PASSIONIST GENERAL SYNOD
SEPTEMBER 2002, SOUTH KOREA

Presentation by Deacon Hilliard Lee, 
St. Paul of the Cross Parish, Atlanta, USA

My Brothers in Christ:

God is good all the time—all the time God is good.  This saying in the African American community is how we express our thanks to our good and gracious God for all the blessings he has bestowed on us.  And so I say again to you, God is good all the time—you respond—all the time God is good!  My brothers he woke us up this morning and now allows us to assemble here and he blesses me with the task of discussing Passionist formation and the laity.

In the document of Vatican II, Apostolicam Actuoistatem, Decree on the Apostolate of the Lay People, it is written “In its desire to intensify the apostolic activity of the People of God, the Council now earnestly turns it’s thoughts to the Christian Laity.  Mention has already been made in other documents of the laity’s special and indispensable role in the mission of the Church.  Indeed the Church can never be without the lay apostolate; it is something that derives from the layman’s very vocation as a Christian.  The lay life is one of witnessing to our faith in such a manner that it affirms the hints of divine salvation within culture while it makes the source of that redemption explicit and powerful in acts of evangelization.”

In the same way, the publication entitled “Passionist Evangelization in the World Today,” states:

“He (St. Paul of the Cross) was a man attracted to the wonders and love of the Passion of the Lord.  His principal concern was directed to the suffering, to the oppressed and to those lacking faith and living in personal suffering and despair.  In meditating on love crucified, he discovered his personal missionary vocation and that of his disciples.  He had a desire to go to the end of the earth to work for the conversion of every individual.  His work was so extensive and demanding that the founder himself felt the need to involve other individuals as well as other religious in his achievements.  He also wished the collaboration of the laity to deal with the temporal and social activities of the congregation.”

St. Paul of the Cross, speaking of his own day, may have been looking toward the 21st century as well. However, he could not possibly have seen the eventual decrease in vocations, especially in the USA, but he did see how his mission and the mission of his brothers could be augmented by the laity.  

All laypersons are called to live out of a centered relationship with Christ.  We as collaborators with the Passionists are also called to share in the charism of the Passionists as we live out this relationship with Christ.  We live that Passion each day of our lives in dealing with the social injustices, prejudice, the hopeless, the downtrodden, the suffering, the poor, those with AIDS, those feeling powerless and so on.  The Passion of Jesus has a face and we see it in the shelters, on the street corners, in the soup lines, in the hospitals, in the churches and on the faces of abused children and starving babies.  Ministering side-by-side in retreat houses, parishes, missions and hospitals, we are sharing in a life with Christ and St. Paul of the Cross to live our lives in service to one another.  The fact that many lay persons, or as I prefer to say, “non-vowed Passionists” effectively play significant roles attests to the openness of the Passionists to share their charism with us who are in association with the community.  I also would like to expand the term “non-vowed” Passionists to include anyone—sisters, diocesan and religious clergy (like myself)—who work and minister with Passionists.

St. Paul the Apostle wrote to the Ephesians “Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s Gift…to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:7, 12).  He further states, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same spirit; there are different forms of the service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in every one. (1Cor. 12:4).

Father Terence Kristofak, C.P., Provincial of St. Paul of the Cross Province, in his report in preparation for the 46th Provincial Chapter wrote: “As Provincial, I have experienced the growing diversity within our Province.  No longer do just vowed men in black habits minister and work under the Passionist seal.  We are today a spectrum of people of different relationships and professions.  We are not just white men of European decent, but we are West Indian, Afro-American; Mexican and Puerto Rican.  We are Irish and Italian.  We are men and women.  We are married and divorced.  We are single and professed.  In fact, if you were to total all the men and women who are employees, associates and collaborators, the numbers would be triple the 200 vowed members of the community.”
 
The “non-vowed” today offers to the Passionist community a wonderful resource that is dedicated and ever willing to work for the good of the Church.  Through such programs in the eastern and western provinces in the United States as Passionist Partners, Mission Fulfillment, Confraternity of the Passion, Passionist Volunteers and Passionist Associates, the “non-vowed” are ministering to the needs of the poor, the disadvantaged, the elderly and the suffering.  In the midst of all this, the “non-vowed” becomes more knowledgeable of the life of the Congregation and of the charism of St. Paul of the Cross.  Through programs of study and retreats, through the Internet, television and print media, the faithful are being called more and more to recall and live in the Passion of Our Lord.  One might ask if roles of “non-vowed” to the vowed can be increased?  While my experience has been with St. Paul of the Cross Province, it is evident to me that similar relationships exist in other provinces of the Passionists.  For those who have not completely involved the “non-vowed,” I say you are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience the strength of your total ministry.  Part of the process of getting more vocations, I believe, lies in the use of “non-vowed” more in Passionist ministry.  We will be blessed with more vocations through the prayers and work of these men and women. 

What is the vision of the future?  Obviously no one knows for sure, but we do know that the vowed men in America are getting older, while in other countries more young men are entering religious life.  To ensure that personnel resources are available, there has to be an increase in the use of “non-vowed” throughout the congregation.  You owe it to yourselves to enhance your relationship with us.  All vowed Passionists, especially you as leaders, are encouraged to fully utilize those among their faithful who are ready and willing to serve.

Some issues to consider, as the role of “non-vowed” and formation, are discussed:
· Selection-will there be criteria for selecting and preparing “non-vowed”?
· What type of education should be required or provided?  How is education and training made available to those who lack certain basic education and training?
· Financial--who pays for training and education, especially if local community does not have, nor in some cases, cannot generate sufficient income?  (Be sure funding is not an issue that stands in the way of preparing “non-vowed” for service to the community.)  Also, is there a willingness to set up a fund, by province, to educate, pay for travel, for housing, etc., for Passionist functions or other functions deemed appropriate to those who minister with you?  And, who and how is “appropriate” determined?
· Consider having a convocation of “non-vowed”, worldwide, to discuss issues of the “non-vowed” and our relationships.  There is no common meeting, such as this synod for our views to be exchanged and heard; deliberations held; recommendations made.  (Should be considered and do not let issues of finances or control influence your decision.  Let the Spirit guide your deliberations.) 
· Our young people are often overlooked when we consider ministry. Consideration should be given to holding “non-vowed” synod at the time of year when young people are free and able to attend.
· Consider establishing a committee, board or commission of vowed and non-vowed to plan, review, and recommend programs, activities, and educational opportunities to the leadership of the Passionists.  The functions of this group should be on-going.

There are many other questions, which I am sure you are prepared to address, if not now, in the future.

There is an African-American gospel hymn entitled, “Lead Me, Guide Me.”  Some of the words are, “Lead me, guide me along the way.  For if you lead me I cannot stray.  Lord let me walk each day with you, lead me, guide me along the way…we’ve come this far by faith leaning on the everlasting Lord…Lead me O’ Lord, Lead me.”

Also, Reverend Carlton Pearson, and African-American Pentecostal minister, in a gospel song he wrote, was asked by an elderly woman parishioner—“Son, ‘Ye yet holding on?’”  Responding, “Yes, mother, I am.”  And she responded, “Then keep on, keeping on!!!”

My brothers in Christ, that is our challenge: to keep on, keeping on; involving the “non-vowed” in your work as Passionists.  For “we are Passionist.”  We’ve come this far by faith leaning on the everlasting Lord.  In the compassion of Christ, the journey continues, for God is good all the time.

Thank you.