Passionists Partners Gathering at Minsteracres

The third annual Passionist Partners Gathering took place at Minsteracres Retreat Centre in Northumberland this week.

More than 40 representatives from the growing Passionist Family of St Joseph's Province (England & Wales) - working with the homeless, refugees, people with HIV, former prisoners, and parish projects, as well as running campaigns on many social, peace and environmental issues came to Minsteracres from 21 - 23 October to meet each other, pray and share ideas.

Partners who attended included representatives from Reformed which supports ex-offenders, Green Christian, London Catholic Worker, Calais Catholic Worker, Catholic Worker Farm, the Austin Smith Memorial Fund which supports a range of community projects in Liverpool 8, The Vestibule, another community building project in Liverpool, CAPs, (Catholics for Aids Prevention and and Support) and Martha House which works with destitute refugees in London.

Members of the Minsteracres Team, Community of the Passion, St Joseph's Province, representatives from the Cross and Passion Sisters, the Provincials of Holy Hope Province (Netherlands Passionists) and St Patrick's Province (Scotland & Ireland Passionists) also took part.

The Gathering featured workshops led by Steve Atherton, J&P Fieldworker for Archdiocese of Liverpool, Paul Bodenham from Green Christian, Martin Newell CP and Nicholas Postlethwaite CP designed at strengthening and growing the Partnership and seeking to map out pathways forward for the Passionist Family in this part of the world.

Passionist Partners is a new initiative. A note from the Passionist Order on their website explains: "We see in them something of ourselves. Mainly Christian groups, they are all committed to the crucified of today and we hope to deepen the relationship we already have with them. We value their work and wish to support them in practical ways. We also hope to learn from and be inspired by them. Their life and work reflects values of God's Kingdom, of peace, justice, care for creation, freedom and human rights."