Dear Viatorians,
As we celebrate the joy of Christmas, we gather around the mystery of the Word made flesh—Christ who chose to enter our world in vulnerability, poverty, and hope. In the Child of Bethlehem, we recognize God’s abiding closeness to all who are displaced, forgotten, or searching for a place to belong.
This year’s province Christmas card cover featured our newly renovated Province Center chapel as it was decorated for Christmas 2024, just after the completion of improvements.
This holy season invites us to renew our commitment to welcoming immigrants and refugees, whose journeys echo that of the Holy Family, itself forced to flee in search of safety. Through Viator House of Hospitality, our parishes, and schools, may we continue to be communities of hospitality, advocacy, and compassion, attentive to those displaced by poverty and violence, seeking dignity, opportunity, and peace.
At the same time, we lift our hearts in prayer for all who suffer amid the violence and devastation of war—especially the people of Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. We pray for an end to bloodshed, for the protection of civilians, and for leaders with the courage to choose dialogue over destruction. May the Prince of Peace stir our consciences to work tirelessly for justice, reconciliation, and lasting peace.
The call of the last General Chapter “to build authentic community to fully live out our mission” resounds all the more eloquently this Christmas season, inspiring us to deepen our unity—professed religious and lay associates together—bound by a shared mission and charism. In mutual respect and collaboration, may we continue to witness to the Gospel with one heart and one purpose, strengthening one another in service to the Church and the world.
May the light that shone in Bethlehem illumine our paths, soften our hearts, and renew our hope. Wishing you a blessed Christmas filled with peace, solidarity, and joy—and a New Year strengthened by faith and love.
In Christ and Saint Viator,
Rev. Mark R Francis, CSV
Provincial