Public position statements from the PSN

  • In Solidarity with the Suffering peoples of Israel and Palestine -- Standing in solidarity with all who are affected by the war in Israel and Palestine, and praying for a true and lasting peace. (October 2023)  
  • Embracing Laudato Si -- Taking Action to Care for Our Common Home In response to the pressing crisis of global climate change, we affirm our commitment to the teaching of the Church expressed in Laudato Si and the calling of our charism to respond to the suffering of the Earth and its creatures, we recommend that all members and entities of the province (community residences, ministry sites, and province organizations) affirm and embrace the spirit of Laudato Si’ by taking action to care for the Earth as our “common home.”  (HCP Provincial Chapter, June 2019)

  • Responding to the immigration crisis -- Affirming Holy Cross province’s longtime commitment to Hispanic ministry and the suffering of the most vulnerable of today, we call ourselves to explore ways in which we respond to the desperate plight of refugees by offering care and compassion for immigrants and migrants. (HCP Provincial Chapter, June 2019)
  • At the February 2023 meeting of Passionist leaders from the provinces of Cristo Rey (Mexico/Dominican Republic), Holy Cross (western USA), St. Paul of the Cross (eastern USA, Canada, & Caribbean) and the Daughters of the Passion, a commitment was made to increase Passionist presence at one or more places "where human migration is occurring, responding to the issues surrounding those migrants who need welcome supports in various places across our provinces, and to prepare ourselves in the immediate future to bring forward and to make a more specific commitment."  To this end, individual and community commitments are underway to investigate, learn, and prepare for a more specific decision in the near future.  


  • Envisioning a Vision of Gospel-based Solidarity and Flourishing with Migrants -- From March 16–18, 2020, the PSN joined a national gathering of Catholic religious justice and peace leaders, organized by the U.S. Conference of Major Superiors of Men, to develop collaborative responses and strategies to the emergency on the US – Mexico border, as well as the crisis of immigrants and their families throughout the United States.  The gathering featured dynamic panels of speakers addressing critical aspects of immigrant justice and asylum. We closed our work by affirming the common humanity we share with migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers, and expressed a desire to strengthen our solidarity with them, in order to build a stronger nonviolent movement within the Catholic Church to challenge inhumane and unjust immigration and border policies. And 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.  The group collected their vision for moving forward and created action steps toward "Envisioning a Vision of Gospel-based Solidarity and Flourishing with Migrants."  Read a full description of the gathering and read the statement endorsed by the PSN.


List of public campaign endorsements from the PSN 

Acronyms:
  • AFSC – American Friends Service Committee
  • CMSM – Conference of Major Superiors of Men
  • CHN – Coalition for Human Needs
  • LCWR - Leadership Conference of Women Religious
  • FAN – Franciscan Solidarity Network
 
​March 2023
  • The Passionist Solidarity has written a statement to the U.S. government for inclusion in the current consulation period on Migration Legislation reform. View the Letter
February 2023
  • The Passionist provinces of Holy Cross and St. Paul of the Cross and the entire Passionist Solidarity Network write to the U.S. President Joseph Biden and numerous key government officials supporting the swift passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.  View the Letter
November 2022
  • We in the Passionist Solidarity Network stand with all those impacted by the horrific events in Colorado Springs.  Our condolences to the victims, their families and friends. We all need to stand up to hate and violence, and protect the rights of all people. To 2SLGBTQ+ communities, you are not alone.

