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Solidarity news and reflections of interest to the Passionist Family  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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