News from the United States. The Mountaineer. Fall 2023

Dear Friends,

At our annual conference this past September at the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in Connecticut, we were fed powerful food for meditation on Living Out Our Radical Witness–the theme of the conference.

But first–what a great joy it was to spend time with fellow members of secular institutes both actual and virtual, and members of the clergy together in worship, at meetings, during meals, and in casual conversation.

On Friday night the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Fr. John O’Neill our Vice President gave a mesmerizing homily focusing on Mary who, in total trust, said yes to God’s call until we see her standing at the cross. But Mary brought Christ to her neighbor: first going to help her cousin Elizabeth, later taking action after noticing that they were out of wine at Cana. Love God, and love your neighbor by helping him. Mary: the perfect role model for us.