Dear St. Paul’s,
It is that time of year with the most pleasant moments spent with loved ones by a burning log, on a snowy day, listening to carols, and the smell of pine from the tree that catches your attention. It’s Christmas.
In the past few years, Christmas had lost some of its magic; we were restricted from gathering with loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have, however, learnt that through all the dark days—perhaps relatively darker Christmases—the sun will rise again, and the seasons will change. These past few years have shown us that we are able to fight through the toughest of times.
During the blessed season of Advent and Christmas, we reflect and take example from the brave people of Ukraine who have fought with faith and love for one another and for their nation. Ukrainians continue to fight against all odds for the sake of freedom, independence, and a bright future.
We can take example from the brave women of Iran named as TIME’s “Heroes of the Year” who have chanted the powerful words “woman, life, freedom” for the sake of dignity and freedom for themselves and their compatriots.
Anywhere in the world—even the most hostile of regions—people continue to lead by courage, love, and, above all, hope. Hope, love, peace, and joy are at the core of what Christmas truly means, and, of course, at the core of the Christmas story.
As Her Majesty our Late Queen said in her final Christmas message, “with the birth of a child, there is a new dawn of endless potential.” Indeed, we can take example from Christ who became our role model to lead with love, and with faith. He showed us that with faith, anything is possible, and there is no limit to our potential. Christmas reminds us to rejoice, and to remember that all that is and all that we are is for the greater glory of God.
We are proud of our Christmas Issue this year, and we hope you enjoy reading it. Please also consider checking out thecrusadernews.ca where you can find the full Issue, as well as previous Issues.
I, on behalf of myself and The Crusader News, wish you a blessed Advent and a very Merry Christmas. May your new year dreams come true, and let us remember to leave a peppermint stick for old St. Nick.
Merry Christmas,
Ilia Mehr Bakhsh
Editor-in-Chief of The Crusader News.
The Crusader News 