The message Bishop Luc van Looy

Dear Teachers,

In preparation for Christmas my thought goes in particular to you. You are busy preparing young people and children for the great moment of the coming of God in history. You are presenting in a very real way, through your work and special attention for the poorer one's among them, the love which God wants to show to each and every human being.
In Christ the love of God becomes visible and transparent. He comes to share with us, our worries and joys. He recognises and touches our weaknesses and helps us search for the truth about human beings. He shows mercy and at the same time brings about justice for the poor, the weak, the downtrodden. Everything becomes new, different, hopeful, from the moment He comes and lives with us.
I would like to offer you four aspects which Christmas offers us in particular in order to communicate the love of God for us, especially in our school context.
The first is the closeness to God in his Word, in Scripture. The word of God is our daily companion while we are searching to live our life as teacher, as parent, as parishioner.
The second one is our authenticity as Christians living up to our faith. Young people especially notice immediately whether we are truthful to what we speak.
Number three is our place within the community and the staff at our school. Do we pray with our colleagues? Do we communicate the faith to them? Sharing our deep convictions with them, be it on faith or on educational matters, will create an educative community capable of conveying deeper values to the young people and to the colleagues as well.
Last but not least we find ourselves in a situation where all have to feel we consider each one highly. Trust and co-responsibility are the words which will lead us in this matter. Each one needs his or her place in society and to be considered worthy of our special love as Christ gave the love of God to each one.

Dear Teachers, Catholic Teachers, you will find in the Eucharist the strength you will need to live up to that standard. I wish and pray you may find there the necessary enthusiasm for your work as a Christian in your environment.
A Blessed Christmas and a Fine New Year 2011.

+ Luc Van Looy