“Let’s roll up our sleeves and put our faith into practice to help our brothers and sisters through direct involvement. These were the words of Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB at the 2022 LifeLink Christmas Appeal Liturgical Launch.
The special Liturgical Service was held on Thursday 3 November at St Mary’s Cathedral, where Archbishop Costelloe was joined by Parish Priests and Appeal Representatives from across the Archdiocese.
LifeLink Chairman and Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton also joined in the occasion and shared that we should “show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in need by sharing our resources to create an environment of equality.”
During the liturgical celebration, guests were invited to prayerfully reflect on scripture from the Second Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians.
In his address, Archbishop Timothy reminded guests that “Being generous when times are good is easy. Being called to be generous when we ourselves may be struggling is when we truly are provided an opportunity to ‘walk in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd.”
“As Christians, we often speak of ourselves as disciples of Jesus. And rightly so because that is exactly what we are. One of the simplest and most accurate descriptions of the Church is in fact this – that we, the Church, are a community of disciples of Christ. The word disciple, of course, means follower. So, we might equally say that the Church is the community of those people who have decided to follow Christ.”
“Above the Archbishop’s chair is my coat of arms which carries the motto Via Veritas Vita. These are three words, which Jesus used to describe Himself. I am the via – the way. I am the Veritas – the truth. And then He also says, I am the Vita, the life. These three words are really very important for us as we reflect on what it really means to be a disciple.”
“The way of Jesus is the path that we’re called to tread. The truth of Jesus, the teachings He leaves us, the God He reveals to us. This is what we’re called to commit ourselves to. And the life of Jesus, the self-giving of Jesus, the compassion, and the mercy of Jesus, is what we’re called to bring alive in the concrete reality of each day.”
“Jesus came to proclaim that it is in fact God’s will, that everyone should have life and have it in abundance. And this is the truth to which we are called to give witness by helping to set people free to live their lives fully. A life free from fear, free from oppression, free from the crippling power of loneliness, free from despair. And this is the life we are called to share with others and to help them to experience as far as we are able to do that.”
“And all of this is exactly what our LifeLink agencies do. These agencies are way finders – helping people to get back on the road toward a fuller, happier life. Our agencies are truth-tellers – making clear in concrete ways the reality of God’s love and care for his people. And our LifeLink agencies are life givers – bringing hope and confidence and a glimpse of a better future to people who otherwise might feel abandoned, not only by others but perhaps also by God. This is why the Christmas appeal for Lifelink matters.”
The Archbishop’s 2022 Christmas Appeal for LifeLink will be officially launched in all parishes on the weekend of Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 November 2022. The appeal aims to raise at least $650,000 for those in need this Christmas.
Donate to the 2022 LifeLink Christmas Appeal by Clicking Here
Watch Archbishop Costelloe’s 2022 Christmas Appeal Message
Read the Archbishop’s Letter by Clicking Here