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.
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 This year, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) takes place on October 4-5 to coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants. This day invites us to reflect on the dignity, resilience and hopes of those who leave their homes in search of safety, opportunity and peace. We are called to recognize their challenges and their contributions, and to renew our commitment to building communities of welcome where no one is a stranger. This reflection is not just an invitation to awareness but a call to action. Our faith reminds us that the presence of Christ is revealed in those who suffer, especially in migrants and refugees whose lives bear the weight of hardship and uncertainty. As Passionists, we are committed to keeping alive the memory of Christ’s Passion by standing with those who suffer today. Christ’s Passion is not just history. It lives on in those “crucified” by injustice and oppression. In solidarity with Pope Leo and our bishops, we are called to accompany our migrant brothers and sisters with compassion. As St. Paul of the Cross said, “Love is ingenious”—and love must lead us to creative ways to welcome those seeking safety and hope.  Read recent stories of refugees and immigrants collected by the United Nations Refugee Agency. Include those fleeing violence and oppression in your prayers.
 As the storm brewed
The long-anticipated national JPIC gathering in March 2020 was moved from Las Cruces, NM, to an online gathering as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The gathering featured dynamic panels of speakers addressing critical aspects of immigrant justice and asylum. Following this virtual gathering, the group which included the Passionist Solidarity Network and other religious communities issued a powerful and compelling statement, Envisioning Gospel-Based Solidarity and Flourishing with Migrants. The statement reads in part: "...we looked at how racism, economic injustice, climate change, militarization and migration are all interconnected, just as we as a human family are connected to our migrant sisters and brothers. An intersectional lens helps us to see how these issues not only exacerbate each other, especially forced migration, but how getting to the root causes of forced migration requires us to address each of these issues together." --From the gathering's final statement The final statement is here. Please share it broadly within your communities and consider some of the action steps and to share them with each other for encouragement, collaboration, and momentum. The collected links for the conference are here. The individual sessions included
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