A New Year Rooted in the Word, Open to Unity, Grateful for God's Gifts

Dear Rev. Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The month of January opens before us like a fresh page, inviting us to write upon it a story of faith, gratitude, and renewed commitment. As we begin the New Year 2026, the Church offers us rich moments of grace that shape our journey as believers and as a diocesan family.

New Year's Day: A Blessing for the Journey Ahead

The New Year begins under the loving gaze of God. As we exchange greetings and good wishes, the Church invites us to begin not merely with resolutions, but  with trust.We place the year ahead-its joys and uncertainties-into God's hands. The Lord who has walked with us thus far will not abandon us now. May this New Year deepen our confidence in God's providence and renew our desire to live responsibly, compassionately, and faithfully in our families, workplaces, and parishes. Let us experience the intercession of the Holy Mother of God, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Epiphany: Christ Revealed to All

The Feast of the Epiphany proclaims a powerful truth: Christ is light for all nations. The Magi, guided by a star, represent every seeker who longs for meaning and truth. Their journey reminds us that faith is a pilgrimage-sometimes demanding, always transformative. Epiphany challenges our Diocese to be a Church that reveals Christ clearly: through welcoming communities, credible witness, and a missionary openness that transcends boundaries of language, culture, and status. When we offer Christ sincerely, others will find their way.

On the Feast of the Epiphany, on 6 Jan '26, the Universal Church closes Jubilee Year 2025. Though the Jubilee celebrations conclude, the grace of the Jubilee must continue. We have walked together as Pilgrims of Hope, rediscovering reconciliation, mercy, and communion. Now the task before us is to translate this grace into daily life: sustained concern for the poor, arenewed lovefor Scripture, deeper participation in the sacraments, and a synodal spirit of listening and collaboration. A Jubilee ends; its fruits must endure.

Pongal: Gratitude Rooted in the Soil of Life

This month, we joyfully celebrate Pongal, the harvest feast, deeply woven into our cultural and spiritual life. Pongal teaches us gratitude-gratitude to God, to the earth, to farmers, and to all who labour silently so that others may live. It reminds us that creation is not a resource to exploit, but a gift to cherish. As we thank God for the harvest,may we also recommit ourselves to ecological responsibility, just economic practices, and solidarity with those whose labour often goes unnoticed.

Sunday of the Word of God (25 January): “The Word of Christ Dwells Among You”

The Sunday of the Word of God on the invitation of the Holy Father Pope Francis' Aperuit Illis - invites the entire Church to renew its love for Sacred Scripture. This year's theme, “The word of Christ dwells among you” (Col 3:16), reminds us that theWord is not distant or abstract. It dwells among us-in our liturgies, our homes, our decisions, and our struggles. I urge every family to make space for the Bible: to read it prayerfully, to listen to it attentively, and to allow it to shape conscience and conduct. A Church rooted in the Word will never lose its way.

The Unity Octave: Walking Together as One

January also draws us into the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In a fractured world, the call to unity is not optional; it is a Gospel mandate. Unity does not erase diversity; it purifies it through love. Let us pray sincerely for reconciliation among Christians, cultivate mutual respect, and work together wherever possible for justice, peace, and human dignity. Our unity will be the most credible witness to Christ before the world.

Dear brothers and sisters, January gathers many beginnings into one grace-filled month: a new year, a revealed Lord, a harvest thanked for, a Word received, and a unity prayed for. May the Word of Christ truly dwell among us, guide our steps, and shape our Diocese into a community of hope and service.

With prayerful blessings for a joyful and fruitful New Year,

With mercy and hope,

+Ambrose Pitchaimuthu
Bishop of Vellore