Saint Paul of the Cross - Founder of the Passionist Congregation, 1694-1775

Saint Paul of the Cross ^ | SaintPauloftheCross.com

[Salvation]

Saint Paul of the Cross
Founder of the Passionist Congregation
1694-1775

Feastday Memorial: Oct 19 in the Universal Church and Oct. 20 in the USA (more info here)

"When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. " (Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 2, 1-2)

"...but we preach Jesus crucified..."

-St Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1, 23)

Welcome to this website which is devoted to St Paul of the Cross. St Vincent Strambi, Paul's first biographer writing only 11 years after his death, stated that the Holy Spirit raised up Paul of the Cross to help people find God in their heart. Paul was convinced that God is most easily found by us in the Passion of Jesus Christ. He saw the Passion as being the most overwhelming sign of God's love for us, and at the same time our best means for union with Him.

St Paul is most notable for his fervent love for God and his special devotion to the Passion of Jesus. Inspired and led by God, Paul travelled throughout Italy, preaching missions with a particular emphasis on the passion of Jesus. Along with his preaching vocation he was also inspired by God to found a order of Priests and Nuns devoted specifically to the Passion of Jesus. Thus, by the express will of God and through Paul's continual prayers and sacrifices, he eventually became the founder and was elected the first Superior General of the "Congregation of Discalced Clerks of the Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord", more commonly known as the Passionists.

The devil, knowing in advance all the glory that the members of the Passionist Congregation would give to God, and of all the souls that would be snatched from him through their continual acts of sacrifice and penance, sought in earnest to inspire as much opposition as possible, in a hellish effort to block its foundation. And so it was that through many years of toil, sacrifices and sufferings that Paul, with the help of God, eventually founded the Passionist Congregation of Priests, and a few years later the Passionist Nuns.

Paul often spent many hours in prayer and adoration before Jesus crucified. Throughout his many travels while preaching missions and making foundations of his Passionist Order, he always carried with him a large wooden crucifix in honor of our Lord's Passion, thus he became known by the popular name of "Paul of the Cross". Undoubtedly the two greatest characteristics of St Paul were his fervent devotion to the Passion of Jesus and also his extraordinary sacrifices and penances that he made for the conversion of sinners.

Throughout his religious life, Paul continuously sacrificed and made special penances and mortification's for the success of his preaching missions, that many souls may be converted. An example of his many penances was that he went barefoot in all his travels throughout Italy, regardless of the harsh seasons and climates. And God, Who was pleased with the heroic sacrifices and devotion of His servant, chose to perform countless extraordinary miracles through Paul's intercession and prayers. As he went about doing good, the frequent extraordinary signs from heaven that accompanied him were a sign to all that God was with him in a most remarkable way. Like his holy predecessors the Apostles, immense crowds gathered and followed him as he went about preaching from town to town. His great love for God and his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary radiated to the crowds with remarkable unction through both his words and his actions, thereby causing countless conversions everywhere he went. His austere manner of life, full of sacrifices and penances, encouraged the people to make reparation to God for their own sins.

~St Paul of the Cross, pray for us!

[Salvation]

I found this some time ago -- has a lot of additional information.

Kept it and here it is for you!

[Salvation]

Words and sayings of Saint Paul of the Cross:

"I want to set myself on fire with love...I want to be entirely on fire with love...and I want to know how to sing in the fire of love."

"Look upon the face of the Crucified, who invites you to follow Him. He will be a Father, Mother--everything to you."

"Oh Love, oh fire of charity; how powerful You are!"

"I enjoy remaining on the Cross. How beautiful it is to suffer for Jesus!"....."I rejoice in the nails that hold me crucified"

"Ah, my Supreme Good. What were the sentiments of your Sacred Heart when You were scourged? My beloved Spouse, how greatly did the sight of my grievous sins and my ingratitude afflict You! Oh, my only Love, why do I not die for You? Why am I not overwhelmed with sorrow? And then I feel that sometimes my spirit can say no more but remains thus in God with His sufferings infused into the soul- and sometimes it seems as if my heart would break.”

"Your crosses dear God, are the joy of my heart. How beautiful to suffer with Jesus!"

"I hope that God will save me through the merits of the Passion of Jesus. The more difficulties in life, the more I hope in God. By God's grace I will not lose my soul, but I hope in His mercy."

"I am a bottomless pit and deserve no light, so unworthy am I."

"Christ Crucified is a work of love. The miracle of miracles of love. The most stupendous work of the love of God. The bottomless sea of the love of God, where virtues are found, where one can lose oneself in love and sorrow. A sea and a fire or a sea of fire. The most beneficial means of abandoning sin and growing in virtue, and so in holiness."

"At holy Communion I had much sweetness. My dear God gave me infused knowledge of the joy which the soul will have when we see him face to face, when we will be united with Him in holy love. Then I felt sorrow to see Him offended and I told Him that I would willingly be torn to pieces for a single soul. Indeed, I felt that I would die when I saw the loss of so many souls who do not experience the fruit of the Passion of Jesus.”

"Oh my Love, what happened to Your heart in the Garden! Oh, what suffering; what shedding of blood! What bitter agony, and all for me!".

"I felt pain in seeing my dear God so offended. I could faint from seeing so many souls lost for not feeling the fruit of the Passion of Jesus. A desire to convert all sinners will not leave me."

