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