 Fr. Rick Frechette, CP, celebrates Mass in Haiti For decades, the Passionists have accompanied the people of Haiti through ministry, healthcare, education and pastoral care. We have witnessed both the extraordinary resilience of the Haitian people and the immense suffering caused by violence, poverty and instability. Today, our Haitian brothers and sisters need our voices. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti is expected to expire this week, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of losing the legal protection that has allowed them to live and work safely in the United States. Without congressional action, many could face deportation to conditions that remain dangerous and life-threatening. As Passionists, we are called to keep alive the memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ by standing with those who suffer today. That means recognizing the dignity of every person and responding with compassion to those whose lives are marked by uncertainty, fear and displacement. Our connection to Haiti is deeply personal. Passionists have served there for generations, accompanying communities through natural disasters, political unrest and ongoing hardship. Among those who have dedicated their lives to this mission is Fr. Rick Frechette, CP, whose decades of ministry in Haiti with St. Luke Foundation for Haiti have become a powerful witness to Christ's compassionate love. Through his medical, pastoral and humanitarian work, Fr. Rick has cared for countless children and families while reminding the world that the people of Haiti are not forgotten. Today, we invite you to join us in advocating for a just and compassionate solution. Senate Bill S. 4814 would extend Haiti's Temporary Protected Status through 2029, allowing families to remain safe while conditions in Haiti continue to improve. Every message matters. Call your Senators' OfficesYou can also consider calling your senators' offices. Here is a script you can follow in giving her or his office this important message: Emergency Action Alert: Haiti TPS Is Ending This Week! Call the 18 Democratic Senators Who Have Not Co-Sponsored S. 4814! Dear Friends: As you know, Haiti TPS is likely to expire this week, with catastrophic results. Haitian TPS holders need us to step up and apply pressure for a solution, starting with convincing Senators to co-sponsor Senate Bill 4814, which would extend Haiti TPS for three years. The bill has 28 co-sponsors, which is a good start, but we need at least 60. The lowest hanging fruit is the 18 Democratic Senators who have not signed on yet. This should be an easy ask—all House Democrats signed the Discharge Petition, and as we did in the spring, we mostly need to generate calls and engage to make Haitian TPS stand out during a busy time. These Democrat Senators have not co-sponsored S. 4814 (in alphabetical order): Tammy Baldwin, MARIA CANTWELL, John Fetterman, Ruben Gallego, Maggie Hassan, MARTIN HEINRICH, Tim Kaine, Mark Kelly, AMY KLOBUCHAR, CHRIS MURPHY, JON OSSOFF, Gary Peters, JACKY ROSEN, Jeanne Shaheen, ADAM SCHIFF, Elissa Slotkin, Mark Warner, and RON WYDEN.
You are also most welcome to make calls to your Republican Senators!! We will have an alert soon focusing on them, but calling now will help too. Action 1: MAKE CALLS! Dial the Capitol Hill switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and ask to be connected to your Senator. When you are connected, say, “Hello, my name is ______, I live in [city/zip code]. I am calling to urge Senator ______ to co-sponsor Senate Bill 4814 to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. This is an emergency, as 360,000 Haitians are facing imminent loss of work authorizations and deportation proceedings and forced return to horrifying, deadly conditions in Haiti.” If appropriate, remind your Senator that your other Senator and/or Attorney General has already stepped up, and thank them for their consideration. Then call back and do the same thing for your other Senator, if you live in Arizona, New Hampshire, Michigan or Virginia (the 4 states with 2 Democrat holdouts). Call back every day until your Senators cosponsor! If your Senator explains they prefer the SECURE Act, see the note below. Action 2: Ask for a meeting with the Senator or their staff with your local community, faith, solidarity, labor or any other kind of group! Even if you do not obtain a meeting, the request will demonstrate that constituents care about Haitians with TPS. And busy offices may even co-sponsor to avoid a meeting. If you do obtain a meeting, we would be happy to provide talking points and advice and try to connect you with other advocates in your state. Contact us for more information or materials, at [email protected]. SECURE Act Note: The SECURE Act would provide protection to Haiti TPS holders and many others if passed. But there is not a serious effort to pass it this year: the bill was filed 13 months ago and has only 35 co-sponsors, none of them joining in the past 5 months, none of them Republicans. The SECURE Act has been in committee for over a year and there is no companion bill in the House. By contrast, the Haiti TPS extension bill passed the House with bi-partisan support and is not in committee so all it needs is a vote. The SECURE Act’s sponsor, Senator Van Hollen, was an original co-sponsor of S. 4814, and spoke in favor of its passage on the Senate floor on July 21. There is no reason other Senators who support the SECURE Act cannot co-sponsor S. 4814. Please also keep the people of Haiti in your prayers, along with all who are forced to flee violence and instability in search of safety.
