Father Giuseppe Adobati Carrara, C.P., was elected in October 2024 to serve a six-year term as Superior General of the worldwide Passionist Congregation.
As he begins his term as Superior General, his heart is filled with the hope that the Congregation will become even more dynamic due to the work being done all over the world by dedicated Passionists.
“For me, hope means to draw from the power of Christ, which I can exercise because I have been baptized into Christ. For this reason, my hope motivates my decisions and my actions.”
Fr. Giuseppe Adobati Carrara, CP
He is inspired by the early Christian community to whom St. Peter wrote that Christ is hope and will guide his people (1 Pt 1:3; 2:21-25 NABRE).
Today, Christians need to use hope as inspiration to do good works.
“It is not enough to pray,” explains Father Giuseppe. “We need to be active.”
Hope transforms Christians and is necessary if we are to be witnesses for God and the good that exists in the world. There will always be confusion in our lives, and hope keeps us connected in Christ.
“Because we are Passionists, we are rooted at the foot of the Cross,” Father Giuseppe says. “We are not in a peaceful time. We need to do good and be witnesses of hope through our Christian teaching. Hope is called for in good times and in bad. Look at the crucifix, a terrible situation, but there is good in the promise it offers.”
Father Giuseppe has great hope for the future of the Passionist Congregation.
He knows that fidelity to our vocation will keep hope and joy in our lives.
“Our charism gives the Congregation an experience of the Holy Spirit. My hope is that we follow the Spirit in giving witness to the authenticity of our vocations.”
Fr. Giuseppe Adobati Carrara, CP
“This means that we understand our vocations as a call from God. It is part of our mission in the Church to share the love of God as revealed by Christ on the Cross. We can begin every day anew, grateful for and happy with our vocation. Hope will keep us on the journey and engaged in our ministries.
“Service is the heart of the work of every Passionist. We have something important to offer,” explains Father Giuseppe.
“We may not have all the answers and solutions, but we can be companions on the journey with others.”
Fr. Giuseppe Adobati Carrara, CP
Hope and strength to do God’s work come from living and serving as a community.
“If we work together, we are able to go on a longer journey,” Father Giuseppe shares. This is the reason that we pray together each day and celebrate the Eucharist together. Each day is a gift.
To withstand the chaos of the world around us, we need hope connected to Christ as an anchor. “There is always suffering connected to our life,” says Father Giuseppe. “Being connected to Jesus gives us hope in the midst of suffering, because we know we are not alone or abandoned.”
Father Giuseppe knows that God is guiding him and that nurtures his hope. “I did not set out to do this job. At each step of the way, I felt called to continue serving,” he shares.
“I know that I am part of a larger plan in God’s purpose. All I should do is say, ‘If you call me, I am here.’ Every day is a new day with new invitations. Faith in my calling gives me the power to continue my service. My thought is to have a clear idea of what I must do each day, but life is not always like this. There are many puzzles. Every single moment is important.”
Through hope and joy, we can guide people to a close relationship with Jesus.
“A life of joy is an attraction to people. Our life is not simply a religious obligation. It is a fulfilling way of life,” says Father Giuseppe. “That is how we evangelize, and it is a reason for hope.”
