2020-2021 Passionist Jubilee Anniversaries

In this article, we read about the unique life of Teresa Gallifa, foundress of the Congregation of the Servants of the Passion. Wife, mother, widow, and religious, Teresa was ahead of her time in her focus on compassion and service for unwed mothers and their children.

Continuing the series on various communities of active Sisters affiliated with the Passionists, we now come to an English Congregation: the Sisters of the Cross and Passion.

In the centuries since our Holy Founder’s death, his special charism has served as the inspiration for many other religious congregations. One such “sister congregation” to the Passionists is the Daughters of the Passion of Jesus Christ and of the Sorrowful Virgin Mary.

Among the numerous religious communities affiliated with the Passionist Congregation, a special place belongs to the Passionist Sisters of St. Paul of the Cross — commonly known as the “Signa Sisters,” after the town in Italy where they were founded.

Today marks the 234th anniversary of the death of Venerable Mother Mary Crucified of Jesus, the first Passionist Nun. It was her courage, humility, perseverance, and — most of all — burning love for Jesus Christ that laid a foundation which has stood firm for 250 years. This latest Formation and Catechesis bulletin contains reflections on our holy co-foundress’ life written by Sr. Luzia Maura, CP.

The youngest of our Passionist Saints was, like St. Gemma, actually not a vowed member of the Congregation. St. Maria Goretti is widely known and loved for her willingness to suffer martyrdom rather than surrender her virginity, but fewer people know that this 11-year-old girl was catechized and spiritually nurtured by the Passionist Fathers.

For many people, their first introduction to the Passionists came through the charismatic figure of St. Gemma Galgani. Though she was unable to enter religious life due to poor health, this mystic and stigmatist predicted that she would be considered part of her beloved Passionist Congregation after death — and how true that prophecy proved

As the Jubilee Year enters its final months, this latest Communication Bulletin draws our attention back to one of those central themes: prophecy. What does it mean to be a prophet of Christ Crucified? How are we as Passionists called to live out this prophetic vocation in our world today?

The Blessed Virgin Mary, especially under her title of Our Sorrowful Mother, has been central to Passionist life throughout our history. It was she who gave the habit to St. Paul of the Cross, and it was in her Roman basilica (St. Mary Major) that our Holy Founder first made the “Passion Vow.”

If you’ve ever clicked over to our Passionist Year calendar, you might have noticed that it is not always the same as the universal Church calendar. Some of our feasts are unique to Passionists, and others we celebrate with greater solemnity. In her maternal wisdom, the Church nurtures the spiritual patrimony of our Congregation by allowing us to keep special feasts connected with our specific charism: devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus.

They are men and women, young and old, religious and laity. They lived in different centuries, spoke different languages, were called to different forms of service and sacrifice in Christ’s Kingdom. One thing, however, binds together this diverse group: in their unique ways, these holy men and women shared in the precious gift of the Passionist Charism.

Passionists deeply treasure our holy habit, a gift to our Congregation from the Mother of Sorrows herself. Our Lady appeared to St. Paul of the Cross clothed in a black robe, and she pleaded with him to found a congregation that would wear the same “garb of mourning and penance,” keeping her company on Calvary.

What does it mean to be a part of the Passionist Congregation? What is the significance of community life in our day? In this latest bulletin in the Jubilee Formation and Catechesis series, Fr. Giovanni Cipriani, C.P. offers some beautiful reflections on the joy and challenges that come with community and the communal life, as well as on the special “family spirit” of the Passionists.

Sister Cecilia Maria takes us to the scene of Our Lady’s seventh Sorrow: the Burial of Jesus. Though Holy Saturday is often forgotten in the rush to prepare for Easter, this is the Marian day par excellence; let us live it in a close spiritual union with her, even if our external lives are busy. Then, on the long-awaited third day, we can rejoice with the Church and with all of creation in the Resurrection of Christ!

