CHRISTMAS has been celebrated and year 2019 is about to welcome us with full of hope for a better life ahead. I am publishing here the full text of the message of Secretary Leonor M. Briones of the Department of Education and the excerpt of Pope Francis message to all Christians worldwide:
"Pamaskong mensahe mula sa Kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon. Mainit na pagbati ang inihahatid ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon sa ating 26.7 milyong mag-aaral, 700,000 kaguruan, at 60,000 iba pang kawani, ngayong panahon ng Kapaskuhan.
Kasabay ng pagsasara ng taon ay ang ating pagbabalik-tanaw hindi lamang sa ating mga nakamit na tagumpay, ngunit maging sa mga pagsubok na sama-sama nating nalagpasan, sa tulong ng ating mga kaagapay sa pagpapalaganap ng edukasyong tunay na dekalidad, abot-kamay, napapanahon, at mapagpalaya para sa lahat.
Sa ating pagsalubong sa panibagong taon at panibagong mga hamon, nawa’y patuloy nating pag-ibayuhin ang matapat na pagtupad sa ating sinumpaang tungkulin, para sa kapakanan ng ating mga kabataang Pilipino, at bilang pagpupugay na rin sa ating dakilang Tagapagligtas – ang tunay na diwa ng ating pagdiriwang.
Nawa’y patuloy rin nating isabuhay ang mga mahahalagang aral ng pagmamahalan, pagbibigayan, at pagpapatawad tungo sa minimithi nating kapayapaan.
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon! - Leonor Magtolis Briones, kalihim."
On the other hand, Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic religion delivered his Christmas message to around 50,000 worshippers congregated at the Vatican to hear the pontiff’s sixth “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) message where he appealed for peace in conflict zones such as Syria and Yemen, which face humanitarian crises.
In the same message, Pope Francis called for peace and “fraternity” among nations.
He wished for a happy Christmas is a wish for fraternity, fraternity among individuals of every nation and culture. Fraternity among people with different ideas. Fraternity among persons of different religions.
Pope Francis, who is the head of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, had used his mass on Monday night to urge people to curb “insatiable greed”.
He also hoped a truce in conflict-ravaged Yemen would end a devastating war that has killed around 10,000 people since 2015 and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the quagmire of famine.
The pope also mentioned in his message the war in Syria, which has forced millions from their homes and reduced swathes of the country to rubble.
In the same manner, the Pope also said he hoped for renewed peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians “that can put an end to a conflict that for over 70 years has rent the land chosen by the Lord to show his face of love.”
He called for a “political solution” to the conflict “so that the Syrian people, especially all those who were forced to leave their own lands and seek refuge elsewhere, can return to live in peace in their own country”.
To one and all, a meaningful Christmas and prosperous 2019.