TORONTO – We are all aware that this year is the year of Jubilee, big celebration in Italy which I plan to attend. “I think that mean we all have to think hard about how hope actually happens. Christian hope isn’t standing around wishing of something to happen. And it’s not unsubstantiated rumour that everything is going to be okay. Christian hope is a call to action, a mandate to work, as they say. 

With that in mind the D&P (Development and Peace) Caritas International Toronto headed by Yvonne Hogeveen on her second year as chairman of Toronto D& P held a pilgrimage October 18, 2025. Visiting different churches and place, a total of 16 kilometers walk or ride. It’s a pilgrimage turning “Debt into Hope”. And I decided to join the exercise.

Our pilgrimage starts at St. Paul Basilica, established 1822 Hope in tradition school reflection. We pray, reflect and meditate. From there we proceed to St. Micheal Cathedral, Infront of the church, we pray, meditate visiting different spot of the church. As we go on I was thinking of, what to hope for? To me, it becomes more meaningful and solemn. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I thought I won’t be able to finish the pilgrim and quit so I did state that I will stop. But later on decided to continue.

There are 165,000 signature of petition as of this writing and I was one of them. Not only that, but I encouraged my circle of friends to sign the petition.

Campaign has been going on for some times now. More than hundreds of organizations with members of thousands are participating with petitions, calling different country government officials attentions in ongoing debts of poor country. More than 50 poor countries because of debt, children are deprived of foods unable to go to school and no health care for families.

At the end of our pilgrimage, we heard mass, food reception and candle lighting. We indicate individually what we hope for and what we are doing to achieve on our campaign. I mentioned that I hope for better condition in the Philippines. With succession of earthquakes on different parts, with 9 succession of typhoon which followed by days of flood and death. Worst of all the exposure of corruptions in flood control, money that were borrowed. I feel a little bit of sense of relief, but as saying goes, we hope that we can do more.

Pics of the churches from the flyer of the pilgrimage