Dear Friend,
As we enter into autumn, we become fully aware of the shortening of our days and the darkness that is enveloping us more. 
With the liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas, we become prayerfully mindful of the light we need in our lives… the light of our faith to pierce the darkness of our societies. The German Jesuit, Alfred Delp, who was imprisoned and eventually gave his life in striving to banish the darkness that had overtaken his country and throughout the world during World War II, wrote extensively of the light of Advent and Christmas that he yearned for. “Never have I entered in Advent so vitally and intensely alert as I am now. When I pace my cell, up and down, three paces one way and three the other, my hands manacled, an unknown fate in front of me, then the tidings of our Lord’s coming to redeem the world and deliver it have a different and much more vivid meaning.”
Our work at the Jesuit Forum seeks to pray for and give witness to the tidings of the Lord’s coming into our world today. This year, we engaged in a forum series on political discernment in light of elections across Canada, including the federal election this past spring. 
We collaborated with several social justice organizations to communally reflect upon the need for more deeply discerning dispositions and openness to conversation in the midst of growing social and political polarization. By actively listening to the wisdom of our invited forum speakers and each other in sharing circles, we sought to create safe and brave spaces through which we could honestly reflect upon the political and social issues of our time in a reflective and contemplative manner.
We have continued our work towards the light of truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples by working with settlers in their experience with our Listening to Indigenous Voices (LTIV) resources. This past 
year we organized a LTIV Network to bring people together to reflect upon their experiences and to further reflect and grow on this continuing path in the spirit of the truth and reconciliation’s calls to action. We also brought together 15 environmental NGO (ENGO) leaders and Anishinaabe knowledge keepers from various First Nations to seek a more collaborative approach to truth and reconciliation... one that takes into account a greater communal sense of our need for stewardship of the lands we all call home.
In 2025, we saw the creation of our online reading forums. Through invited guest 
presentations on just a few of the socially important books for our time, we sought to bring faith-based reflection upon socially important issues to the public square. We plan to expand upon these types of forum reflections through a podcast series in 2026 called Open Conversations.
We have a lot to celebrate, thanks in large part to your kindness and support. However, we still need your help - as we continue with our programming and introduce more creativity and energy into our work … as we help bring the light of our faith, rooted in the Ignatian charism, into the darkness and polarization of our societies. Your financial support for the work of the Jesuit Forum is greatly needed. Your continued generosity would help us provide resources for personal reflection and contemplation on the pressing social issues of our times, create forums for meaningful communal dialogue, and help us build discerning communities of justice and right relations with Indigenous people.
What we accomplished in 2025 would not have been possible without you. How we hope to grow in the succeeding years will be impossible without your support. We are truly grateful for your kindness and generosity. Fr. Alfred Delp, sj called us to light our candles wherever we can, those who have them, as a symbol of what Advent must be, if we want to live... in right relationships. Your support would be one important way to help give light to our work as a Jesuit Forum. Just like Fr. Delp brought light and inspiration in a dark and bleak period of history, the Jesuit Forum will continue to play its part in building a future predicated on light and hope.
Advent and Christmas Blessings to you and yours,
Trevor Scott, SJ
Executive Director
Fr. Trevor E. Scott, SJ
Executive Director
Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice
You can donate:
Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice, 70 St Mary Street, Toronto, ON Â M5S 1J3