This week we marked the feast of the Annunciation, celebrating the "yes" that a young Mary gave and that changed history forever. There are many kinds of "yes", reflects Archbishop Peter A Comensoli. There is the hesitant yes and the kind of yes that ends up being a “no”. 'Mary's yes was that of a life prepared to say yes,' he says. 'There is clearly a sense of openness to the unexpected, and a trustfulness arising from a life lived in grace.'

We too are being asked to ponder what our "yes" will look like – individually, in our parishes and in the world. This week's stories illustrate how local parishes and mission agencies have been, and continue to be, places of healing, trust and renewal.