Prior to 1906, all the Passionists in the United States were part of one province—St. Paul of the Cross—which was headquartered in Pittsburgh. But as the Congregation pushed westward, it became increasingly difficult for the religious to cover such a vast territory and for the Provincial to govern it, so the Province was divided in two.
Holy Cross Province was officially created in the summer of 1906 in Louisville, Kentucky, site of the still present Sacred Heart Monastery. Fr. Charles Lang was appointed the first Provincial for the new western Province, which included Passionist ministries in Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, and St. Paul, Kansas, in addition to Louisville. Although the first provincial decided to reside near St. Louis, today’s Provincial headquarters is in Chicago.
Over the years Holy Cross Province has continued to grow, with ministries and communities added in Birmingham, Des Moines, Houston, Orlando, Sacramento and Los Angeles areas, Detroit, San Antonio, and Carbondale, Illinois. Some sites were closed in later years, but the majority remain open and active today.
Overseas, Holy Cross Province assigned missionaries to Japan in 1952 and to Korea in 1963; both of these missions grew strong and are now independent territories. In 1981, the Passionists responded to a call to establish a mission in the southern part of India. Today, Passionist vocations and programs of outreach continue to thrive there. The Passionists of Holy Cross Province have also served in China, Germany, the Philippines, and Jamaica, West Indies.
The last 10 years in particular have been a time of great collaboration between vowed Passionists and lay men and women. The religious members of Holy Cross Province have actively invited lay people to join them in advancing the charism of St. Paul of the Cross, founder of the Congregation of the Passion. From this outreach came the creation of the Community of Passionist Partners (CPPs) which currently has more than 250 lay members.
Today, vocation efforts, faithful service to God’s people, and increased formation of lay people in the Passionist spirituality ensure the ongoing vibrancy of the Passionist Community for decades to come.
