“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us
new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” (1 Peter 1:3)
May the blessings, joy and hope of the risen Christ be with you!
Our Lenten observance and celebration of Easter call on each of us to contemplate how Jesus charged the apostles and through them, each of us, to spread his ministry of hope and service to each other. In our communities and beyond, using God’s blessings, as his disciples we embrace the example of Jesus to serve each other and carry his hope and love to the entire world.
During this Jubilee marking 175 years since the founding of the Claretian Congregation, as an order we are called to “revive the original spirit” of our formation. Like Jesus’ charge to the apostles, that original spirit now flourishes in the more than 3,000 Claretians living in service to the gospel on five continents and more than 65 countries. We bring Christ’s Easter message of hope and relief to the poorest of the poor who have been abandoned and left behind.
Here in the in the United States and Canada province, Claretians lead the effort to answer urgent needs through a multitude of ministries including; food pantries which feed thousands of marginalized families yearly, nourish the faith of youth in our schools and offer refuge and restoration to families impacted by forced migration. These few examples of our transformative ministries are life and hope changing for the communities in which we serve and wouldn’t transpire without the guidance of Jesus and the prayers and support of our faithful.
With God’s continued guidance, and the generosity of spirit you so selflessly offer in prayer and support, our important and necessary work will continue and grow this Easter season and beyond. Together, we make a difference in our world, especially to the hopeless and dispossessed.
In advance of your prayer and thoughtfulness, may Christ’s light, hope and abundance bless you during this Easter season and throughout the year.
Yours in the Hope and Peace of Christ,
Rev. Paul Keller, CMF
Provincial Superior
Claretian Missionaries – US and Canada Province