ARCHBISHOP PAUL RICHARD GALLAGHER LED THE HOLY MASS IN THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
On his visit to Baku, the secretary of the Holy See for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher led the Holy Mass of the Third Advent Sunday in the main Catholic church of Baku – the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Monsignor Gallagher was concelebrated by the Apostolic Prefect of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, Bishop Vladimir Fekete, the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See in Azerbaijan, Archbishop Marek Solchinsky and the church’s clergy.
Archbishop Gallagher addressed the parishioners with a sermon.
“Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On this Third Sunday of Advent, the Church resounds with the joyous call to «Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. The Lord is near» (Phil 4:4-5). The Apostle Paul exhorts us to set aside anxiety, entrusting every care and petition to God through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving (cf. Phil 4:6). This trust in the providential care of God instils in us a profound peace, one that is not rooted in the transient, apparent securities of this world, but rather in the unwavering certainty that God lovingly directs the course of our lives. Even amidst challenges and trials, this assurance inspires courage and hope, for the One who tenderly holds us in His care never abandons His people…
…«Rejoice in the Lord always» (Phil 4:4). In these words lies the essence of an authentic Christmas. To the People of Azerbaijan, I offer my fervent prayers and heartfelt wishes for peace, prosperity, and continued progress. May the Lord bestow His abundant blessings upon all of you. Amen.”
