Institutional life

With Christmas upon us, we are reconciled with life and the knowledge that God still believes – and always will believe – in humanity. My best wishes go out to all of you who worked with us, who believed in our mission, who supported us throughout the year, and who prayed for us. To our members, our partners, our friends and allies, to our pastors, our donors, to our staff, their families and their loved ones but most of all, to the poor and marginalized for whom we exist,: Joy and Peace.

The way St. Francis of Assisi broke with his previous life was quite dramatic. He stripped off all his clothes and returned them to his father. It was a clear statement. He publicly rejected both the privileges and the responsibilities that came with his birth as the son of a wealthy merchant. This scene unfolded before the bishop of Assisi, and he immediately covered Francis with his mantle. This was to show that Francis was now under his protection and authority.

This is what we are witnessing today through the gesture of Joachim Ostermann, who recently professed his solemn vows to enter the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), whose members are commonly known as the Franciscans.

During an informal audience at the Vatican on Thursday May 16, Pope Francis received executives from the Caritas Internationalis network. He reminded those gathered that “a Church without charity does not exist,” and underlined the “dual dimension” of the initiative that is Caritas Internationalis, that is, the dimension of social action joined with the spiritual dimension of “giving oneself, going outside oneself and being at the continuous service of people living in extreme situations.

Development and Peace would like to congratulate Most Reverend Daniel Joseph Miehm on his ordination and installation as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton.

On the day of May 7th 2013, Development and Peace members from the Diocese, as well as myself were honored to be part of this joyous occasion.

The Catholic Church is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), a papal encyclical issued by Pope John XXIII on April 11^th, 1963. This encyclical had a momentous impact on the Catholic Church’s view of the world. It is a living document that directly inspired the work of Development and Peace, which was founded four years after its promulgation.

Development and Peace would like to congratulate Most Reverend Stephen Jensen on his ordination and installation as the new Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince George.

At the invitation of Cardinal Robert Sarah, President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, I attended the XXIX Plenary Assembly of Cor Unum in Rome, January 17-19, 2013. This was one of my first official duties as the new President, and proved to be very timely for me in terms of being very formative and spiritually nourishing. I was supported at the assembly by the guidance and expertise of Mr. Gilio Brunelli, Director, International Programs department. Copies of the agenda and many of the presentations made during the assembly are available.

The Legal Affairs Commission of Caritas Internationalis met on March 4 and 5, 2013 at the offices of Development and Peace. The Commission meets twice a year to carry out its work, once in Rome and once at the offices of a member of the Caritas Internationalis Confederation. The vice president of Caritas Internationalis, Erny Gillen, also attended the meeting. He visited our offices and met with staff members to discuss the Confederation’s work.

Development and Peace welcomes with joy the news of the election of the first Pope from Latin America to the throne of Saint-Peter. The simplicity with which Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has lived his life and the choice of his title in honour of the humble Saint-Francis of Assisi, provide us with inspiration.

In continuity with the actions of Pope Benedict XVI, we are confident that Pope Francis will continue to place the poor at the heart of the Church’s actions.