As this Bulletin appears, everything in today’s world tends to plunge humanity into the deepest pessimism; everywhere we hear only talk of war, violence and injustice. The many natural and humanitarian disasters conjure up images of a world on fire, a world adrift. It’s enough to make you feel powerless and overwhelmed. And yet, it is in this troubled and unsettling context that the Advent season begins, with the Word of God ringing out loud and clear: “Stand erect and lift up your heads, for your redemption is at hand” (Lk 21:28). It is against this backdrop that Pope Francis invites us, as a Church, to enter a Year of Grace with the Jubilee of Hope. How can we respond to this destructive era with wisdom, love and peace? How can we be pilgrims of hope? ….
