The Holy Family reminds us that mission begins in the heart and in the home
Archbishop John Wilson issues Pastoral Letter on the Feast of the Holy Family 2025
In a Pastoral Letter issued on the Feast of the Holy Family, Archbishop John said the “Holy Family reminds us that mission begins in the heart, and in the home”.
Speaking directly to families, Archbishop John said:
“Thank you to parents, grandparents, extended family, and carers, for your patience and quiet sacrifices that bring the truths of the Holy Family to life.
“Thank you for your efforts to hand on our beautiful Catholic faith to your children. Thank you, too, to our young people for your witness. None of us should ever be ashamed of the Gospel.
“Christ never diminishes life, but enlarges it. Those who entrust themselves to him are never disappointed.”
The Holy Family also teaches us, Archbishop John said, that “by remaining close to Christ, what is ordinary can, and does, become holy; that even our burdens and struggles are never without hope.”
This is especially true when our own “families face uncertainty, illness, grief, or broken relationships”, the Archbishop said. The Holy Family encourages us to “hold fast in faith and prayer”, he said.
The Church, Archbishop John said, is a “family of families” and that “in Christ, there are no orphans. When one member of the family suffers, all share the burden; and when one rejoices, all share the joy”.
That is why, Archbishop John said, as “many families across our Archdiocese face heavy burdens: for example, the cost-of-living crisis, the pressures of work or study, sickness or disability”, our parishes need to be places of welcome. He said:
“Our parishes, schools, and chaplaincies need to be places where people feel they belong and are known by name; where the struggling are welcomed, where wanderers know they can come home, where sinners find forgiveness.”
In a message of hope, Archbishop John called on us all to remember that our hope is the Lord Jesus:
“Whatever is happening in your family or personal life at the moment, receive the Good News: God sent his Son, the Lord Jesus, as hope for you. God is with you in Christ, and God loves you in Christ.”
Pointing to the conclusion of the Jubilee Year of Hope, Archbishop John said:
“Today, the Church places before us the Holy Family of Nazareth: the Lord Jesus, his mother Mary, and his foster-father Joseph. As the Jubilee Year of Hope draws to a close, we embrace anew the hope born for us at Bethlehem. Jesus Christ — who lived and was crucified, rose again, and is alive — is the hope of the world. In Christ, the radiant hope of God’s love and mercy shines into every heart and family.”
Archbishop John added “today, we entrust our families, and our whole Archdiocese, to the Holy Family of Nazareth.”
Concluding his Letter, Archbishop John said:
“May the Lord Jesus, Our Blessed Lady, and St. Joseph, keep us united in love and steadfast in prayer as, in the coming year, we set ourselves to reach out to others with the love of Christ.”
The Pastoral Letter for the Solemnity of the Holy Family was issued by Archbishop John Wilson to be read at all Masses on Saturday/Sunday, 27/28 December 2025.
