to adhere to our six core values of Respect, Loyalty, Selflessness, Physical Cour- age, Moral Courage and Integrity. Our ethos is based on these values and the citizens of Ireland rightly expect us to act in a manner that is above reproach. Indeed, looking ahead to the 1916 Centenary year, it is appropriate to consider that we are the cur- rent standard bearers of a tradition of service and sense of duty that originates with the Irish Volunteers. On behalf of the General Staff, I would like to wish you, your families and loved ones a very happy Christmas. I would also like to personally thank you for your steadfast service throughout the year, and to thank those that make such commitment pos- sible - your families and friends - for the support they have given. Without that support, the performance of our duties would be much more difficult. This time of year is also a time for remembering those who have gone before us, and those we have lost. Our thoughts are with our colleagues and former colleagues who died during the past year, and with their loved ones. Their families and friends feel their loss most deeply at Christmas. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha uilig. Christmas is a time of celebration, joy and unity, but the nature of our service means that we are often away from our families during this period. I am conscious of the sacrifices that you will- ingly make in this regard. Indeed, it is only thanks to your dedica- tion that we continue to make such a positive contribution to in- ternational peace and security. We currently have troops serving in 16 mission areas, in 15 countries, and in the Mediterranean Sea where our sailors carry out challenging humanitarian and Search and Rescue operations. I would like to extend a particular word of gratitude and best wishes to those serving abroad this Christmas for their dedication and commitment. I look back on 2015 with a great sense of pride in the many achievements of the Defence Forces in the midst of diverse chal- lenges. I wish to acknowledge the leadership of Lt Gen Conor O'Boyle DSM and thank him for his support. I look forward to working with you in the coming year to ensure that Óglaigh na hÉireann continues to make a fundamental contribution to Irish society. 2016 will be a special year for Ireland and the Irish people and I am delighted that Óglaigh na hÉireann will be to the fore- front of the Ireland 2016 celebrations. I extend my warmest wishes to each and every member of Óglaigh na hÉireann and to your families, and wish you all a happy Christmas and a safe and rewarding New Year. Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise agaibh go leir. Mark Mellett DSM Vice Admiral

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