Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rosary - Qatar
IN THE WORLD, NOT OF THE WORLD: BISHOP PAUL HINDER COUNSELS THE FAITHFUL OF AVONA AMIDST COVID-19
Updated: Aug 14, 2020
From his desk in Abu Dhabi on August 6, 2020, the feast of The Transfiguration of the Lord, our apostolic administrator, Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap., penned an apostolic letter to comfort the faithful of the Vicariates of Northern and Southern Arabia (AVONA and AVOSA) during the current COVID-19 pandemic and to counsel them on how to lead true Christian lives amidst current and future crises.
In his pastoral letter entitled ‘In the World, Not of the World’, Bishop Hinder reflects on the unique tension that exists within each one of us as Christ's faithful by being both members of the flawed human race and subjects of the heavenly kingdom of God. Even though we are invited to eternal life and relationship with God, as men and women in the world, we are not exempt from the ills, pains and temptations that our unbelieving brethren suffer and face. As such, despite our higher calling, we are prone to seeking carnal comforts, and to conforming to the world by hiding and dimming the light which we have been made to be.
Amidst the certain threat of death from all sides in all its various forms as war, famine, pestilence and more, our apostolic administrator reminds us that losing our relationship with God is the truest form of death, and points us to Christ as our only true source of consolation, salvation and life. In spite of current restrictions to worship and celebrate because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to maintain and revivify our faith in God, we are called to read holy scripture, to pray and to act in love and charity, all the while looking to Christ with hope as the ‘pioneer and perfecter of our faith.'
In lieu of physical copies, the pastoral letter has been attached for the faithful’s further reading and reflection. Hard copies of the pastoral letter will be available soon.