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