Zagreb archbishop issues Christmas message

"We are burdened by worries and problems, we feel the burden of our wounds and falls; we engage in many heated debates that tire us, take away our joy of living and leave us disoriented," he said, stressing that because of that, it was necessary, possibly more than ever, to open up to the evangelical virtues children are endowed with.

A child is truth-loving and experiences everything in life as a gift; they are open to joy, play and celebration, spontaneous and openhearted, he said.

While growing up, a child seeks the closeness and unity of parents and family as well as of the community, notably the faithful.

To raise a child and care for it takes not only a family but a broader community, Bozanic said, adding that "Christmas also inspires us to ask ourselves if our society is friendly towards children."

He commended the construction of kindergartens and care for children's hospitals but also warned of a certain intolerance manifested through disregard for and depreciation of family life, as well as covert contempt for families with a large number of children, and what he described as a war and propaganda against unborn children.

In the context of the current pandemic, he said that the restrictions it had caused should not be viewed exclusively as restrictions but as an opportunity to live more strongly the spiritual values of Christmas.

He called, in that regard, for refraining from transferring onto children one's own fears, confusion and bitterness.

Christmastime provides an exceptional opportunity to create new unity and love and to mend relations, he said.

"We are praying for the ill and for medical personnel; for those who mourn the loss of their loved ones, and we pray to our Lord to free us from the scourge of the coronavirus disease," Bozanic said.