On New Year’s Day, Pope Francis urged that 2021 be “a year of peace, a year of hope.” The newsletter editorial suggests it is up to us to make that happen. Here in Britain, Columban mission in 2021 is involved in promoting Pax Christi’s Peace Sunday materialsm and calling for Tax Justice; plus planning the July conference of the National Justice and Peace Network. Readers are reminded that the Columbans can take entries up to 20 February for the annual Schools competition for 14-18-year-olds on ‘Let’s Create a World without Racism’.
Pope Francis’ call to Care for Creation will continue to be echoed in the way we promote environmentally friendly projects and policies and raise awareness of green issues, all leading up to COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021. This could be a momentous year, where we have already seen the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 22 January. We must lobby the UK government to sign up to it!
In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis’ third encyclical, he shared how people, political systems, and institutions can help build a more just and caring world in the wake of the pandemic. We cannot be indifferent and we must commit to deep and meaningful change. The newsletter’s centrespread provides a process for studying the encyclical.
It is up to us to take action for the common good and promote healing. Columban Education Worker, James Trewby, writes about this being a time to sow seeds as young people watch and learn how we cultivate resilience, pray, and work for justice, peace and ecology.
From the Philippines Columban Fr. Shay Cullen, who runs projects on rescuing street children and promoting livelihoods through Fair Trade, wrote in his New Year message, which could be a reflection for Lent:
