Pfingstgruß der AIC-Präsidentin
MESSAGE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT TO AIC VOLUNTEERS
Dear AIC Volunteers,
May the Grace of the Holy Spirit be with all of us as Pentecost approaches!
As we face this global crisis that is affecting all of humanity, I turn to you.
Yes, we are powerless, but as Vincentian and Christians, we believe in Providence, which is always present, and which gives us faith and courage to move forward.
Faith that animates us in spite of the suffering we are undergoing.
Thousands of people have lost their lives, friends, family members and acquaintances. We may find ourselves a little shaken by these trials that are hard to bear, but we have FAITH!
I see all the charitable actions that AIC volunteers are undertaking all over the world, including in the countries most affected by the crisis, and it really comforts me because it is Saint Vincent who inspires us and pushes us towards this outpouring of creativity. Jesus teaches us that suffering will be easier to bear if we are with HIM!
Thank you, dear volunteers, for all these actions to support the most vulnerable people, I encourage you to continue them.
We also have to reflect on the future, as although it is still so uncertain and precarious, we know that it will be the most vulnerable who will need our support, help and companionship in the face of this uncertainty and the unknown!
I would also like to ask you to pray together for all those who are working day and night to fight against this invisible enemy:
Healthcare workers: all the doctors, nurses and hospital employees who for many months now have left their families at home and devoted themselves to the sick and the elderly, and to the end-of-life care of those who succumb to this illness;
The researchers who are constantly searching for a cure or solution for the virus;
The authorities and governments who are looking for ways and solutions to lead the population through this crisis;
Consecrated and lay people.
May this global solidarity continue and lead us towards a world of lasting peace.
The Pope exhorts us to pray and to turn to Our Lady in the rosaries that unite us throughout the world.
I too would like to ask all the volunteers to spend an hour in common prayer with your respective groups, according to your possibilities.
To conclude, I would like to ask you to think now about the future, after the pandemic:
- How are we going to support our disadvantaged brothers and sisters?
- First of all, through our prayers: may the Lord inspire us to be creative.
- May the Holy Spirit enflame us and make us more and more confident in the future that we do not know!
I wish you a holy feast of Pentecost with your families!
Rose de Lima Ramanankavana
AIC International President