The Passionists

The Passionists are a religious order of priests, brothers, and sisters “who proclaim God’s love for the world revealed through the Passion of Jesus Christ.” Founded in Italy by St. Paul of the Cross in in1741, today there are over two thousand Passionists serving in nearly sixty countries around the world. In the United States, the Passionist priests and brothers have two provinces, serving primarily in the Midwest, southwest and western United States. Traditionally, their main apostolate has been preaching missions and retreats. According to Saint Paul of the Cross, they were founded in order to “teach people how to pray”, which they do through activities such as retreats and missions, spiritual direction, and prayer groups. The community is led by a superior general who is elected every six years. This photograph from the early 1950’s shows a group of new Passionists taking vows.