Kenneth's simple but powerful act of hope

Kenneth Sadler is a dedicated and valued SCIAF volunteer who has supported us as a Parish Contact for over 15 years. Read his piece below reflecting on one small but truly symbolic act of hope for SCIAF and his community.

In February, St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, hosted Mark Booker for a presentation on SCIAF’s work during this Jubilee Year of Hope. Mark brought one of the colourful ‘A Better World is Possible’ banners to Aberdeen for display during Lent and beyond. And on 8 March, the Saturday after Ash Wednesday, Cowan, the ever-dependable Cathedral secretary, helped me secure the banner to the railings on Huntly Street so that the people of the Granite City should see its message. The banner remained on display without issue for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter itself.

Then, as we journeyed through Eastertide towards Pentecost, I noticed one day that the banner had been defaced. I would not let this vandalism stand.

I took a day off work to clean the banner and tidy up the Cathedral grounds. Armed with suitable gloves and a large supply of surface wipes I set to the cleaning task first. A man who walked past assured me that I was wasting my time as the banner would simply be defiled again after I cleaned it. However, this did not put me off and, in time, I was able to return the banner to its original state. The evocative message of hope and invitation shone out once more.

While engaged in the cleaning, methodically and without ostentation or fuss, I knew that – contrary to what any passing Aberdonian cynic might suggest – what I was doing was no pointless or unimportant thing. Rather, it was an action that affirmed our belief in the Kingdom of God, which upheld the dignity of the sisters and brothers that SCIAF works with across the earth, and recognised the generosity and compassion of the Catholics of Scotland who make the work of SCIAF possible. The humble task of cleaning the banner had become both a form of prayer and an assertion that the light will overcome the darkness.

Now at the end of July, long after the end of Eastertide, our clean banner remains on the Huntly Street railings, cheerfully proclaiming its message of hope.