The History of The Passionists
The Passionists were founded to live a life of prayer, poverty, penance and solitude, and to go forth as apostolic preachers to proclaim the ignominies and glories of the cross.
In 1852 Michael O'Connor, the first Bishop of Pittsburgh, recognizing the need for such a group of dedicated men for his diocese, petitioned the Passionist Superior in Rome to send such men to PITTSBURGH. In that year four Passionists, Frs. Anthony Calandri, Albinus Magno, Stanislaus Parczyk, and Brother Lawrence DiGiacomo left Italy and landed in Philadelphia on November 15. After traveling to Pittsburgh Fr. Calandri chose a ridge top south of Pittsburgh overlooking a point of land where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River, symbolically for the Passionists as well as for the country, a gateway to the Americas.
It was a difficult undertaking, but with God's help, the goodwill, courage and hard work of those pioneer Passionists, and the assistance of good friends and kind benefactors, the cornerstone of the monastery was laid on August 7, 1853, and was made ready for occupancy in June, 1854. In December, 1855, retreat rooms were set aside for the first time at the monastery and Father Gaudentius Rossi preached the first Passionist retreat in the New World. A few months later, with Bishop O'Connor in attendance, the first diocesan retreat took place at St. Paul's Monastery, and the first Diocesan Synod shortly after that. Later in the same year, more Passionists came from Europe to join the Monastery. The Charter of Incorporation granted to the Passionists by the State of Pennsylvania in April, 1860, symbolically marked the expansion of their work not only in Pittsburgh, but in other parts of the country as well. The first Passionists in America rendered invaluable service to the hard pressed clergy of the Pittsburgh diocese and helped establish new parishes: St. Michael's on the South Side; St. Joseph's, Mt. Oliver; St. Anne's, Castle Shannon. Their specialized work of preaching missions and retreats began in earnest in 1859 and has continued all over America and overseas to the present day. By 1965, the Passionists of the eastern province numbered over 600 men and served in the states and two overseas missions.
The following links will direct you to informational Passionist websites throughout the Internet. The links are arranged by general topics.
The Passionist Historical Archives
Fr. Viktor Koch, C.P.
The Very Reverend Fr. Viktor Koch (1873-1955) was a Passionist missionary who left Pittsburgh in 1922 to co-found a new province of the Order in Germany and Austria. While struggling to lead the new German-Austrian Foundation through the chaos of Nazi rule, Fr. Koch became the revered spiritual leader to citizens of the devout Catholic town of Schwarzenfeld. His influence and presence in the Bavarian town proved especially vital in the final days of World War II, when American forces discovered a mass grave on Schwarzenfeld’s border and threatened reprisals against the townspeople. Fr. Viktor’s story is being researched by his great nephew Gary Koch and his great grandneice Katherine Koch. A historical fiction novel about Fr. Viktor’s travails in Nazi Germany is in progress. Learn more about the book and research project at the website here.
See and hear Katherine Koch present Fr. Victor Koch’s story in Germany
