cpvocations.com.au -
The Vocations Director
Fr Kevin Hennessy, C.P.
We Passionists of the Holy Spirit Province (of Australia New Zealand and Papua New Guinea) continue to make vocations a high priority. We commit ourselves to the task of inviting and discerning with those who consider they may have a call from the Lord, to follow him as a vowed member to the Congregation of the Passion.
I am passionate about being a Passionist and I feel privileged to have walked this road with over five thousand professed men and women in more than 59 countries. We Religious vow to live a life centred on the Passion of Jesus; a life of poverty, obedience and celibacy.
Living a life in community challenges us to respond with generosity to the needs of others. Our Communities are called to live in brotherhood in prayer and ministry as Passionists while some may be called by God to be a priest. I hope this brochure enables you to begin a possible journey with us in the discerning of God's call to Religious life. I would be delighted to receive an email, SMS, phone call or a letter from you. Let’s walk together to see what God is calling you to.
If you are reading this, you’re probably thinking about your future. Perhaps you feel a restlessness within and a call to a more meaningful way of life. Perhaps you are the kind of person who is looking for the challenge of “the road less travelled”. You may be wondering if you are being faithful to your true self, if there’s a more fulfilling way to use the talents and strengths God has given you. Maybe you’ve heard about a Passionist, or you may have met a Passionist and you would like to know more about our community, our ministry, our prayer lives, our passion for life!
Whatever your reason, I’d like to hear from you.
Discerning your vocation is a process of discovery aided by prayer and contact with a mentor. It is about exploring important personal goals that will require openness and honesty. Initial Discernment is a first serious look into whether you have a vocation to religious life, and in particular, to our Passionist Community.
A Passionist will explore with you some of the thoughts and feelings that have led you to this point. This journey of initial discernment will also involve partnering with a Spiritual Director and a prayer partner.
The next stage is the Formal Discernment. You will do this with a vowed Passionist who will accompany you as we ask you to take a deeper look at your faith life and of your understanding of religious life and the reasons leading you to the Passionists.
You will also learn more about how Passionists live in community and the various kinds of ministries Passionists are involved with. This all takes place while living in a formation community with Passionists.
You will learn more about our founder, St Paul of the Cross and about our Passionist
Charism -
As your formal discernment progresses, you and your accompanier will decide if your are called to enter into the Novitiate phase of formation.
What is important to keep in mind is that the discernment process is a process of
dialogue with your accompanier and other Passionists and experiencing the Passionist
way of life first-