AN Orange church leader has said despite the commercialism of Christmas it helps to draw people back to their faith.
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St Mary’s and St Joseph’s priest Father Paul Devitt said Christmas is about love and God is love.
“To me Santa Claus still points to the cross ... in one sense the commercial thing doesn’t worry me,” he said.
“When all the shopping is done and the shops are closed they often realise it’s about Christ.
“In all the commercialism the love comes through it.”
However, Anglican Archdeacon Frank Hetherington said he is concerned about the “self focus” at this time of year.
“Christmas has become, especially for little kids, all about me,” he said.
“We’ve got caught up in the Santa Claus that says it’s all about me.”
Father Devitt said most people have experienced love, whether it is your partner, your children or your family pet and said God is the reality of love.
“I understand God as love and the reality of love,” he said.
Father Devitt said spirituality is evolving and often people migrate back to the church around this time of year.
“Sometimes it’s just a moment in your life when we reconnect with that spiritual side which we all have,” he said.
Archdeacon Hetherington said Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration but has concerns many people have become to self focused during the festive period.
Archdeacon Hetherington said the underlying meaning of Christmas is about giving.
“Christmas is about revealing God’s nature to humanity and part of that nature is the nature of giving,” he said.
“That’s the message the church has to keep proclaiming.”
nadine.morton@
fairfaxmedia.com.au