February 2022
  • Cosigned letter urging a reduction in military spending by the Biden administration?  We have signed onto a similar push in the past. (AFSC)

 September 2021
  • Following the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and as people of faith, we believe in the sanctity of work alongside the sacred worth and dignity of all workers in their chosen professions. Over the past five decades, the declining protection of US labor laws has been devastating for America’s working families. Workers’ right to organize and to be heard is a critical part of any healthy democracy and is essential to ensuring that human beings are treated with dignity and not as mere objects or means to others’ ends. The Passionist Solidarity Network joined other faith communities in signing on to this letter in support of the PRO Act to Advance Workers' Rights. The PRO Act would be a deterrent to unethical employers, empower workers, and help end workplace exploitation.
  • Cosigned – letter of support for the Tyler Clementi Foundation and announced its support of the U.S. Bishops’ statement God Is On Your Side: A Statement From Catholic Bishops On Protecting LGBT Youth. 
July 2021 May 2021
  • Cosigner -- letters addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and to Ministers of Foreign Affairs of African States urging them to support the demands made by families of victims of police violence, civil society organizations and UN Special Procedures. 
  • Cosigner – letter circulated by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) opposing the amount of US global military spending. The letter asked members of Congress to significantly decrease spending on the military and nuclear weapons for FY2022 and to re-allocate that money into true national priorities like public health, diplomacy, infrastructure, and addressing climate change. 

March 2020
  • Cosigner -- Faith leader letter to Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security urging the agency to end its “Migrant Protection Protocols” (“MPP”), to allow asylum seekers to pursue refugee protection—while safely in the United States as required by U.S. law and treaties—and to inform that we stand ready to provide legal representation and humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers in the United States.
  • Cosigner -- faith organization letter to federal leaders, calling on them to include immigrants and asylum-seekers in all COVID-19 recovery plans; end detention and deportations; and take other measures to keep families and communities together in this crisis. With Creation Justice Ministries
  • Cosigner -- letter with Creation Justice Ministries and other faith-based organizations, calling on the U.S. Congress to champion legislation critical to the communities most affected by our country’s declining demand for coal. Those communities have long born the costs of coal extraction on their health and ecology. These same communities are now bearing the additional weight of a significant economic transition as the coal industry wanes. We support that transition and continue to push for energy sources that are sustainable for God’s creation.
January 2020
  • Endorsement – Equitable and Just National Climate Platform  The goals:  Support progress toward building trust and collaboration between environmental justice and national group leaders; Develop national climate policy ideas that environmental justice and national groups can jointly support in the lead up to 2020 and beyond; Identify pathways for more inclusive national climate policy development that will support environmental justice and national group advocates working together to advance shared policy goals and ideas.
  • Endorsement -- Sojourners with 200 other church leaders saying a clear and emphatic no to a war with Iran. Peacemaking, diplomacy is the effective and necessary alternative to what would be a disastrous and indefensible war.  Read more here.

December 2019
  • Cosigner -- faith-leaders’ letter urging 2020 Presidential candidates to put People Over Pentagon by calling for significant cuts to the Pentagon Budget, reinvestment in our communities, and a more peaceful approach to the world beyond.
November 2019
  • Cosponsor -- The New Way Forward for immigration reform. This progressive and creative approach for reform addresses all the key issues that have been stumbling blocks for previous attempts to humanize the process as well as the concerns of those who want secure borders and reasonable immigration laws.  Learn about the campaign at the Immigrant Justice Network.
October 2019
  • Cosigned letter -- urging support the 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019 to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, transition the country to cleaner sources of energy, set the important goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and ensure that there is a just transition of jobs for the future wellbeing of our communities.
September 2019
  • Cosigned letter on World Migrants and Refugees Day supporting a Guatemala led statement rejecting agreements that were signed with the United States and Guatemala that criminalize migrants who come from sister countries, making the right to migrate into a crime in order to justify their focus on security and abandoning any focus on human rights. Letter in English | Letter in Spanish
August 2019
  • Endorsement -- FAN and CMSM Call for Immediate Legislation on Gun Violence and a National Examination of Conscience "Out of the depths I call to you, God." (Psalm 130)
June 2019
  • Cosigned letter – To Lesley C. Ziman, Acting Director Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources U.S. Department of State expressing strong support for the renewable energy ($179 million) and adaptation ($177 million) foreign assistance allocation included in the Fiscal Year 2019 omnibus legislation.
 May 2019
  • Cosigned letter – To the Bank of America and Sun Trust to end their financing of private prisons.  The private prison industry is detaining over 70 percent of immigrants in ICE custody and are complicit in the epidemic of mass incarceration that devastates communities of color. These banks have a major role in financing private prison companies.
 April 2019
  • Cosigned letter - “As religious organizations representing a variety of faith traditions, we ask that you support H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, legislation that is intended to keep the United States in the Paris Agreement, an international agreement aimed at curbing climate change, and to require the Administration to assemble a plan to meet our commitments under the agreement.”
January 2019
  • Cosigned letter - updated principles of the Coalition on Human needs, America's Value and Economy for all (SAVE) focused on federal budget decisions.  We assert that the resulting budget should reflect basic values: protect low-income and vulnerable people, build an economy that works for all, and do it responsibly, collecting fair revenues and reducing waste.