"Oh good Jesus, how swollen, bruised, and defiled with spittle do I behold Thy
countenance! O my Love! Why do I see Thee all covered with wounds? Oh
infinite sweetness, why are Your bones laid bare? Ah, what sufferings! What
sorrows! O my God, why are You all wounded? Ah, dear sufferings! Dear wounds! I wish to keep you always in my heart."

"Oh Jesus, my Love, may my heart be consumed in loving Thee; make me
humble and holy; give me childlike simplicity; transform me into thy holy
love. O Jesus, life of my life, joy of my soul, God of my heart, accept my heart as an altar, on which I will sacrifice to Thee the gold of ardent charity, the incense of continual, humble and fervent prayer, and the myrrh of constant sacrifices! Amen."

"The world lives unmindful of the sufferings of Jesus, which are the miracle of miracles of the Love of God"

"Oh my good God, how gentle You are! How sweet You are! Oh dear cross, I embrace you and press you to my heart!"

"We ought to glory in nothing other than the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are blessed and don't know it. You have Jesus Crucified with you."

-Words of St Paul of the Cross

[Salvation]

And some additional reading!

 Venerable Father John Baptist -Brother of St Paul of the Cross and 2nd foundation stone of the Passionist Congregation

The practice of holiness in the words of St Paul of the Cross 

 St Paul of the Cross on Sickness and suffering 

Words and Quotes of St Paul of the Cross

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[Salvation]

Saint Paul of the Cross - Founder of the Passionist Congregation, 1694-1775
A Brief Biography Of Saint Paul Of The Cross[Founder of the Passionists]

[AnAmericanMother]

More pictures here.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Thanks for posting this!

Our favorite Passionist (I've known him since I was 15):

(My oldest son completed a 40 day retreat with him this past winter.)

[Salvation]

That is beautiful. Thanks.

[Salvation]

This is the first time I noticed the heart on their habits. Do you know what the words are inside of the heart?

[Brian Kopp DPM]

The Passionist Sign

On a summer evening in Castellazzo, while on his way home after Mass, St. Paul of the Cross tells us,

“While walking I was recollected in prayer: when I turned the corner to go home I was raised up by God to the heights of recollection to the point of forgetting everything else and sensed an interior sweetness: it was at this moment that I saw myself, in spirit, vested in black from head to toe, with a white cross on my breast and under the cross the Most Holy name of Jesus in white letters.”

The special insignia of every Passionist is the “Sign,” the heart-shaped emblem you see on this page. It catches, in an image, the meaning of Passionist life.

In the middle of the emblem are the words, “Jesu XPI Passio.” Written in Greek and Latin, the languages of the early Church, these words mean: “the Passion of Jesus Christ.” (The three nails at the bottom and the cross at the top remind us symbolically of His suffering and death.)

Every Passionist takes a special vow, a solemn promise, to spend his energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus. This vow defines the purpose of the Passionist community. We pledge to keep deep in our hearts the memory of the cross and to do what is in our power to remind others of it.

[Salvation]

**40 day retreat **

What that for discernment about a vocation to the priesthood? If so, congratulations! If not, still I offer congratulations on the dedication of your son!

[Brian Kopp DPM]

What that for discernment about a vocation to the priesthood? If so, congratulations! If not, still I offer congratulations on the dedication of your son!

Yes, thanks. During the course of the retreat, Mike discerned a vocation, which he had been praying about for a while prior to the retreat. He is seriously considering military chaplaincy, but he is not certain yet exactly where God is calling him. (At 17, Mike was the youngest man ever to complete the 40 day retreat at this Passionist retreat house.)

[Salvation]

Wow! I didn’t even see the three nails at the bottom. Lump in my throat.

[Salvation]

LOL! I get too excited.

Was that

[Brian Kopp DPM]

At age 88, the priest in that photo still follows the traditional Passionist schedule:

2:00-3:00 AM      Divine Office (Office of Readings)
6:00 AM               Divine Office (Morning Prayer)
6:30 AM               Breakfast
7:30-8:00 AM      Mental Prayer in Common
8:00-9:00 AM      Eucharistic Celebration
9:00-9:30 AM      Mental Prayer in Common
11:45 AM             Divine Office (Midday Prayer)
12 Noon               Lunch
2:30 AM               Divine Office (Mid-afternoon Prayer)
5:00 PM               Divine Office (Evening Prayer)
8:00 PM               Rosary followed by Divine Office (Night Prayer)

[SuziQ]

We had already decided to name our first-born son, Paul, and he just happened to be born on Oct. 19th!! I didn’t find out for several days that he was born on St. Paul’s Feast Day! One of my cousins had a little girl that same day, and my older sister always called her Frideswide, because that was her Feast Day, too. ;o)

[Salvation]

Saint Paul of the Cross, priest

Saint Paul of the Cross, priest
Optional Memorial
October 19th
[In the dioceses of the United States, Ocotober 20th]

(1694-1775) Saint Paul was born in Liguria, Italy. He devoted himself to the service of the poor and the sick, and is best known for his apostolic zeal and his great penances. In 1720 he founded the Congregation of the Passion (the Passionists).

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

 

Collect:
Father,
you gave your priest St. Paul
a special love for the cross of Christ.
May his example inspire us
to embrace our own cross with courage.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.


Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:24-27
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.