PILGRIMAGE of HOPE

I wish you all a Merry Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, may the light of Christ shine brightly in our hearts and guide our every step and commitment to serve God's people.

The CMF East Asia Newsletter resumes this Christmas, the most hopeful time of the liturgical year. As we envisioned during the General Assembly, the purpose of this newsletter is to share both the joys and challenges of our missions across the different regions of our Delegation. I am confident that this newsletter will bring us glad tidings and encouraging stories to share with one another.

HOPE stands out as we look at our entire Delegation in one glance. Coincidentally, this aligns with the Church's reflection on the pilgrimage of hope during this season. As Jesus was born in the cold of night, He brings warmth and hope to all of us, like a lone lily blooming in the heart of a snowy winter, announcing hope to the world. He was born to give hope not only to Israel but to all of humanity. We, too, have much to be hopeful for. Most importantly, we have the largest number of students in their final years of formation—likely the largest since the inception of our Delegation. We are growing.

With the growth in the number of vocations comes the responsibility to evangelize the vast populations of the Chinese and Japanese worlds, which we are called to reach as witnesses and messengers of the Gospel. While the task is great, we are not burdened; rather, we are encouraged to strive constantly and mightily, motivated by the fire of God’s love in our hearts, as our Father Founder reminds us in his definition of a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The logo featured in this newsletter, as the official emblem of the East Asia Delegation, represents our dreams, designs and commitments. The blue cross-shaped letter is the Chinese character for Asia, while also symbolizing the cross of redemption. The pierced heart represents the Immaculate Heart of Mary, reminding us of our sonship to her. The mix of orange, yellow, and red symbolizes the flame of the Holy Spirit, as well as the fire of love of the sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These motifs are set against a dark background, reminding us of our duty to be the light of the world. The name of the Delegation is inscribed on the circular gold ring, which symbolizes synodality and connectedness.

Our logo, as a spiritual organization, is different from a corporate brand logo, which tends to be simpler and does not embody specific values. A black-and-white version of this logo is also in development, as we typically use black and white for our official documents and seals. We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Tom Lopez, who patiently listened to numerous suggestions and ultimately created this beautiful logo.

The most popular Christmas carol in the world is Silent Night. The silence referenced in the song speaks of the profound stillness of a mother nursing her newborn child. Silence, however, can take on many forms. There is the silence imposed by power, the unspoken silence of the cemetery where the dead rest, the eerie silence of fear and anxiety in the face of impending danger, and the peaceful silence of a baby sleeping in the comfort of a mother’s embrace. This last one is the silence of Christmas. There is also another exciting kind of silence at Christmas—the silence that invites us to listen. Listen to the chorus of angels:

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO ET IN TERRA PAX HOMINIBUS

Let us break our expectant silence now and join in chorus with the heavenly Gloria!

Once again, Merry Christmas and a blessed and fulfilling year in 2025.

Below see some interesting Christmas musicals. 
 (Click to open the link)

Journey To Bethlehem

Little Drummer Boy

Fr. Jijo Kandamkulathy, CMF
 Delegate Superior