June 2018
  • Cosigned letter - Circulated by the Catholic Climate Covenant, we affirmed that “As communities, organizations, and institutions in the United States, we join with state, tribal, and local governments, as well as businesses, financial institutions, and other faith organizations, to declare that we are still in on actions that meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.
May 2018
  • Cosigned letter - With the Coalition for Human Needs:  Opposing cuts of more than $15 billion from domestic programs - almost half of it from the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Other unspent funds to be cut ("rescinded”) have been part of bipartisan agreements that allow needed increases in health, education, and other important programs.  
 May 2018
  • Cosigned letter - With the Catholic Climate Covenant:  Catholics are Still In.   “This declaration expresses the U.S. Catholic community’s call to climate action, arising from our theological foundation, proclaimed to all within our one human family. From this call we envision, pray for, and act towards a thriving future, with our family and the gift of God’s creation.”
March 2018
  • Cosigned letter - With allies of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) to oppose the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620), which recently passed the House of Representatives by a narrow margin. We urge you not to bring up this bill for Senate consideration.  This legislation would create significant obstacles for people with disabilities to enforce their rights under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to access public accommodations.

November 2017
  • Cosigned letter - With other Catholic faith leaders about Iran and North Korea to Congress and the Administration that we should carefully protect the Iran Deal and apply similar diplomatic skills in our relationship with North Korea. https://tinyurl.com/y8adq437   
 August 2017  May 2017
  • Cosigned letter -- From the Coalition for Human needs (chn.org) urging Congress as it begins its work on the FY 2018 budget, to ensure that funding is adequate to meet the needs of all people and communities. 
April 2017
  • Cosigned letter - With Church World Service and other faith leaders, “In light of the recent Inter Provincial statement on deportation a letter to President Trump originated by the Church World Service commenting and lamenting recent Executive Orders and Enforcement Actions.”
February 2017
  • Promoted Passionists Intra-Provincial statement (From Houston meeting and border experience) on deportation.
January 2017
  • Cosigned letter - With Pax Christi and others an international letter on critical need for nuclear abolition.

December 2016
  • Cosigned letter - With the Coalition on Human Needs, SAVE for ALL Campaign, (chn.org) a Strengthening America’s Values and Economy (SAVE) for All is a coalition of national, state and local advocacy groups, service providers, faith-based organizations, policy experts, labor and civil rights groups working to protect important services from harmful federal budget cuts and to save the federal capacity to spur economic recovery and progress for the benefit of all.
 October 2016
  • Cosigned letter - With other faith leaders, to Homeland Security Secretary Johnson with concern about private prisons especially for immigrants urging oversite, review, and evaluation. 
 September 2016
  • With other Catholic leaders:  Commitment to the centrality of gospel violence, coming out of the Vatican conference.
  • With other faith leaders:  Letter for Global Day of Prayer and Action and Prayer for Syria to take place on World Peace Day, September 21.  (CMSM)  
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