Cardinal Moran assigns first Passionists to Marrickville

Cardinal Patrick Moran, Archbishop of Sydney

“His Eminence congratulated the people of Marrickville on the privilege of having the Passionists established in their district.

“Of all the duties which had devolved upon himself since he took change of the diocese none had given him more gratification than that of establishing the devoted sons of St. Paul of the Cross in that place. When the foundations of the Marrickville church were laid, it would be remembered, he announced to them, that the special devotion of the church would be the Passion of Our Lord.  At that time he had not the remotest thought or hope that it would be their privilege and their happiness to have as their pastors the devoted spiritual labourers who were the standard bearers of that particular devotion. However, when he received the good new that the Passionits were coming to Sydney he immediately set apart as a fitting place for them that church to commence their labours in Australia.”

- Freeman’s Journal, 3rd October 1888.