Passionist spirituality of justice

1. The Impact of the Cross in the World Today Session 1. A Passion for Life

2. Who are the Passionist? Passionist Charism Catholic Social Tradition Community of Compassion Passionist Spirituality Presentation Points

3. A Catholic Religious Community Contemplative Charism: devoted to the memory of the Passion Apostolic Ministry: Preachers, Missions, Social Ministries, Spiritual Direction and Retreat Ministries Founded by St. Paul of the Cross in 1741 Religious community of Men, Women (Sisters and cloistered Nuns) and various lay associations. Over 2,000 Passionist vowed men throughout the world in 59 countries spanning 5 continents. Who Are the Passionist?

5. A famous mystic and preacher

6. Founded the Passionist in 1741

7. Ministry included

8. Preaching Mission,

9. Founded Retreats,

10. Spiritual Direction

13. Passionist Rules and Constitutions, #65 We Passionists make the Paschal Mystery the center of our lives. This entails a loving commitment to follow Jesus Crucified, and a generous resolve to proclaim His Passion and death with faith and love.

14. Passionist Rules and Constitutions, #65 His Passion and death are no mere historical events. They are ever-present realities to people in the world of today, "crucified" as they are by injustice, by the lack of a deep respect for human life, and by a hungry yearning for peace, truth, and the fullness of human existence.

15. Passionist Charism The Fourth Vow: Keeping alive the memory of the Passion Motto: May the Passion of Jesus be ever in our hearts

16. A Special Vow Why promise to do something like this? The answer lies with the meaning of the cross and death of Jesus Christ for the world… Fr. Don Senior, CP

17. A Special Vow Jesus' death on the cross was a death in the cause of justice. He was executed because he challenged accepted values. He sided with the poor and the outcasts. He condemned oppressive structures. Jesus was a prophet and prophets meet strong opposition.

18. A Special Vow His cross reminds us that Christians must listen to the cries of the poor. We are in solidarity with those whom society may forget or even exploit. The cross is a sign of justice. To remind the world about the cross is to challenge the world for its injustice and neglect. Passionists are pledged to that challenge.

19. A Special Vow Finally, remembering the cross means remembering those in the world who bear the cross today: the disabled, the sick, the dying, the grieving, those isolated and alone -- all who bear the burden of pain.

20. Catholic Social Tradition Scripture and the Early Christian community Decalogue- Legal relationship to God and neighbor Matthew 25- Judgment is based on social responsibility to the poor and neglected Beatitudes, Communal Life, Pauline correspondence Social reform movements Apologetics Peace of God Movement (9th and 10th century) Religious reform movements (Cistercians, Mendicants, Passionist and Redemptorist )

21. Catholic Social Teaching 1891 – Pope Leo XIII wrote RerumNovarum Papal Encyclicals: 1931 – Quadragesimo Anno – Pope Pius XI 1961 – Mater et Magistra– Pope John XXIII 1963 – Pacem In Terris– Pope John XXIII 1967 – PopulorumProgressio– Pope Paul VI 1987 – SollicitudoReiSocialis: - Pope John Paul II 1995 – Evangelium Vitae – Pope John Paul II 2009 – Caritas in Veritate – Pope Benedict XVI Vatican II – Gaudium et Spes 1971 Synod of Bishops – Justice in the World U.S. Bishops The Challenge of Peace, 1983 Economic Justice for All, 1986 Renewing the Earth, 1991

22. Catholic Social Principles Life and Dignity of the Human Person Call to Family, Community, and Participation Rights and Responsibilities Option for the Poor and Vulnerable The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers Solidarity Care for God’s Creation

23. Justice in the World God has revealed himself to us… his plan of liberation and salvation which is once and for all fulfilled in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation. -#6

24. Community of Compassion Passionist Spirituality begins with the experience of suffering “The memory of the Passion is a transformative influence on suffering enhancing its role as a component of the compassion whose activity can be central in the process of becoming a moral person.”

25. Community of Compassion The Compassionate Person A person can be transformed by suffering and emerge with Compassion Compassion addresses the suffering of others, in a way comparable to one’s own experience of suffering. Compassion unifies us with others who are suffering “Compassion in the Christian setting is love with a facility for addressing suffering. It is a suffering love” “Compassion is charity before the suffering of others”

26. Community of CompassionSpeSalvi The true measure of humanity is essentially determined in relationship to suffering and to the sufferer. This holds true both for the individual and for society. A society unable to accept its suffering members and incapable of helping to share their suffering and to bear it inwardly through “com-passion” is a cruel and inhuman society. To suffer with the other and for others; to suffer for the sake of truth and justice; to suffer out of love and in order to become a person who truly loves—these are fundamental elements of humanity.

27. Passionist Spirituality Spirit of Prayer: Contemplate the Crucified and the “crucified of today” Spirit of Solitude: Social suffering can be incomprehensible. Live in creative silence, a silence that allows us to find God and to be revitalized into action. Spirit of Penitence: Live with what is necessary. “Poverty is the standard under which our congregation fights.” - Live simply so others may simply live.

28. Passion for Life The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest and most admirable proof of God’s love…and the remedy for all the evils of our time. St. Paul of the Cross