Passionist International Bulletin

Passionist Life - News from the Conference
PAUL - Haiti
A dramatic experience
(Fr. Rick Frechette (PAUL) writes the following reflection about the recent political upheaval in Haiti and
its effect on his ministry in that country.)
“Haiti is a land which, without any exaggeration, is in the crucible of suffering. Poor beyond description,
torn by political violence and socioeconomic chaos, and reeling from crime and drug traffic, Haiti’s
people know the dark skies of Golgotha. Most people that I know cannot send their children to school,
do not eat every day, and cannot bury the dead they mourn.
As Ash Wednesday approached… I was called to bless the bodies of a number of poor people who were
savagely killed after giving their life-savings to get a place on a boat heading for Miami. It was a poor,
rickety boat that, for them, meant hope and deliverance. They were deceived, betrayed and murdered, and
their rotting bodies were washed up on the shore of a fetid slum. It was a very dark moment. My only
thought, as I stood aghast, was how to bring some dignity to this nightmare...I carefully blessed each one
with holy water…. I did my best to bring dignity to the moment, and to focus the attention of all present
through prayer- prayer against evil, prayer for the
deceased, prayer for a better tomorrow. As I left that
dreadful place, a man approached me and said,
“Thank you for coming to pray. You are the only
priest who ever comes here. We cannot let goodness
perish, along with everything else.” I was very
moved by his words. They come from the very heart of
passion, and proclaim the message of hope, the message
of Calvary, which we Passionists are privileged
to proclaim with our lives and our words. We preach
Christ crucified, and His love which will never perish.”
Passionist Life - Witnesses of the Passion
50 th Jubilee of Profession of Bishop Nesti
One of the major festivities of the recent weeks
was the celebration here at Sts. John and Paul of
the 50th Anniversary of Profession of Bishop
Piergiorgio Nesti, C.P., who is the Secretary of the
Vatican Congregation for Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life. The occasion also
recalled the 10th anniversary of his being named
a Bishop. A banquet followed the Eucharist,
which was celebrated in the Founder’s Chapel of
the Basilica. Joining Archbishop Nesti for the
Mass was Cardinal Secretary of State, Angelo
Sodano. Concelebrating with Archbishop Nesti
was the Nuncio to Italy, Bishop Paolo Romeo.
Other prelates assisted and joined in the community
celebration afterwards at table. Archbishop Nesti was professed on 08 September 1953, for the
Province of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CORM).
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