ETHIOPIA: Cardinal Berhanayesus Encourages Acts of Charity During Ethiopia’s Christmas

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

As Ethiopia commemorates the nativity of Christ on Thursday, January 7, the head of the Ethiopian Catholic Church Berhanayesus Cardinal Souraphiel has urged the faithful and all people of goodwill to be supportive to the needy especially at Christmas.

“We have a debt to pay to the people, and this debt is to be good to everyone. Therefore, as our Lord has commanded us, let us help the needy,” the Cardinal said in a Christmas message published Wednesday, January 6, and highlighted further, “I encourage you to spend Christmas by doing charity.”

The Ethiopian Prelate who is also the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) while addressing the bishops, priests, Religious, the faithful and people of goodwill said, “Let us in a special way support those who are refugees, and our displaced brothers and sisters through the love of our Lord.”

“What we hear every time as happening in our country are the cries and suffering of many, the displacement, the dying of the people who are created in the image and likeness of God should stop,” Cardinal Berhanayesus stressed as he appealed for unity irrespective of the people’s diversity saying, “All of us by being agents of peace should live together as brothers and sisters despite our race, tribe, color, gender and age and moreover as one family, support and help each other and stand as one.”

Addressing the government leadership on issues of right to life and respect of the country’s Constitution, Cardinal Berhanayesus a member of the Congregation of the Mission (CM) noted that security of people’s lives and respect of the constitution for the sake of peace should be a key concern in the country.

“The government should ensure the right to life of its people and that the supremacy of the Constitution is respected,” he said and called on the government to “continue the efforts it is undertaking to ensure peace and security in the country.”

“Just as our Lord Jesus Christ, we should love each other too. And during this Christmas, let us come before Him in prayer so that we may be agents of peace,” the Cardinal emphasized on prayer as a way forward to cultivate peace in the country.

Berhanayesus who is the Archbishop of Addis Ababa also encouraged the people to observe Covid-19 measures, a health challenge which has affected the entire world.

“All our people should protect themselves from Covid-19 which has become the threat to the world and to our country, follow all the possible ways of prevention,” he said.