Exploring your vocation with the Congregation of the Passion

Passionist Ministry.

 

The primary ministry of every Passionist is to “Preach Christ Crucified”.  However, this is expressed in the various ways in which the Passionists express their ministry.  

 

The ministries of the Passionists cover a variety of fields ranging from organising and leading retreats and missions in parishes or within Passionist retreat houses, lecturing at tertiary level, running parishes as parish priests, giving spiritual direction, writing, being chaplains at hospitals and schools, being administrators and managers, working for the United Nations.... the list goes on.  

 

In short, we believe that the particular ministry each one of us is called to, should be supported and exercised.  Read about what some of the Passionists have to say about ministry!

 

Every Passionist takes inspiration from the Founder of the Congregation, St Paul of the Cross, who set the vision for what the Passionists are to do.  This vision, although much of our ministry has changed over the centuries, still remains true to what St Paul of the Cross envisaged, and that is to be there for the weak, the poor, the suffering by reaching out with the loving compassion of Jesus Christ.

What Passionists say about their ministry:

 

Fr Brian Traynor CP.

Brian is a priest and currently, is a member of our community at Holy Cross Monastery, Melbourne. He is a member of the Provincial Council and Co-ordinator of our Province Formation Commission; he is also the Passionist Director of the Passionist Family Group Movement in New Zealand.

 

"Ever since the Passionists began we have been striving to find a balance between ministry and community. We say we are called to live ‘apostolic community’ and if we forego one of these aspects, the other is diminished.

 

"Having said that, it is clear that we do not just ‘sit in community’. We are called to engage in mission, so our ministry is vital. There are a variety of ways we do this and it’s not so important what we do, but how we do it. Our founder, St Paul of the Cross, urged Passionists to ‘exhaust every means possible to preach the message of the cross (God’s love)’.  My conviction is that we must bring compassion to those we engage with. In my own case, there are wonderful opportunities for doing this by preaching parish missions and engaging in leadership training, especially with Passionist Family Groups."

 

 

Fr Chris Monaghan CP

 

Just the other day as I was taking a walk, I was wondering about what would be my response if I was given the option to live my life over again.

I’m either a slow learner or I enjoy the roller coaster
because I’d still be

a Passionist.

Fr Kevin Dance CP 

Looking back over my life as a Passionist, I see a procession of
wonderfully diverse men with very human faces – compassionate men,
all a touch eccentric!       
As I grow into an understanding of my Passionist identity, it becomes clearer that the human face of Jesus, his passion for those who do not matter, the gifts of compassion, humour &  humanity,
are the real tools I need to share on the road with others.