The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Holy Cross Province News

Live with Passion!

Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP
Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP

Live with Passion!

Fr. Cedric’s program “Live with Passion!” is available on the Church Channel. The Church Channel is a subsidiary of the Trinity Broadcasting Network and has a national and international outreach. More information at http://www.churchchannel.tv/

Dish 258/Direct 371/Fios/ATT U-verse/Sky Angel, some cable systems and digital/antenna. (Houston 14.2 and other cities)

Airs: Saturday 9 pm Eastern/ 6 pm Pacific and Thursday 11:30 am Eastern and 7:30 am Pacific. More information at: http://www.frcedric.org/

Tell a friend, tune in and Live with Passion!

Good Things are Happening in Haiti

Father Hugo Esparza-Pérez, CP, visited Haiti for a week in early September. He worked at St. Luke’s Foundation painting walls and preparing tilapia to be frozen. A new Tilapia Project will feed the children of the orphanage and will create jobs and income for St. Luke’s Foundation.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was celebrated in the residence of the Passionist students. Residents of the neighborhood joined the Passionists as well.

 

Haiti 1
Passionist Fathers Rick Frechette, Hugo Esparza-Perez and Enzo del Brocco in Haiti.
Haiti 2
Father Hugo with the Passionist students and neighbors.
Haiti 3
Father Hugo (2nd from left), Max, Jill and Carielou, Passionist students in Haiti.

 

It Takes a Village to Make a Priest…

…and it Takes a Priest to Hold the Village Together

On Sunday, September 20, the parish communities of Holy Family and St. Mary’s gathered at Holy Family Church in Birmingham, Alabama, for a farewell celebration Mass for Fr. Bob Crossmyer, CP.  A reception was held after Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral. After more than 20 years as Pastor at Holy Family, Fr. Bob is going on sabbatical. He will return to Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School next year to resume teaching.

The theme for the day was, “It takes a village to make a priest, and it takes a priest to hold the village together.” The outpouring of love and gratitude for Fr. Bob was evident throughout the day. It can best be summed up by Holy Family’s parishioners:

“Through his leadership as Pastor, Fr. Bob has planted and cultivated seeds that have aided in our spiritual growth for the past 20 years. As an educator, he not only taught us the Word of God, but was a teacher at Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, and has remained a committed supporter of Holy Family Catholic Academy. He was also dedicated to the needy and homeless of the Ensley community, and has been available to all, whether it be for healing the sick, death, marriage, baptism or counseling. In the last 20 years, Fr. Bob has presided over 162 Baptisms; 145 First Communions; 157 Confirmations; 60 new members through the RCIA program; 23 marriages and 166 funerals.

It was hard work, but we made an even better Priest out of him and he definitely held us together!”

Congratulations Fr. Bob!  We look forward to your return next year!

Bob Mass 1
Father Justin Nelson, CP, Deacon Walter Henderson and Bishop Emeritus David Foley look on as Bob Crossmyer welcomes the congregation at Mass.

 

Bob Mass 2
Father Phil Paxton, CP, honored Father Bob and the Holy Family parish community during his homily.

 

Bob Mass 3
The congregation was treated to a beautiful expressive dance at the end of Mass.
Bob Mass 4
Father Phil Paxton, CP, Father Bob Crossmyer, CP, Bishop Robert Baker, Birmingham, Alabama, and Father Justin Nelson, CP, at the reception at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

 

Province Leadership

The election of new our Provincial and Council for Holy Cross Province took place during our Provincial Chapter, held June 10-16, 2015.

Congratulations to our new leadership!

Provincial and Council
(l-r): Fathers Alex Steinmiller, CP; Phil Paxton, CP; Joe Moons, CP; (Provincial Superior), Jim Strommer, CP; and David Colhour, CP.

 

Interested in a Retreat?

Retreat NewsOur four Passionist retreat centers are halfway through an exciting 2014-2015 season. We welcome men, women and young people throughout the year to a variety of retreat experiences. Click on this year’s themes to read more about them:

Christ the King Retreat Center,
Citrus Heights, CA
Retreat Theme:  Living the Joy of the Gospel

Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center,
Sierra Madre, CA
Retreat Theme: Holy Waiting….In a World that Can’t Wait

Holy Name Retreat Center,
Houston, TX
Retreat Theme:   Meeting the Jesus I Never Knew, Becoming Companions at the Foot of the Cross

St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center,
Detroit, MI
Retreat Theme:   “Healing Life’s Hurts:  Embracing New Hope” 

Vice Provincial Council in India

St. Thomas the Apostle Vice-Province
Vice-Provincial Council

Over 30 years ago, we, The Passionists, began our first foundation in India. Over the years it has grown. It is with great praise and admiration for our Passionists in India,who are now considered a Vice-Province in the Passionist Congregation.  This is a sign of great maturity and independence being recognized and celebrated. They elected their first superior and council as a Vice Province. May the Holy Spirit guide them and continue to empower them within their culture.

India Vice Provincial Council

St. Thomas the Apostle Vice-Provincial Council:

(l-r): Fr. Edwin Jenish, CP, Consultor
Fr. Sony Kannanaikal, CP, Consultor
Fr. Tomy Kanjirathinkal, CP, Vice Provincial
V. Rev. Joachim Rego, CP, Superior General of the Passionist Congregation
Fr. Antony X. Tharayil, CP, Consultor
Fr. Roy Srampical, CP, Consultor

Ash Wednesday

On March 2, the Church celebrates Ash Wednesday. 

Most of us learned early in our Catholic lives that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and that is a time of special sacrifice in preparation for the Easter celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Dear brothers and sisters, every moment of our lives is a time for believing, hoping and loving…. These words of Pope Francis, taken from his Lenten Message of last year, 2021, and echoing the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, can still inspire our answer to the question: “What am I giving up for Lent?” 

We can draw our Lenten sacrifices out of our daily life: 

Share our faith in God’s presence by sharing in prayer with our family or with those in our parish community.
Share our hope in God’s promises by encouraging positive and respectful dialogue in our family circle and among our friends. 
Share the charity God has bestowed on us in the Passion of Jesus, with those whose sufferings are ignored or aggravated.

Let us pray for one another as we enter the season of Lent. Our Passionist “motto” can be our daily prayer during Lent, “May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts.”