Pope Reminds Us of Our Missionary Call at Christmas Mass

Editor’s Note: Fr. Billy Morell, OMI works with the Oblate Missionary Society, Inc. (OMSI) promoting the mission of the Oblates on behalf of our supporters and employees. The following is a personal reflection he wrote to the OMSI Community after attending Midnight Christmas Mass at the Vatican in Rome.

TO: all the OMSI Community

Dear fellow mission promoters,

I remember mentioning in my Christmas letter to you last week that I hoped to get to concelebrate Midnight Mass with the pope. There were no more places available for that when I applied but the Vatican sent me a ticket to sit very near the main altar for the Pope’s midnight Christmas Mass. As you see below, I was very close! It was very moving. Of course, I prayed for all the OMSI and all our donors.

May the Lord bring you blessing upon blessing in the New Year.

Happy New Year.  – Fr Billy

At his mid-night Christmas Mass homily, the pope spoke so personally and clearly:

“There is no room for the indifference which reigns in the hearts of those unable to love for fear of losing something. All sadness has been banished, for the Child Jesus brings true comfort to every heart.”

Then, the pope reminded the world, including us at OMSI, of our tradition and call as members of a missionary church:

“The people who for two thousand years have traversed all the pathways of the world in order to allow every man and woman to share in this joy are now given the mission of making known ”the Prince of Peace’ and becoming his effective servant in the midst of the nations.”

May we in our work at OMSI always give witness to this message in our everyday lives and through the life and works of the Oblates across the world whose mission we promote and sustain by the wonderful generosity of Oblate donors.