2006 Passionist General Chapter

The 2006 General Chapter of the Passionists will be held at Sts. John and Paul’s Monastery in Rome during the month of October.

Read more about the General Chapter  here

14th September 1737 … from the writings of St Vincent Strambi, C.P.

The long-wished-for day arrived at last, the first retreat of the Congregation of the Passion was completed, and upon the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 1737, the Church of the Presentation was solemnly consecrated by the Vicar General of Orbetello, who was empowered to perform the ceremony by Cardinal Altieri. A Brief was obtained from Pope Clement XII, dated August 31st, of the same year, and then Father Paul and his companions took possession of their house. The servant of God, writing to the same pious friend, speaks of the event in these terms, “After some trouble we procured a Brief from
Rome. When the church and house had been blessed, our little Congregation made its solemn entry into the retreat on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It was my office to head this procession with the cross. I was followed by eight companions, four priests and four brothers. The function concluded with a discourse suitable to the occasion. All serve God fervently here, except the unworthy writer of this epistle.”

Strambi, Volume 1,  Chapter XXI

Anniversary of the Blessing of Presentation Retreat, Monte Argentario (1737)

“Despite the ups and downs that gave the community a sense of uncertainty at times, the blessing of the new retreat dedicated to the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple took place on 14th September 1737. The community numbered five priests: the three Danei brothers, Fulgentius and Charles; and four lay brothers: Peter, Hyacinth and two others whose names are unknown to us.

In addition to the church, it consisted of fifteen cells, infirmary and other necessary places: choir, sacristy, library, kitchen, refectory, storeroom, community room etc., all fulfilling the prescriptions of the primitive rule: “The church shall be of moderate size, with no more than three chapels; care will be taken that everything be as decent and clean as possible. The cells of the retreat shall be about seven feet in width and about nine in length, if possible less rather than more. Offices are to be proportionate to the number of brothers who are in the house; so also the reflectory; the corridor of the dormitory shall be of such width as to allow the passage of two persons; care should be taken that the walls of the cells, dormitory and offices be not too white in order that all reflect poverty and holy recollection.”

History of the Passionists (Vol. 1), Fabiano Girogini, C.P., p. 120 and 122.

Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows – the Passionists Glasgow

The Passionists of St. Mungo’s in Glasgow (Scotland) have made available online the sermons from their Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows.

You can listen to the sermons  here

Read more about St. Michael Archangel

More information about St. Michael Archangel from the Catholic Encyclopedia  here

And more from Wikipedia  here