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Sydney's Catholic Archbishop used the Latin term to lament marriage equality and right-to-die laws in his nation.
The annual Christmas message of Anthony Fisher, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney (pictured, left), highlighted the changes rocking Australian society and his church, saying many would write off 2017 as "annus horribilis."
Fisher appeared to place marriage equality -- legalized this year after years of heated debate in Australia -- in the same category as sex crimes among church officials.
"For people of faith you might say it's been an annus horribilis, as our Christian conceptions of life and love have been challenged in the marriage and euthanasia debates; freedom of religion in Australia put in doubt; and shameful crimes and cover-ups in our Church uncovered by the royal commission," said Fisher, according to The Guardian.
"But the Christmas story insists there is a star in the dark sky, light amidst the fears and failures. Christmas speaks of new hope."
The Archbishop of Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, also lamented the changes that the Catholic Church was struggling to keep up with.
"We live in a world and a church that is rapidly changing," he said in a video. "Every morning we seem to wake up to more bad global news of hurricanes, floods, drought, fires and even the frightening possibility of the use of nuclear weapons. The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, but within our reach, is joy."
