If Easter is the centre and high point of the Church’s year, then the forty days prior (Lenten season) and afterwards (Easter season) are of the greatest importance for us. That importance is now enhanced because we are in the midst of the 2025 Jubilee Year. Throughout the world Catholics are focusing on the theme of Pilgrims of Hope.

For the Bishops, priests, religious sisters, seminarians, and huge numbers of parishioners in the countries that your donations assist you are a sign of hope. The “most beautiful gift” the Catholic Church and its members can give the world is a reason to live with hope. 

“Hope does not disappoint”. This phrase comes from St Paul. ” Hope”, he says in the Letter to the Romans, “does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). 

To see the hope which does not disappoint that you are giving in so many ways to our sisters and brothers, I invite you to browse our Website.

In Lent we are asked to reflect on where we are on our faith journey as we follow our Master, Jesus Christ, to his death on the cross. Many of the Catholics that we assist are struggling in many serious ways to follow Christ with their crosses. But we know that the cross leads to new life at Easter. This gives us hope that the Master accompanies us all in our journey through this life and into eternity. 

May the Lord Jesus, whom we serve by caring for his brothers and sisters, accompany you in these weeks of Lent and Easter. May He strengthen us all as Pilgrims of Hope in this Holy Year.