Dear Friends,
As we come into summer and are looking forward to reconnecting in-person with many of you at our annual conference (Holy Family Passionist Center in West Hartford, Connecticut, September 15th-17th), we give great gratitude for the recent Feast of Corpus Christi and the renewed fervor which this Feast brings to love of the Eucharist and gratitude for Christ’s living presence in our world and in our hearts.
The theme of our conference is “Secular Institutes: Living Out Our Radical Witness!” and we will hear our main speaker, Fr. John Campoli, IVD, on Saturday, September 16th. Also Bishop Mark Rivituso, our Episcopal Moderator, who will be with us for the weekend, will share his thoughts on this topic.
Radical, of course, comes from the Latin root “radix” meaning root. At its root, our faith is radical in calling us to live in a way we are not naturally in- clined: loving our enemies, doing good to those who hurt us, forgiving 70 times 7 times. And what could be more radical than that of following the Son of God to the cross, and carrying our own crosses alongside?
In adoring or receiving the Eucharist we are astounded repeatedly by the consecration of bread and water into the Body and Blood of Christ and the radical gift of love and mercy that this is.
Being a member of a secular institute, bound by vows, promises or bonds confirming our willingness to live the radical virtues of poverty, chastity and obedience, to become Christ to others is our calling and cultivation of these virtues (which is the call of all baptized persons) is strengthened by the graces of our vocation.
So do plan to come to our conference the weekend of September 15-17 and be strengthened by the witness of the mosaic of charisms in which this calling praises the Lord.
Happy summer to all!
Sue Larkin
