January 21, 2021

We recall for this newsletter what is meant by the term “New Partnerships.”  The New Partnerships Vision Fulfillment Team began with the firm belief that “what we do in Holy Cross Province matters in this world” and that we must do what we can to preserve it.  A new partnership imagines that the Passionist Family of Holy Cross Province will combine efforts or activities with a new person or entity in order to do something new, or something more, or something different and in doing so we expand who we are and who we are able to reach.

Several of our projects addressed post-pandemic ministry to people greatly affected by the reality of living through the pandemic; in particular frontline medical workers, essential workers and those who experienced the death of loved ones due to the virus.  We called for post-pandemic days of recollection for spiritual healing, hosting bereavement events prior to everyone returning to work, a new look at retreat recruitment and shepherding young adult spirituality through community service.  Other projects sought outreach to other Passionist Provinces, near and far, in order to collaborate on ministry.

Pandemic reality accelerated demand to act immediately to serve our Passionist ministries and spiritually support retreatants, parishioners and other faithful.  All ministries in the Province immediately responded, taking their message directly to the people using every form of technology available to them.

We saw new ministries emerging such as in particular the food ministry at Mater Dolorosa.  An unanticipated partnership from among the Passionist Family between Faith Offman, Marci Madary, Lissa Rommel and Fr. David Colhour, CP, led to a series of retreats entitled “Living into Transformative Times – Celebrating Advent, Christmas and Epiphany."  This series of retreats is wonderful testimony to the prayer of Pope Francis.