The Passionists

Paul Daneo known as St. Paul of the Cross founded groups of men and women to remember the sacrifice of the Cross and to see in our world the ‘contemporary suffering’ of Christ - in the lives of  today’s downtrodden and rejected. 

We are a group of Christian men, both ordained and non-ordained, who live in community and announce to the men and women of our times the Gospel of Christ. This community of apostles was founded by Paul of the Cross (Paul Daneo, 1694-1775) in 1720.The founder saw in the Passion of Jesus "the greatest work of Divine Love" and the revelation of the power of the Resurrection to overcome the forces of evil. He bequeathed to his followers the task of announcing to their contemporaries the love of God for each and every person shown in the passion and death of Jesus who rose victorious on Easter day. 

The Passionists make a special promise to promote the memory of the passion of Jesus by word and deed. They do this especially in preaching and various ministries among the poor, and the marginalised of every kind in whom they see the Crucified today. 

Saint Paul of the Cross gathered companions to live together and to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all.The first name he gave his community was "The Poor of Jesus". This was to indicate that their lives were to be based on evangelical poverty, which he held to be so necessary if they were to observe the other evangelical counsels: to persevere in prayer, and to preach the Word of the Cross in season and out of season. Moreover, he wanted them to live their lives like apostles. They were to foster and develop deep spirit of prayer, penance, and solitude and witness to His love.


Further information:
Brief Biography and Chronology of St. Paul of the Cross
The Passionist Family and Addresses of Its Generalates
Who are the Passionists?
Blessed Eugene Bossilkov, C.P., newly beatified martyr of the Cold War
The Way of the Cross with Saint Paul of the Cross
The Passionists, Tobar Mhuire, 1950-2000 (pdf)

Links:
Ministries and Projects Around the World 
Passionist Materials on the Web Other links of interest