Ángel Fernández Artime – “Moved by hope: “See, I am making all things new” (Rev 21:5)” in “Acts of the General Council of the Salesian Society”

The poignant image of Pope Francis standing alone in an empty St. Peter’s Square on a rainy March 27, 2020, amidst the global pandemic, resonates universally. This solitary yet symbolic act underscored the unity of humanity in facing adversity. It serves as a reminder that even amidst the most difficult times, God can bring about good. Pope Francis called upon people of all races, cultures, nations, and religions to reflect on their faith and compassionately consider the challenges posed by the pandemic. This profound experience of the past eleven months cannot be dismissed or forgotten; it demands our acknowledgment and response.

Contents:

• Introduction
• 1. A global situation that challenges us and one that we cannot ignore
• 2. What do we mean to say when we speak of hope?
• 3. What interpretation can we offer as believers?
  • Time of trial as a time of choosing
• 4. A look our origins and the many witness of faith in our family
  • So many other testimonies of hope
• 5. A salesian interpretation of the present moment
  • We are not saved by our own strengths alone. No one is saved alone
  • More than ever: presence is witness!
• 6. A salesian family that witness to hope
  • 6.1. Let us rediscover that “faith and hope go forward together”
  • 6.2. Let us learn that prayer is the school of hope
  • 6.3. Let us grow by living with a sense of the fatigue of daily life
  • 6.4. Let us live hope especially in times of difficulty and loss
  • 6.5. Hope as a decisive return to the poor and excluded
  • 6.6. Recognising ourselves in the other’s pain
  • 6.7. Converting to hope is believing in the plan of the Gospel
  • 6.8. A concrete commitment to take up as the Salesian family
  • 6.9. A truth to be explored as the fruit of this Strenna
• 7. Mary of Nazareth, mother of God, star of hope

Reference time period: 2021

Reference institution:
Direzione Generale SDB