Renewing our mission
The Congregation of the Passion inaugurates its Jubilee on the occasion of 300 years of its life
- The Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, better known as the Passionists, will begin its Jubilee year on 22 November, and which will last until 01 January 2022.
- The theme of the Jubilee is "Renewing our mission: gratitude prophecy, and hope".
- Passionists have been proclaiming the Passion of Jesus Christ for 300 years as the ultimate expression of Jesus' love for all humanity and for creation.
On Sunday, 22 November, at 10:30 A.M., in the Basilica of Sts. John and Paul in Rome, the Passionist Jubilee begins with the opening of the Holy Door, followed by the Eucharistic celebration, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State as the principal concelebrant. The ceremony will be streamed on Facebook and Youtube channels "Passiochristi" and on the TV2000 website.
The theme of the Jubilee is "Renewing our mission: gratitude, prophecy and hope". The Superior General, Fr. Joachim Rego, explained the spirit of the Jubilee celebrations as follows: "Their goal to deepen our commitment to keeping alive the memory of the Passion of the Lord as the definitive expression of God's love for all people and for creation and to seek new ways to promote and remember the Passion of the Lord" ("Memoria Passionis").
In fact, no major public events are planned, with the exception of the International Congress, "The wisdom of the cross in a pluralistic world" which will take place in Rome at the Lateran University from 21 to 24 November 2021.
The date of the inauguration of the Jubilee, November 22, refers to the day when Paolo Danei, in 1720, a young man of 26 years of age, abandoned his commercial activity, and began a 40-day retreat in a cell of the church of San Carlo in Castellazzo (AL) during which he wrote the Rule of the future Congregation. He felt inspired to "gather companions to share and proclaim to the world the love of Jesus Crucified". His retreat ended on 01 January 1721. Hence the dates of the Passionist Jubilee: 22 November 2020 - 01 January 2022.
The following October, Paul went to Rome to present the Rule to the Pope for his approval; but, disheveled and without any official presentation, he was impeded from entering the papal palace. He consoled himself in front of the image of Our Lady "Salus Populi Romani"[Health of the Roman People] in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and there, he vowed to recall and help others to remember the Passion of Jesus Christ. Twenty years later he would have the joy of being told by the Pope-- "This Congregation is the last to be born but it should have been the first".
Paul was a mystic and at the same time a man of action, a preacher, and an exceptional spiritual director. He died in Rome in 1775.
It will be a Jubilee with sanitary face masks, hopefully only initially. Although the virus has impeded or postponed pilgrimages and meetings of the Passionist family, the jubilee maintains its value of personal commitment to renewal. Indeed, the grace of the Jubilee is to offer a new beginning, and new opportunities for a fulfilling life.
If the explosion of Covid 19 has made us say "Nothing will be as it was before", the Jubilee offers us energy so that "nothing will be as it was before" because everything is renewed on personal and social levels, as Pope Francis desires.
About the Passionist Congregation
The Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ was founded in 1720 by Paolo Danei, today Saint Paul of the Cross, a man inspired to heal the evils of the world by testifying and proclaiming that "The Passion of Jesus is the greatest and most wonderful work of divine love".
The Passionist Congregation is a missionary institute. Saint Paul of the Cross also founded the Congregation of Passionist Nuns (contemplative). The charism of Saint Paul of the Cross was also the inspiration for the foundation of 5 women's institutes and many lay movements, which together form the Passionist Family. In the 3 centuries of the life of the Congregation, the Church has received many saints. In addition to the Founder, one of the best known is the young Saint Gabriel of our Lady of Sorrows and many Blesseds and Venerables. Currently there are over 1903 Passionists, present on 5 continents, and in 63 countries.
Video of the Jubilee:
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