By Mayalène Lavigne-Martel, Campaigns Coordinator
For Share Lent 2025, we joined solidarity organizations around the world, from Caritas Internationalis to KAIROS Canada, in adopting the global Turn Debt into Hope campaign. Responding to the late Pope Francis’s call in this Jubilee year to “forgive the debts of countries that will never be able to repay them” (Spes non confundit, 16), we mobilized to raise awareness on economic and ecological debt.
Sharing Lent is also, and above all, Development and Peace — Caritas Canada’s annual fundraising campaign, with a special collection being held in parishes across Canada on Solidarity Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Lent. It is thanks to you and your support that our campaigns are so successful, which enables us to pursue our mission of bringing about lasting, positive change in the world. On behalf of our partners in the Global South, we thank you warmly for your support and generosity!
Share Lent 2025: some of the highlights
Training sessions: February 1 to March 19, 2025
Our animation team conducted dozens of training sessions, mobilizing hundreds of people across Canada to better equip them to lead the campaign in their communities.
Campaign launch: March 1, 2025
The campaign kicked off with the national launch webinar, for which 215 people signed up. Javier Jahncke, a human rights lawyer for our partner CEAS, spoke about the ecological debt owed to Peru. Dean Dettloff, our research and advocacy officer, spoke about the Jubilee and debt.
Ash Wednesday: March 5, 2025
Lent began with a newsletter sent to our 30,000+ subscribers. It contained a campaign video inviting Canadians to join the Turn Debt into Hope campaign and to undertake two concrete solidarity actions: signing the petition and giving generously.
A day of action to sign the petition: March 16, 2025
Exceptionally this year, we designated the second Sunday of Lent a day of action to sign the campaign petition. The goal was to collect as many signatures as possible on the petition calling for the cancellation of unjust debts in the Global South, so that it can be presented the G7 leaders at their summit in Kananaskis, Alta., this June. To date, more than 21,500 people have signed. Help us reach our longer-term goal of 60,000 signatures by January 6, 2026.
Solidarity visit to Alberta: March 27 to April 7
Our solidarity visitor, the Most Rev. Jorge Izaguirre, Bishop of Chosica in Peru and outgoing President of CEAS, could not come to Canada as planned because he was unable to obtain his visa in time. However, our interim executive director Luke Stocking stepped in to go on a solidarity tour of Edmonton, Yellowknife, Grande Prairie and Calgary. He even shared account of the adventure afterwards.
Solidarity Sunday: April 6, 2025
On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, a collection commissioned by the bishops was held in parishes across the country to support the mission of Development and Peace — Caritas Canada. To date, our various initiatives have raised over $2,5 million. This figure will grow in the months ahead, as dioceses keep tallying and sending in their parishioners’ donations.
Share Year-Round Matching Fund: until June 8, 2025
All through Lent and until Pentecost, June 8, 2025, people who become monthly donors or those who increase their monthly donation will have their annual contribution (or increase thereof) matched dollar for dollar! To date, this initiative has recruited 133 monthly donors, and 53 people have increased their monthly donation.
In addition to these pivotal moments, several Lenten activities took place across the country. These included a retreat for young leaders led by the co-chairs of the Saint Catharines diocesan council in Ontario; a Lent benefit concert in Dieppe, N.B.; and several Masses and Stations of the Cross celebrated online or in person, to name but a few.
Many individuals, families and schools followed our Solidarity Calendar on each day of Lent, and 275 people received weekly updates with our new Weekly Lenten newsletter sent out every Friday.
Stay with us; the campaign continues
Once again, we thank you for your support and participation in Share Lent. Don’t forget that the Turn Debt into Hope campaign is just beginning! We hope you will remain active with us by organizing a Relay of Hope in May. Later, we will need you to continue collecting signatures on the petition and to march to raise awareness on debt justice among people, creditors and world leaders. Stay tuned for more information on this in September for the fall action campaign.
Thank you for being Pilgrims of Hope with us, and a happy Jubilee year to all! In closing, here’s a snapshot of the various activities that took place this Lent:
