Part of the spirit of Christmas is thinking about the special people who bless this world… You are special and we celebrate you this Christmas!

The year 2020 will go down in the book of annals as a year not quite like other years. It will be remembered, not just because it was 2020, but for all, it brought itself with. It will be remembered as the year that Australia saw the worst bushfire in history. It will be remembered as the year that one of the best basketball players died in a plane crash; remember Kobe Bryant? It will be remembered as a year that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit the royal family to settle in Canada. It will be remembered as the year President Donald Trump faced impeachment. It will be remembered as the year the stock market crashed. It will be remembered for the ripple effect that the black lives matter protests following the brutal death of George Floyd had in the world. It will be remembered as the year Beirut had one of the worst explosions in the middle of a pandemic. It will be remembered as the year Kamala Harris was chosen as Democratic Vice presidential candidate.

It will be remembered as the year Chadwick Boseman died after battling cancer for years. It will be remembered as the year the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and was replaced by Amy Coney Barret. It will be remembered as the year Joe Biden won the US presidential elections and President Trump refused to concede defeat.

It will be remembered as the year Coronavirus (Covid-19)pandemic almost brought the whole world to a standstill, and this will be remembered for a long time as it continues to cause uncertainties and panic even with the vaccines that are supposed to be more effective in the history of vaccines. The list is endless… but for me, I want to remember this year as a year of blessings. I will remember it as the year the founder of the SMA, Bishop Melchior de Marion Brésillac was made venerable. I will remember it as the year Fr. P. Luigi Maccalli was set free by the Jihadists after two years in captivity. Above all, and this is the most important, I will remember it as the year that you are still important in my life and that is why you are reading this message. Despite all that the media has reported, whether true or false, whether we believe or not, God is still present and active in our lives. He does not impose Himself on us, He simply offers Himself and it is upon us to accept His invitation in our lives or not. This Christmas, He comes again in our midst. Let us not allow the Covid-19 pandemic to blind us from seeing the beauty of life in sharing our joy and pain with our brothers and sisters. Let us try and reach out. Make a call, drop a line or two, check on someone living alone, and trust me it will make a difference this Christmas. On behalf of the SMA International Media Center, I pray that 2021 maybe a year of blessing for you and your loved ones. That the current pandemic may come to an end and allow families and businesses to pick up once again. Merry Christmas and a blessed 2021.

                                                                                                                                                                       Dominic Wabwireh