SOCIAL ACTION DIGEST - Vol. 6 - Peace and Unity (Pope John XXIII Christmas Message)

Sep 21, 2026

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SOCIAL ACTION DIGEST compiles an English translation of Pope John XXIII’s Christmas address, centered on Peace and Unity. The message calls for “the good will of each and every one” as indispensable for peace, and situates the appeal within Cold War tensions and hopes for Christian unity. It recounts Vatican radio broadcasts across Europe and delayed transmissions to the Americas, and reflects on prior papal Christmas messages through earlier jubilees and wartime emphasis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

SOCIAL ACTION DIGEST

The Ecumenical Council

“Glory to God in the Highest...”

“Peace on Earth ...”

January-February,1963 Nos.1-2 Vol.6 20d # SOCIAL ACTION DIGEST Pope John XXIII's Christmas Message PEACE AND UNITY Following is the complete English translation of the Christmas address by His Holiness Pope John onSaturday,December 22,1962.The Pope's message stressed the need for peace and expressed his hopes forChristian unity.(Radio,N.C.W.C.News Service,Subtitles added by S.A.DIGEST's editor.) In a world-girdling broadceast marking the birth of the Prince of Peace,Pope John repeated the peaceappeal he launched at the height of the Cuban crisis when Soviet merchantmen carrying nuclear weaponswere steaming toward a Cuba blockaded by U.S.warships,and remarked that his words had not been“wasted on the air.”The Pope said that “the good will of each and every one”is indispensable for peace,which he called"the most precious and important”of life's blessings. The Christmas message was broadeast by Vatican Radio by a direct hookup to nine European nations:Belgium,France,Holland,Italy,Luxembourg,Monaco,Portugal,Spain and Switzerland.Delayed broad-casts were beamed to Canada and the U.S.,as well as Austria and Germany.Radio Free Europe broad-cast the message to Iron Curtain countries in Bulgarian,Czech,Hungarian,Polish and Rumanian. The 1962 Christmas message of Pope John marked the traditional radio message's 30th anniversary.On Christmas Eve of 1932,Pope Pius XI broadeast the first Christmas message when he opened the HolyYear.He again addressed his good wishes to the world on December 24,1936,noting the dangers that thenthreatened the world.His successor,Pope Pius XII,turned the papal Christmas message into an annualevent.During the period of World War II and of persecution of the Church in many parts of the world,Pius XII's messages stressed the need for a Christian peace. Pope John maintained the tradition of his predecessors.In his messages,too,the .predominant themehas been peace,a peace based on charity and justice. ## The Ecumenical Council Venerable brothers and dear children,the ecu-menical council which,through the grace of OurLord,has made an auspicious beginning has leftits imprint on this year's celebration of Christ-mas. The period from October 11 to December 8 sawtwo monts of intense religious activity here inRome.It was as if a bright beacon was raisedover the Eternal City to invite all Christians fromthe farthest corners of the world to heed the callof the Son of God made Man,the Child of Beth-lehem,the Redeemer of all men and Teacher ofall nations. Certainly no solemnity in the Church is bettersuited to characterize the council than the birthof Christ which was announced in heavenly gloryand in the joy of brotherhood of all men—boththose who have been created and those still des-tined to become inhabitants of the earth. The Christian spirit perceives at once a happylikeness between the acclamation of the Fathersof the council and the angelic voices which ringout every year at Christmas time above the watch-ful shepherds and which are repeated on the holynight in praise of the divine encounter betweenheaven and earth.What emotion is there in thatheavenly message which announces "the great joywhich shall be to all the people”and in the voicesof the angels taking flight and praising God,saying:“Glory to God in the highest and peaceon earth among men of good will"(Luke 2, 14). Venerable brothers and dear children,allowUs to relish a little longer the joy of this Christ-mas,moved as We still are by the emotions of thecouncil.Let Us rest in loving meditation onthese words of the Christmas liturgy. Three related thoughts come to mind as thisfeast of Christmas draws near in the full lightof the great events of the council. 1)The glory of the Lord declared in the an-gelic song. 2)The coming and e njoyment of peace onearth in answer to the aspirations of men andnations. 3)The_apostolate and the triumph of theunity of Holy Church in the thought,prayer,and sacrifice of Christ for the sp

FAQs

What central theme does Pope John XXIII emphasize in the Christmas message?

The message stresses peace and the need for peace as a precious and important blessing in life, tied to charity and justice.

How is the message distributed and broadcast according to the text?

It states the address was broadcast by Vatican Radio directly to nine European nations and later beamed to Canada and the U.S., as well as Austria and Germany; Radio Free Europe carried it to Iron Curtain countries.

What does the ecumenical council contribute to this Christmas celebration, as described in the excerpt?

The text says the council, through divine grace, left its imprint on the year’s Christmas observance and connects the council’s acclamations with the angelic voices of Christmas.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Eliana