The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Saint Inocencio Canoura Arnau, Priest and Martyr (1887-1934)

innocencia-canouraBlessed Inocencio of Mary Immaculate (Emanuele Canoura Arnau) was born on March 10, 1887, in Santa Lucia del Valle de Oro, Spain. Professed a Passionist on July 27, 1905 and ordained a priest on September 20, 1913. He was most zealous in exercising this ministry in various communities of his religious province (Precious Blood). During the so-beato_inocencio_de_la_inmaccalled “Revolution of Asturias of 1934”, while he was celebrating mass in the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Turón, he, together with eight LaSalle Brothers, was taken prisoner by those who were filled with hatred for religion. All were executed on October 9, 1934. Inocencio, together with those martyred with him, was canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Printed by Passionist Generalate, Rome 1992 with update of Canonization.

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.”