May we continue to be faithful witnesses to Christ Crucified by standing with those who carry heavy crosses and by working together for justice, compassion and hope
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Red de Solidaridad Pasionista reflexiona sobre la Magnifica Humanitas y el Carisma Pasionista6/24/2026 A propósito de la Carta Enciclica de Papa León XIV titulado “Magnifica Humanitas”, un discurso sobre la humanidad y la inteligencia artificiál, nosotros en la Red de la Solidaridad Pasionista queremos escribir una reflexión sobre las ideas principales. Asimismo, intentaré crear una comparación entre estas ideas y la carisma de la Congregación de Pasionistas. Reconocer y acompañar el sufrimiento humano
El papa afirma que la misión central de el iglesia és de estar cerca las heridas de la humanidad. En especiál, como en el evangelio, el buen samaritano ayuda al hombre herido con sus proprios recursos. Es decir, nosotros debemos responder a la deshumanización de esta era digitál. A nos entender, esta idea refleja la carisma pasionista - el compromiso de permanecer en solidaridad con los crucificados de hoy, reconocer la continuación de la pasion de Cristo en los pobres, las enfermas, y todos aquellos que sufren injusticias sistémicas. Rechazo de la autosuficiencia y aislamiento tecnocraticó
Aunque, el papa advierte contra la tentación de la autosufiencia que puede reducir el misterio humano a datos de rendimiento. Desde luego, la carisma pasionista nos centra en la “kenosis”, o en otras palabras, en el vaciamiento de sí mismo de Jesus en la cruz. Por lo tanto, meditiando en la cruz, nosotros abrazamos la vulnerabilidad humana como un luego donde podríamos encontrar la gracia de Dios. La unidad y la comunión que flyen de la vida divina
En resumen, el Papa León presente un camino nuevo, costruir una casa comuna arrigada en la comunión, la coexistencia fraternal, y la synodalidad. Por el iglesia y por el mundo, este debe ser el amor relacional. Concretamente, por los pasionistas, el voto central es para mantener viva la memoria de la pasión de Jesús Cristo, que se llama por San Pablo de la Cruz, “la señal más abrumadora del amor de Dios”. Por todos los miembros de la familia pasionista, este no es un ejercicio triste, pero es una actividad que crea la comunidad y la comunión.
Es este amor divino profundamente experimentado el que alimenta nuestra vida communal y nos impulsa a construir activamente un mundo de paz, justicia y responsabilidad compartida. In his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV reflects on what it means to be human in a world shaped by artificial intelligence and new technologies. As members of the Passionist Solidarity Network, we see many connections between his message and the Passionist charism Recognizing and Accompanying Human Suffering
Pope Leo XIV affirms that the Church’s central mission is to remain close to the wounds of humanity. Like the Good Samaritan in the Gospel, we are called to respond to suffering with compassion and personal commitment, especially amid the dehumanizing realities of the digital age. This vision resonates deeply with the Passionist charism, which calls us to stand in solidarity with those who are crucified today. We recognize the continuation of Christ’s passion in the poor, the sick, the marginalized, and all who suffer from systemic injustice. Accompanying those who suffer remains at the heart of our mission. Rejection of Self-Sufficiency and Technocratic Isolation
The Pope warns against the temptation of self-sufficiency and the tendency to reduce the mystery of the human person to data, productivity, or performance. Passionist spirituality offers a powerful response through the mystery of kenosis, the self-emptying of Christ on the cross. By meditating on the cross, we learn to embrace human vulnerability not as a weakness to be overcome, but as a privileged place of encounter with God’s grace. The cross reminds us that authentic human fulfillment is found not in self-sufficiency, but in relationship, dependence and love The Unity and Communion That Flow from Divine Life
Pope Leo XIV proposes a path toward building our common home through communion, fraternal coexistence, and synodality. Such a vision is essential both for the Church and for the wider human family. For Passionists, the central vow is to keep alive the memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ, which St. Paul of the Cross described as “the most overwhelming sign of God’s love.” This remembrance is not a sorrowful exercise, but a living experience of divine love that creates communion and strengthens community. It is this deeply experienced divine love that nourishes our community life and impels us to work actively for peace, justice, reconciliation, and shared responsibility in our world. Magnifica Humanitas Resources
The Gospel calls us to a love that protects life, refuses cruelty and insists on the dignity of every person. We affirm without hesitation that every human person is sacred, made in the image and likeness of God: immigrant and citizen, young and old, welcomed and excluded. No one is outside the reach of God’s love. When any person’s life is taken, when any child is harmed or separated from those who love them, when any family is shattered by fear or loss, the Body of Christ is wounded. We believe the Crucified Christ is present in the suffering of human people, and we recognize Christ’s Passion is present in the contemporary sufferings of humanity. We mourn the deaths of Alex Pretti, Renee Good and every life lost through violence, entrusting them to the mercy of God. We pledge our prayers and solidarity to all those in Minneapolis and beyond whose hearts are heavy in this time of grief and fear. We pray for conversion of heart, our own and the world’s, so that truth, compassion and peace may prevail. May the Crucified and Risen Lord draw near to all who mourn, and may Mary, Mother of Sorrows, comfort every wounded heart.
 Position: Community Engagement Intern
Duration: One Year Location: Pittsburgh, PA Application Deadline: November 30, 2025 Are you a graduate student in theology or social work passionate about fostering community, faith, and connection? The Passionist Solidarity Network invites you to join us as a Community Engagement Intern supporting a vibrant new initiative. The Passionist Solidarity Network’s mission is to engage the Passionist family – vowed and lay – in the social ministry of the Passionist provinces of Holy Cross and St. Paul of the Cross, serving the United States, Canada, Haiti, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. We provide education and create resources about key social issues, within the context of the Passionist Charism, and advocate on a variety of significant issues of importance to local and international communities. About the Role: Over the course of a year, you will work under the guidance of the Passionist Solidarity Network to initiate and establish a monthly coffeehouse at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Centre. This space will serve as a welcoming, faith-centered gathering point for the local community. Key Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
We Offer:
If you are committed to creating spaces of hope, listening, and support, we want to hear from you! Apply today! Send your resume and cover letter to Michael Nasello, Director, Passionist Solidarity Network at [email protected]. |
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