By Guillermo A. Ahumada
Bishop Chief of Chaplains Counselors
We begin a new year, a clean calendar promising uncharted days and dreams to pursue. Yet, we cannot ignore that, like a persistent shadow, the past always finds its way into the present. This start to 2025 offers a painful reminder, old conflicts remain alive, dragging along solitude, death, and tears.
The recent events in New Orleans, where a former member of the U.S. armed forces allegedly perpetrated acts of violence, echo a wounded society. Preliminary investigations suggest that this act may have been inspired by extremist ideologies associated with the Islamic State, adding an even more alarming layer to this tragedy. This is not merely an isolated act but a reflection of deep-seated wounds we have yet to heal: the neglect of our veterans, the burden of untreated trauma, and the ease with which narratives of hate and violence find fertile ground in a society lacking empathy and opportunity.
What does this say about our humanity? That we have not yet learned. That the transition from one year to the next is merely an empty symbol if we do not face our darkest realities with courage and determination. Calendars change, but the systems that perpetuate inequality, pain, and despair remain intact.
And yet, despite this grim reality, we must hold onto hope. Humanity has shown time and again that, albeit slowly, it can change. Believing in the future does not mean ignoring the present but committing to it. It means acknowledging our collective failures and working to build a world where solitude is not the norm, where tears are not the answer, and where death is not an accepted solution.
This new year finds us at the same crossroads as before: the opportunity to be better or to continue dragging the same chains. Let the events in New Orleans not be just another tragedy we forget with the passage of time but an urgent call to transform our communities, to care for those who have served, to listen before judging, and to build instead of destroy.
Let this painful beginning not be the prelude to a lost year but the spark to question our structures, combat the narratives of hate, and reclaim the humanity that still beats within us. Believing in the future demands action. It serves as a reminder that change does not come with the mere passing of time but through the strength of a humanity that dares to dream and to work for a different world.