A Letter from Provincial Superior Fr. Jim O'Shea, C.P.

All Saints 2024
Dear Brothers, Associates, and Colleagues,

“There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

Photo credit: Fr. Cristian Martinez-Montalvo, CP

Ponder those words from a ‘comedian’ this past week. If they were spoken at a nightclub, many would brush it off as just a stupid joke. But this ‘joke’ was told at a rally with one of the candidates for the presidency of the United States. And the majority of the crowd laughed and encouraged more of the same vitriol.

My first thoughts, upon hearing of the incident, went to the people of Puerto Rico and especially our Passionists. Our province is home not only to the Island, but also to the majority of Puerto Ricans who live beyond its’ borders—from Florida to New England. I trust that the entire province stands in solidarity with them and against this form of strategic hate speech. I am sure our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters will process this as they have done with so much else that the island has had to endure.

My other thoughts moved to the deeply immoral language exploding during this election season regarding migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Across parties, these most vulnerable human beings are being vilified, dehumanized and made the fuel for political victory. Anecdotal and limited examples of ‘bad behavior’ are used to judge the whole—something we have done so often in our past to minorities and newcomers. Sometimes, sadly, it appears to be a winning strategy.

Our province, together with the provinces of Holy Cross and Cristo Rey, has been committed to the support and engagement of those who are escaping grinding poverty, political repression, and every kind of violence. We have all been encouraged to listen to the stories and experiences of these ‘least of our brothers and sisters’ and to allow them to teach us the truth of what is happening in the places that lie beyond the security and privilege of our lives. It is indeed a challenge to listen to them and to be transformed by their narratives of pain.

As we, in the United States, are voting in local and national elections and making our individual decisions in the sacredness of our conscience, I would ask that we deeply reflect on the words and images that are driving so much fear and potential cruel retribution, and ask ourselves if this is the world we want to create—now and beyond the elections. At best, fear offers short-term solutions. The global community is convulsing as many nations that have suffered for too long have reached their breaking points and people are fleeing for their lives and families. Walls, rhetoric, and more guns will not stop the need of the human family to survive. Intelligent, collaborative and long-term solutions are needed if we are to truly confront the truth of this critical international moment.

Brothers and Sisters, as people of faith, we are not primarily building a nation but we are building the Kingdom of God. May our civic involvement reflect that responsibility, and may the Saints who have courageously lived their lives at the service of that Kingdom, intercede for us and our suffering world.

In JXP,

​Father Jim O’Shea, CP
Provincial
The Passionists
Province of St. Paul of the Cross