This past Monday, Fr. Justin flew to Rome to attend the General Chapter meeting of the Passionist Congregation. Delegates from around the world,

Passionist Priests, Brothers, and Sisters will meet for 4 weeks at Sts. John and Paul Monastery. The Monastery is on the Caelian Hill and is the headquarters for our Congregation. The meeting will examine what Passionists need to do to make the Charism of St. Paul of the Cross more relevant to today’s world, how to attract new members to the Congregation, and, near the close, to elect a new Superior General to lead

for 6 years. For us, as Passionists, it is a very important meeting as it sets forth the direction of our lives. About six miles away in Rome, there is another important meeting going on at the same time. It is the October General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality. The first meeting was last October, 2023. This second session is set to bring 368 Bishops, Priests, Religious, and Laypeople to the Vatican from October 1 through 27. This meeting will begin by focusing on the sins of abuse, the sins of war, and the sin of indifference to the plight of migrants. “The aim is not to denounce the sin of others, but to acknowledge oneself as a member of those who, by omission or action, become the cause of suffering and responsible for the evil inflicted on the innocent and defenseless. (Vatican quote)” The meeting will begin with a 2-day retreat, a

penitential vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica, and will be broadcast by Vatican Media in hopes of reaching as many people as possible, especially the young, “because the message of the Church is entrusted to them. (Vatican quote)” For our part, we are called to pray, to ask the Holy Spirit to guide our Holy Father and all at the Synod on Synodality, how to call all Catholics to a new commitment to make Jesus Christ alive in our world today by our words and then actions. Also, we pray that the delegates at the  Passionist General Chapter may have the inspirations of St. Paul of the Cross to find new ways and in this, our time, the mystery of God’s great love for each of us, found in the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus our Savior. 

Fr. Richard Nalepa, C.P. Vicar