(© Adrenalinapura/Dreamstime.com)

Today we celebrate once again the abiding presence of God, born in time out of love for each of us; Emmanuel - God with us, and there is no better reason to celebrate!

in celebrating the greatest gift of all, we can also be thankful for all our gifts and blessings over the last year. I know that they have been many for me and I am sure for you too. There have been many small and personal blessings daily, but I am particularly grateful for the wonderful pilgrimage experience in Turin in August, for the opportunity to celebrate the opening of the Bi-Centenary celebrations with the Masses of Thanksgiving in Southwark and Glasgow Cathedrals, and the very positive experience of the Bi-Centenary EXPO as it has begun to tour the Province.

Therefore I look forward with excitement and great confidence as we continue to celebrate the Bi-Centenary of Don Bosco's Birth, gathering as the Salesian Family for the study days in January, our Big Birthday Day Out in July, the Bi-Centenary Festival in August (both together and in local communities), and the opening of the new Salesian Community House in Battersea and the new school building for St John Bosco College. 2015 promises to be quite a year!

I wish each of you, your communities, families and friends every blessing this Christmas and throughout the coming Bi-Centenary year.

Fr Martin Coyle SDB

Provincial