Passionist Institute

I am in Ireland for the Passionist Spirituality Institute at Dromantine Retreat Centre, near Newry. On the way here, we visited Newry Cathedral and were fortunate enough to get there just after the arrival of the relics of Saint Claude la Colombière. I had been present at his canonisation, so I was pleased to be part of the crowd welcoming his relics to Ireland.

We began last night with a presentation from Father Gary on the Passionists and the Laity. There are almost sixty people taking part in this Spirituality Institute, of whom about one fifth are professed Passionists and the other four fifths laypeople who are praying and working with us through our communities, parishes and other ministries.

This morning we looked at the film documentary version of As a Seal upon your Heart, the life of Saint Paul of the Cross, presented on film by Martin Sheen. During the course of the day, I gave a talk on my favourite text of Saint Paul of the Cross, the Preface to the Rule, in which he explains the inspirations from God which led him to found the Passionists. Later I spoke about the Spiritual Diary of Saint Paul of the Cross, examining three themes from the Diary: the Eucharist, Suffering, and the Passion of Christ. As well as time for personal reading and reflection, and for small group discussion, we had an hour of questions and observations which I really enjoyed, because some very interesting and worthwhile things were said, and also because the question time is my chance to listen and be enriched on a day like this when I have to talk too much. Father Patrick Fitzgerald from Saint Joseph’s, Paris, celebrated a votive Mass of Saint Paul of the Cross before the evening meal; the day concluded with Eucharistic Adoration.

Tomorrow, I will be speaking about some authors who influenced Saint Paul of the Cross, especially Johannes Tauler and Saint Francis de Sales. After tomorrow, I will pass the baton to Father Frank Keevins from Mount Argus, who will talk about contemporary Passion spirituality (I think).