Here is a statement for the beginning of Lent from the leader of the Canadian episcopal conference.
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Lent is a time for transformation, inviting us to look at our own lives and to make changes that bring us closer to God. As we draw closer to God, acting for the good of others, especially the impoverished, becomes ever more natural to us. Thus the call to «repent and believe the Gospel,» is not only a personal one but a collective one as well. It is a call to the whole human family.
This year’s Share Lent campaign by the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is aligning itself with a global initiative of Caritas Internationalis under the theme of «One human family, food for all», launched by the Holy Father in December.
«One human family, food for all» is our response to the fact that one out of every eight of God’s children still suffer from hunger – a total of 1 billion people on our planet. To die of hunger in our world of plenty is a scandal and denies the most basic human right: the right to food.
With members of Caritas Internationalis such as Development and Peace working at the local and national levels around the world, we will truly be able to make a difference for hungry people throughout the world. Our goal is to share the abundance of God’s creation with our brothers and sisters around the world so that we can end the injustice of hunger and make a place at the table for the poor.
Faith in Jesus Christ and his compassion for the most marginalized people is at the heart of the mission of Development and Peace – a mission of international solidarity that relies on your generosity. With your help, Catholics in Canada support more than 100 partners in 20 countries of the Global South, through Development and Peace. Funds raised through Share Lent also help to educate Canadians on the root causes of poverty and injustice, and to mobilize them in action for change.
In the Share Lent campaign resource materials, you will discover people who benefit from the projects which our partners lead, and see the impact of your support for their daily struggle for food security. From the magazine to the prayer cards, we hope that these resources will assist you in raising awareness about food sovereignty, increasing support for the urgent and necessary work of Development and Peace around the world.
In the words of Pope Francis, let us «give a voice to all of those who suffer silently from hunger, so that this voice becomes a roar which can shake the world».
Thank you for joining us in this exciting global campaign to end hunger.
Sincerely in Our Lord,
+ Paul-André Durocher
Archbishop of Gatineau and
President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
