PASSIONIST CHARISM

The Sisters of the Cross and Passion are part of a global Passionist Family. Elizabeth Prout was the foundress of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. In order to get approval from the Vatican to become a congregation within the Catholic Church, she was asked to connect with an existing order. It was natural for Elizabeth to link with the Passionists who had guided her journey and been both an influence and a support to her.

The Passionist charism emanated from St Paul of the Cross’s life journey and evolved over time. In experiencing poverty and in practising contemplative prayer he made the connection between his own sufferings and those of Jesus in his Passion. Like St Paul the Apostle, he had a strong sense that no suffering could come between God and us. Paul expressed his desire not just to dwell on suffering but to be faithful to God’s will for him in which he trusted. This enabled his to accept setbacks, physical sickness and suffering. He handed this over “into the loving hands of God.”
Today we have to adapt his vision for our times. As Passionists, we believe that remembering the cross means remembering those in the world who bear the cross today: the poor, the disabled, the sick, the dying, the grieving, those isolated and alone – all who share a burden of pain. Jesus clearly identified himself with the ‘least’, sharing their burdens and bringing them hope. Living our charism today calls us to challenge those aspects of our lives and of our culture that are out of tune with the Gospel values. We try to do this by integrating study and prayer with reading the signs of the times in everyday life.

We, Sisters of the Cross and Passion, while being linked to and influenced by the Passionist charism, have given expression to that charism in our own unique way. Building upon Elizabeth’s foundation, today the Sisters endeavour to continue to live out the corporate mission of the Congregation to be “prophets of the Paschal Mystery in the midst of the sufferings of the world by witnessing to the reconciling, forgiving and compassionate love of God in terms which the world is able to understand.”

Our ministries have diversified and evolved over time and our focus is Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. We work in collaboration with the many other people who try to be the Good News in our world.