May You Find Comfort and Assurance
We continue to be blessed as we celebrate this Jubilee Year of Mercy, under the grace-filled leadership of Pope Francis. Formed by our faith and Pope Francis’ encouragement, we each are challenged to live out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
One of the Spiritual Works of Mercy that is central to our Passionist Family is the call to “pray for the living and the dead”. Among the many scriptural foundations for this special work of mercy are the words of St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone…” (1 Timothy 2:1, NABRE). These words both support and challenge us to be intercessors, to lift up all people to God – both living and dead, especially those most in need of our prayer!
I invite you to join us in this spiritual work of mercy, this “prayer for the living and the dead and share with us your various intentions. Perhaps a relative is celebrating a birthday or is sick and in special need of healing. Perhaps your prayer request centers on gratitude to God for your experience of His merciful love, or perhaps you join us in praying for peace and justice in our world. In this mailing you’ll find a reply form to list your intentions which you can then return to us for inclusion in our daily community prayer.
Also included is a Passionist Spiritual Gift folder, which is an excellent way of communicating to your family and friends your prayerful support. As you use this card and your intentions are shared with us, we’ll add the intentions to our prayer lists – and then make sure replacement cards are sent to you for your continued use. We appreciate the sacrificial donation you send along with your prayer intentions. It expresses your generous support of our community’s prayer ministry and all our Passionist ministries of preaching and spiritual direction. Thank you!
May God bless us all as this Jubilee Year of Mercy continues to transform
our lives! We Passionists join with you in living out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, beginning with our families and communities and reaching out to our brothers and sisters worldwide. As we Passionists pray each day: “May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!”
United with you in prayer, in Jesus Crucified,
Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P.
Spiritual Director
“O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”
~ PSALM 63:1-3 (NRSV)
The Passionists
Every day the Passionists prayerfully remember all who have been enrolled in their Spiritual Enrollment Program. Individuals enrolled in this program are remembered daily in the prayers of the Passionist Community.
Paul Daneo, Founder of the Passionists, felt called as a young man in 1720 to establish a religious community that would tell the world about the Passion of Jesus Christ. After many trials, Paul received the Church’s blessing to gather companions in northern Italy and begin this work. He was later canonized in 1867 and became the first of many Passionists honored by the Church for their outstanding holiness of life.
As the Passionists, we are known to be Preachers of the Passion of Jesus. Our monasteries are houses of prayer. Our distinctive mission is carried on through spiritual retreat centers, the labor of missionaries and pastors, and in service to those who share the Passion of Christ because of illness, injustice, or poverty.