Tomorrow, Palm Sunday, we celebrate the glory of Christ our triumphant King, Who conquered by His death on the Cross. In this week’s video, Sister Frances Marie brings us in spirit to the site of this great victory, Calvary. There we contemplate with her the Sixth Sorrow of Mary: the taking down of Jesus’ lifeless Body from the Cross. The Passionist Fathers’ Jubilaeum reflections take us into the heart of today’s unique Liturgy of the Word: the solemn reading of the Passion according to St. Mark.

Today, Sr. Cecilia Maria takes us right to the heart of that great Paschal Mystery as she discusses the fifth sorrow of Mary — the Crucifixion of Jesus. The Passionist Fathers’ Jubilaeum reflection this Sunday also focuses on the heart of our charism, the Passion of Jesus. What does Jesus Crucified mean to each of us?

This Laetare Sunday, as we mark the halfway point of Lent, Sister Frances Marie leads our meditation on the fourth Sorrow of Our Lady: the meeting with Jesus as He carried His Cross to Calvary. In the Jubilaeum reflection for this week, the Passionist Fathers delve into this Sunday’s Gospel — including the famous and often-quoted verse, John 3:16.

This Saturday, we continue our journey through the Sorrows of Mary as Sr. Cecilia Maria’s speaks on the Third Sorrow: the three days’ loss of the Child Jesus in Jerusalem. We also share with you a Jubilaeum reflection by Fr. Gwen Barde, CP, on the Passionist Mission and Evangelization— an appropriate theme for this Lenten season of ongoing conversion!

In our next video on the Seven Sorrows of Mary, Sr. Frances Marie leads us in considering the Second Sorrow: the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. We also continue our series of Jubilaeum Lenten reflections this week with a meditation on the Gospel for this Sunday. What lessons does the Transfiguration of Jesus hold for our lives today?

On this first Saturday of Lent, we share a video reflection on the First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon, and the next Jubilaeum prayer guide for the First Sunday of Lent, in which we focus on solitude and temptation, as we accompany Jesus into the desert and consider the truth about ourselves.

Lent summons us deeper into the paschal mystery of Jesus. The Lord invites us to come with Him into the desert, where He longs to speak to our hearts, where He desires to enkindle, nurture, and strengthen our love for Him in this age-old trysting place of solitude, silence, and discipline.

The defining characteristics of the Passionist Congregation is our special vow “to promote devotion to and a grateful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus Christ.” Traditionally, this has been listed as our fourth vow. However, after the Second Vatican Council, which called on religious to embrace their founding charisms in a renewed way, the Passionists moved this distinctive vow to the first place in our profession formula.

What is a spirituality? Is Passionist spirituality distinct from spirituality of the Passion? In this Jubilee Bulletin, Fr. Bernard Mayele Muntwene tackles these questions and more, leading us to a deeper understanding of our beautiful and unique spiritual patrimony received from St. Paul of the Cross.

St. Paul of the Cross often spoke sorrowfully of the world’s forgetfulness of the Passion of Christ, and so he asked his religious to make a special vow “to promote devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus Christ.”

Three hundred years ago right now, Paul Danei was in the midst of his 40-day retreat at the Church of St. Charles, in Castellazzo, Italy. Passionists look on this special time in our Holy Founder’s life as the true spiritual beginning of our Congregation.

We as Passionists treasure these final exhortations of St. Paul of the Cross, and it is our hope that they will likewise inspire each of you.

The latest article in the Passionist Jubilee Bulletin’s “Formation and Catechesis” series literally follows the footsteps of St. Paul of the Cross, exploring some of the different sites in Italy that were important to the formation of our Congregation.

This essay, written by German Passionist Father Gregor Lenzen, explores what Passionists refer to as the four “pillars” of the Congregation: prayer, solitude, poverty, and penance.

The Passionist Jubilee bulletin has begun publishing a series on “formation and catechesis,” taking a deeper look at the history and spirituality of our Congregation.

The fourth issue of the Passionist tricentenary bulletin, Jubilaeum was recently released. Its focus? Hope and renewal.