Fr. Gregory M. Goethals, SJ, ’73, President of Loyola High School, delivered a Christmas Eve blessing on the Ellen K Morning Show, which airs on KOST 103.5 FM here in Los Angeles.

Ellen Thoe, a Cub mother and a friend of the school, told Goethals, “We would love a blessing for our city. We need it now more than ever.” Gothelas agreed with Thoe and responded, “What a crazy world we live in.”

On the show, Goethals optimistically said, “Where there is God present, and we know God is present, there is always hope.” Goethals went on to say that this had been his mantra throughout 2020. 

Goethals then prayed, “Lord God, we pray for the city of Los Angeles. We pray for all those who are suffering, especially in this time of COVID and especially in this time of disorientation where the world seems upended in so many ways.” 

Goethals asked Cubs to remember the sick, those who have passed and their families in our prayers before explaining on the air the true meaning of Christmas, stating, “God’s unconditional love born as a human being to show us that the world is always renewable and renewing.” He then asked for prayers for the homeless and children affected by mass unemployment this Christmas.

He concluded his blessing with a request for the community to “come together as the body of God’s spirit in our world, give thanks for what we have and pray for hope and our future.”

In this message of hope, Goethals was optimistic that the pandemic will soon come to an end. He added,  “LA will come back stronger than ever.”

Alec Sanchez-Nigolian ’22 enjoyed the show and heard the blessing noting “It was impactful, inspiring, and truly what we needed during these trying times. I thought it was great how Father Goethals connected important issues of our time to the true meaning of Christmas.”