Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

"Peace be with you all." These were Pope Leo's first words standing on the balcony of St. Peter's after his election at the 267th pontiff. Since then, he has emphasized praying for peace in our fractured world and in our divided hearts.

Peace is more than an absence of war, but “It is the peace of the risen Christ,” the pope continued. “A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.”

Where does peace begin? Leo says that “Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others and speak about others.”

Christmas celebrates the way that God looks at us through the eyes of the babe of Bethlehem. With peace, hope, joy, and faith. His gaze challenges us to reflect on how we look and speak about each other in the routine of daily life. And extends to our prayer for an end to the conflicts and the tragedies of the violence near to us and at Brown University and near Sydney, where people gathered to celebrate Hanukkah.

Before the Christmas Eve Mass in the Night, our Schola Cantorum under the direction of our Director of Music, Dr. Jeong-A Yum will offer a musical program, Dona Nobis Pacem (Grant us peace). Through the music of Christmas, we'll pray for peace based on Pope Leo's prayer for peace:

Jesus, Lord of our history,

faithful companion and living presence,

You who never tire of coming to meet us,

here we are, in need of your peace.

We live in times of fear and division.

Sometimes we act as if we were alone,

building walls that separate us from one another,

forgetting that we are brothers and sisters.

Send us your Spirit, Lord, to rekindle within us

the desire to understand one another, to listen,

to live together with respect and compassion.

Give us the courage to seek paths of dialogue,

to respond to conflict with gestures of fraternity,

to open our hearts to others without fear

of differences. Make us builders of bridges,

able to overcome borders and ideologies,

able to see others through the eyes of the heart,

recognizing in every person an inviolable dignity.

Help us create spaces where hope can flourish,

where diversity is not a threat but a richness

that makes us more human.

Amen.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, may the Prince of Peace bless you and your loved ones. If you're traveling, may God bless you with safe travel and happy times with your families.

Merry Christmas and Peace be with you,

Father Gil

P.S. Thanks again for your generosity to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Toy Drive. They have expressed their gratitude to the families of our school and parishioners for the donations of toys and gift cards. We collected over 750 toys and more than $3,000 in gift cards.

Dear St. Paul’s Community,

Our journey has officially come to an end. As we conclude this year’s Bon Voyage Festival, we would once again like to extend our sincere gratitude to every volunteer, family, sponsor, faculty member, and parish partner whose dedication made this event an exceptional success.

Throughout the weekend, our community circled the globe - visiting China, Mexico, France, London, Korea, Iran, Scotland, India, Spain, Jamaica, Egypt, and more. The spirit of unity, cultural celebration and generosity of spirit was evident at every turn, and we are deeply grateful for the collective contributions that brought this year’s theme to life.

We are proud to share that the 2025 Bon Voyage Festival raised a total of $650,000, an extraordinary achievement made possible by the commitment of our entire community. These funds directly support the programs and resources that enrich the educational experience at St. Paul’s, ensuring our students continue to benefit from meaningful opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

Thank you once again for your generosity, partnership, and support. We look forward to supporting next year’s Festival Committee and continuing the cherished traditions that make St. Paul the Apostle a one-of-a-kind destination.

Signing off from the Flight Deck,

Lindsay and Lauren

For our immigrant sisters and brothers living in fear of deportation, may the Lord accompany them through the ministry of the Christian community:

For the healing, comfort, and peace of the sick, for Shirley Ruess, Sister Irene Wright, Melinda Nadres, Greg Tinsley, Alexa Kierzkowski, Montana Gill, Jack & Vicki Phillips, Patricia Arias, Tel Ramon, Mary Pat Cooper, Andrew Hinnebusch, Todd Wiench, Bernadette Tee, Estrella and John Monzon, Charles Candel, Joan Doyle, Marisa Kavanau, Carol King Wolcott, John Wolcott, Angel Appleton, Clark Gassan, Lohriena Lohrie Counts, Nora McCormick Heinen, Weldon Tilley, Paul Lannan, Eileen Gaffney.

For the eternal rest of our beloved departed, Alfred Ruess, Christohper Hudlin, Alan Culver, Laura James, Anne Marie Hannick, Father Greg Goethals, SJ, Ron Schuster, Bobby Burks, Father Jack Lynch, CSP, Arlene Havel, Phil Duncan, Michele Kearin, Father Brad Schoeberle, CSP, Mary Tokuza, Haruko Hiromura, Donny Kie, Cesar Robeniol, Nellie Scholar, may they rest in peace.

For peace in every nation: may the light of the Holy Spirit transform hearts so that all may seek the way of peace together and comfort the wounded and grieving, let us pray to the Lord: