Dear collaborators, friends, and benefactors of the Frassati Society Philippines,

Grace and peace to you in this holy season of Christmas.

At the heart of our celebration today is a quiet but powerful truth: God chose to dwell among us not in grandeur, but in the simplicity of ordinary life. The Word did not come with spectacle or privilege. He was born in a home that knew poverty, uncertainty, and silence. In the mystery of the Incarnation, God sanctified daily life itself. This is the gift of Christmas.

Too often, we are tempted to see Christmas as a pause from reality, a brief escape from our responsibilities, struggles, and routines. Yet the Nativity tells us otherwise. Christ enters the very fabric of human life. He comes into our homes, our families, our friendships, our work, and even our unspoken worries. Holiness, then, is not found by fleeing the ordinary, but by allowing God to dwell within it.

Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati understood this deeply. He did not seek holiness in isolation or in extraordinary circumstances. His life unfolded in community immersions, family meals, mountain climbs, friendships, political debates, moments of laughter, and hidden acts of charity. He lived his faith with joy precisely because he recognized Christ present in everyday encounters. For Pier Giorgio, holiness was not heavy or distant; it was alive, joyful, and deeply human.

This is the same path to which Christmas calls us today.

In our homes, holiness begins when we choose patience over irritation, forgiveness over resentment, presence over distraction. In our studies and work, holiness grows when we labor with integrity and offer our efforts to God. In our friendships, it is found in loyalty, listening, and the courage to witness to truth. In our service to the poor and vulnerable, holiness takes flesh when love is given quietly, without recognition.

These small, often unseen acts are not insignificant. They are the very places where Christ continues to be born.

To you, our collaborators, we give thanks for your generous service and quiet sacrifices that sustain the mission of the Frassati Society Philippines. Your dedication, often offered behind the scenes, mirrors the hidden life of the Holy Family. To our friends, thank you for walking with us in fraternity and prayer, sharing in the joys and challenges of this mission. To our benefactors, your generosity makes possible countless encounters where Christ is brought closer to others. Through your support, faith is formed, hope is strengthened, and charity is lived.

As we celebrate Christmas, may we not look for Christ only in moments of solemn worship or grand gestures. Let us recognize Him at our tables, in our conversations, in our daily duties, and in the faces of those entrusted to us. Like Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, may we have the courage to live our faith joyfully, fully, and concretely—right where we are.

May the Child born in Bethlehem dwell richly in your homes and hearts. May He transform the ordinary moments of your lives into paths of holiness. And may this Christmas renew in all of us the conviction that Christ is truly among us—and that holiness begins where love is lived simply.

Karlos Cruz Garcia
Moderator