During the month of April

2nd April 1722 – St. Paul of the Cross and his brother, Ven. John Baptist, arrive at Monte Argentario

4th April 1694 – Birth of Ven. John Baptist of St. Michael the Archangel, brother of St. Paul of the Cross

10th April 2022 – Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

12th April 1727 – St. Paul of the Cross and Ven. John Baptist receive subdiaconate at St. John Latern Basilica in Rome

14th April 2022 – Thursday of the Lord’s Supper

15th April 2022 – Friday of the Passion of the Lord

16th April 2022 – Holy Saturday

16th April 1755 – Father Fulgentius Pastorelli died in the Grazi House in Orbetello and is buried on Monte Argentario. He is one of the first Passionists and a faithful friend of St. Paul of the Cross

17th April 2022 – Sunday of the Resurrection

17th April 1695 – Baptismal Day of Ven. John Baptist of St. Michael the Archangel

18th April 1746 – Approval of the Passionist Rule by Pope Benedict XIV

23rd April 1719 – Confirmation Day of St. Paul of the Cross and his brother, Ven. John Baptist of St. Michael the Archangel in Castellazzo by Bishop Gattinara

Pope Francis | Forgive us for war, O Lord

Pope Francis, General Audience, 16 March 2022 –

Dear Brothers and Sisters, in the midst of suffering from this war in Ukraine, let us say a prayer together, asking the Lord for forgiveness and for peace. We will recite a prayer written by Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples, Italy:

Forgive us for war, O Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners! Lord Jesus, born in the shadows of bombs falling on Kyiv, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus, who died in a mother’s arms in a bunker in Kharkiv, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus, a 20-year-old sent to the frontlines, have mercy on us! Lord Jesus, who still behold armed hands in the shadow of your Cross, have mercy on us! Forgive us, O Lord. Forgive us, if we are not satisfied with the nails with which we crucified Your hands, as we continue to slate our thirst with the blood of those mauled by weapons. Forgive us, if these hands which You created to tend have been transformed into instruments of death. Forgive us, O Lord, if we continue to kill our brother. Forgive us, if we continue like Cain to pick up the stones of our fields to kill Abel. Forgive us, if we continue to justify cruelty with our labours, if we legitimise the brutality of our actions with our pain. Forgive us for war, O Lord. Forgive us for war, O Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, we implore You! Hold fast the hand of Cain! Illumine our consciences. May our will not be done. Abandon us not to our own actions! Stop us, O Lord, stop us! And when you have held back the hand of Cain, care also for him. He is our brother. O Lord, put a halt to the violence! Stop us, O Lord! Amen

19 March – Feast of St. Joseph

St. Joseph is the Co Patron of the Passionist Congregation.

Pope Francis says – “I have a great love of St. Joseph, because he is a man of silence and strength. On my table I have an image of St. Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep he is taking care of the church. Yes! We know that he can do that. So when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note and put it under the sleeping St. Joseph, so that he can dream about it. In other words I tell him: pray for this problem.”

St. Mary MaKillop writes in 1893: “We see in St. Joseph a perfect mirror of confidence in God – a wonderful, unbounded confidence in our good God.”

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We pray that like St. Joseph we will relieve suffering and bring hope to those around us.

We pray for parents, especially those bringing up children alone.

We pray for families made refugees by discrimination, wars and natural disasters. We pray for the people of Ukraine.

Prayer for Peace and Justice in Ukraine

Passionist Sisters in Villa Hidalgo ….

Passionist Sisters Maria Angelica Agorta and Florencia Buruchaga: “We are Passionist because we accompany the passion of men and women, especially the most neglected,” Buruchaga said.

Passionist Sisters