Christmas Message 2025: Bishop Durhône Raises Concerns About "Worrying" Violence in Society
"The violence in our Mauritian society remains concerning: violence within families, on our roads, on our beaches, and on social media. It challenges us all and compels us to ask what malaise is affecting our society and threatening social peace." This is the observation made by Bishop Jean Michaël Durhône of Port-Louis in his Christmas message for 2025.
The bishop reflected on the past year, presenting the celebration of the Nativity as a time of hope, while highlighting the persistent scourges that continue to destabilize civil society.
Bishop Durhône also discussed the challenges awaiting the country in the coming year, as well as the struggles that civil society must face in order to progress towards a fairer and more supportive society.
"The year 2026 will undoubtedly be a year of challenges to overcome: building an economy that accommodates the most disadvantaged; waging an unrelenting battle against drug trafficking and continuing to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction; continuing to reflect on an educational project aimed at the flourishing of every Mauritian child that leaves no one behind; and strengthening trust in our institutions."
Read here the full message from Bishop Jean Michaël Durhône:
"Christmas Message 2025
Dear brothers and sisters of Mauritius, Agaléga, and the Chagos,
I am pleased to address you on this Christmas celebration and wish you and your families a joyful Christmas.
As the calendar year comes to a close, so does the Jubilee year in the Church. I would like to give thanks to the Lord for the journey of hope we have been able to undertake together. I particularly give thanks for all the Jubilee celebrations experienced in our diocese, which mobilized many pilgrims. These significant moments were signs of the Church in motion, attentive to each person, especially the poor and marginalized of society.
Christmas is for Christians the celebration of hope for the world because He who comes is the Prince of Peace. With the prophet Isaiah, we can say: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." This light is Jesus Christ, and we Christians believe that He comes to awaken hope in hearts.
God, in Jesus Christ, chose to be born as a child in a society marked by violence. Under Roman occupation, people lived in fear and injustice. Yet, it is here that God brought forth a new hope.
This year was marked by the death of Pope Francis. A humble and deeply evangelical pastor, he left the Church and the world a valuable legacy, composed of calls for mercy, fraternity, attention to the poorest, and respect for creation. We give thanks for this luminous testimony that continues to inspire our faith journey.
The election of Pope Leo XIV is part of this continuity of hope. Through his ministry, the Holy Spirit reminds the Church of its vocation to proclaim the Gospel with confidence, to walk with the peoples, and to remain a sign of unity and peace for the world.
Even today, the world needs hope. Our island Mauritius needs hope. This year, a great breath of hope was given to us through the performances of our athletes, both at the global and regional levels.
However, while celebrating Christmas, we cannot forget all those who have been tested this year. I particularly think of families shaken by the suicide of a loved one, plunged into pain and mourning. I want to extend my deepest sympathies and the assurance of my fraternal prayers to all these families.
I also want to pay special attention to families who daily support children with disabilities. These children are a precious gift to our society; they truly belong among us. Through their fragility, they teach us patience, tenderness, solidarity, and unconditional love. To their parents and relatives, often tested but deeply courageous, I want to express the Church's esteem and recognition. May we, together, make the resolute choice to build a society that is ever more inclusive and respectful, where every child is recognized in their dignity and value.
Violence in our Mauritian society remains concerning: violence within families, on our roads, on our beaches, and on social media. It challenges us all and compels us to ask what malaise is affecting our society and threatening social peace.
This end of the year is also difficult for many Mauritians. The Mauritian has seen their purchasing power decrease, families are struggling to make ends meet, and they are worried about their future. These realities cannot leave us indifferent.
The year 2026 will undoubtedly be a year of challenges to overcome: building an economy that accommodates the most disadvantaged; waging an unrelenting battle against drug trafficking and continuing to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction; continuing to reflect on an educational project aimed at the flourishing of every Mauritian child that leaves no one behind; and strengthening trust in our institutions.
To meet these challenges, we must decide to continue walking together. It is by embracing the richness of our religious, ethnic, and cultural diversities that we can build a united, just, and fraternal Mauritius together.
Christmas is a hope because God incarnates in Jesus Christ and comes to share our daily lives. Let us welcome the hope that the child of the Crèche brings us.
Merry Christmas!
- Bishop Jean Michael Durhône
Bishop of Port-Louis"