As Christmas is celebrated across the country, the priests from Ireland’s major pilgrimage sites are encouraging people to slow down, make space for God, and rediscover the quiet heart of the season amid its festivities.
Fr Richard Gibbons PP of Knock Shrine acknowledged that Christmas can be a difficult time for many families. “This time of year can be very, very difficult for families,” he said, noting how easily peace can be lost amid the busyness. “In the midst of all the busyness and hectic organisation for Christmas, we sometimes lose that need for a little bit of space and peace for ourselves.”
He encouraged simple, tangible steps: “By simply going to the church, lighting a candle, taking time out for ourselves. This can include going to Confession which is about re-engaging with the Lord and opening ourselves up to His presence in our lives.”
At Lough Derg, Fr La Flynn echoed the call to slow down and reclaim the sacredness of the Christmas season. Reflecting on Advent and the days leading into Christmas, he said the season need not become a burden. “God doesn’t want the approach of Christmas to be a time of pressure,” he said. “Especially when we’re under pressure, that’s the time when it’s more valuable than ever to draw our breath and to step aside.”
He suggested that even a small act such as “lighting a candle for whatever little time it is” can help people slow down and “reclaim that perspective” of quiet prayer.
Fr John Kenny, administrator of Westport Parish and Croagh Patrick pointed to the power of Christian symbolism when it is truly lived. Reflecting on the Advent wreath, he said the themes of hope, peace, joy and love are “perpetual themes that the Church needs to keep promoting time and time again,” themes which find their fulfilment at Christmas with the lighting of the white candle.
He also encouraged families to help children engage more deeply with Christmas through its stories and symbols. “It’s a lovely way to experience,” he said, adding that even small daily practices can invite children to “think about, talk about, pray about, and do” in response to the celebration of Christ’s birth.
