The Impact of the Cross in the World Today

Session 1. A Passion for Life

Christian Social TraditionWho are the Passionist?Passionist CharismCommunity of CompassionPassionist Spirituality

Presentation Points

Christian 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 )

Catholic Social Teaching

1891 – Pope Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum Papal Encyclicals:

1931 – Quadragesimo Anno – Pope Pius XI 1961 – Mater et Magistra – Pope John XXIII 1963 – Pacem In Terris – Pope John XXIII 1967 – Populorum Progressio – Pope Paul VI 1987 – Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: - 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

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

Passion for Life

Passionist contribute to the Christian Social Traditionin two ways.

•Passionist spirituality:

•Passionist ministries:

A Catholic Religious CommunityContemplative Charism: devoted to the

memory of the PassionApostolic Ministry: Preachers, Missions, Social

Ministries, Spiritual Direction and Retreat Ministries

Founded by St. Paul of the Cross in 1741Religious 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?

St. Paul of the Cross

Born 1694: Died 1775 A famous mystic and

preacher Founded the

Passionist in 1741 Ministry included

Preaching Mission,Founded Retreats, Spiritual DirectionCommunity leadership

St. Paul of the Cross

Pursued JusticeAs this true disciple of his Divine Master, all

love and charity, could not do alone what he wished for the poor, he labored in their favor as much as he could, making use of the opportunities that the giving of holy missions and similar employments afforded him…. He grieved deeply when the poor were abandoned.

St. Paul of the Cross

“We ought to be grateful and correspond to his divine benefits by loving justice, truth, and exercising charity and the works of mercy towards our neighbor, especially to the poor.”

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.

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.

Passionist Charism

The Fourth Vow: Keeping alive the memory of the Passion

Motto: May the Passion of Jesus be ever in our hearts

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

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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”

COMMUNITY OF COMPASSIONSPE SALVI

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.

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.

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