10 December. Today's Wave of Hope reflection comes from Raymond Friel, CEO of the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN).
Today’s Wave of Hope Advent reflection comes from Raymond Friel, CEO of Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN).
Speaking from St Mary’s University, Twickenham after the recent conference marking the 60th anniversary of Gaudium et Spes, Raymond shared the hope that he finds in the teaching of the Church today, and especially in young people who can inspire us in the search for social justice.
Finally, Raymond shared the hope that he finds through his work with Caritas and the encounters he has with those on the margins:
“Hope is not some unwarranted optimism that everything is going to be okay, but the assurance, the conviction that nothing can separate us from the love of God. And that’s what gives us our energy and our inspiration for our mission.”
Wave of Hope offers 25 short multimedia reflections for the season – one a day – as our contributors share a moment in 2025 that has led them to a place of hope.
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Hi, everybody. It’s Raymond Friel here, the CEO of Caritas Social Action Network. I’m speaking to you from St. Mary’s University in Twickenham, where we’ve just had a wonderful conference to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Gaudium et Spes, the pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world, which begins with a famous phrase, “The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.”
With that in mind, the first thing that brings me hope is the teaching of the Church, rooted in the gospel, which puts the joys and hopes of the people at the centre of our attention. The second thing that brings me hope here at St. Mary’s is young people who are not the future; their name is today, and their energy in search for knowledge, connection and justice is our hope and our inspiration. Lastly, I would say what brings me hope is in my job with Caritas, the people I work with on the front line of suffering and where people are experiencing poverty and exploitation and injustice, and the hope they bring to damaged lives.
What we learn from those on the margins is powerful and brings us hope. That hope is not some unwarranted optimism that everything is going to be okay, but the assurance, the conviction that nothing can separate us from the love of God. And that’s what gives us our energy and our inspiration for our mission.
Bishop Richard Moth is the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton and Lead Bishop for Prisons for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
Dr Christine Allen is Director of CAFOD, the Church's official aid agency.
Dr Pia Matthews is a lecturer and theologian at Allen Hall Seminary, Mater Ecclesiae College and St. Mary’s University, Twickenham.
Bishop Nowakowski is Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London.
