Dear Friends:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD: As I write this note to you, it’s Friday morning, Sept. 8th. Before Mass, I spoke early this morning with Fr. Peter Grace on the phone. He’s a good friend. He asked if I realized it’s the feast of Mary’s Birthday. Other than Jesus, it’s only Mary and John the Baptist whose birthdays are celebrated with a special Mass. Today’s celebration of Mary’s birth is connected with Mary’s mother, St. Ann. Peter is Pastor in North Carolina of St. Ann’s Church in Clayton. It was at the basilica of St. Ann in Jerusalem, which was built near what was believed to be the home of Joachim and Ann, that the feast of Mary’s Birthday originated about the year 400. After I celebrated Mass this morning, I spent time praying and reflecting on the beautiful Mass and breviary prayers for today. We speak to Mary today and thank her in many of the prayers for Jesus and for her complete ‘Yes’ to God. Listen: “God saw her beauty and visited her in her lowliness.” “With heart and mind let us sing glory to Christ on this holy feast day of the glorious Virgin Mother of God.” “Your birth, O Virgin Mother of God, proclaims joy to the whole world, for from you arose the glorious Sun of justice, Christ our God.”  God blessed her humility and lowliness and chose her and she said “Yes.” The words of the Mass Preface sum it up: “Today, we celebrate that happy day on which the glorious and immaculate Mother of God appeared in the world like a shining star. After the sin of the first woman, there was finally opened to us the long-desired gate of life and we have been called by the Son of the Virgin Mary out of the darkness in to the joy of eternal light.” 
REGIONAL DAY – TUESDAY, Sept. 12th: Fr. Provincial has contacted all the Passionist priests and brothers in our Province which includes eastern USA, the Caribbean and several in Canada. We are all to be available on Tuesday 9-12 and 2-5 for a day of refection with him through the internet.  The day is entitled “Our Solidarity with Each Other and the World.” I will be studying the materials he has forwarded us to read. He has sent out five pages of notes and Scripture references which I will be studying this week-end. I want to be very prepared for the discussion. There are presentations scheduled to be given and references to Pope Francis’ call for a synodal Church that listens, discerns and acts in response to the challenges of today. Please note – the front door of the monastery will be open on Tuesday but no priests will be available for confessions until 1pm on Wednesday. This announcement will be made at all the Masses. We very much treasure the ministry in this house of confessions and remaining available six days a week. There will be times, like this, when there will be exceptions to our availability. Thank you for your understanding 
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: Our monthly Holy Hour for Vocations will be on Tuesday, Sept. 19th at 7pm. We will expose the Blessed sacrament and honor the Lord with song, silence, the rosary and benediction. It is a most beautiful hour for us to be in prayer and adoration. We ask in a special way for God to bless us with vocations and especially to the Passionists both men and women. Some people tell me it is one of the most beautiful hours of the month. It is honestly the same for me. I look forward to it and get disappointed when I am not able to lead it. This month we will pray especially to Bl. Grimoaldo, CP, a young Passionist Blessed and imitator of St. Gabriel.  I knew his niece and spoke with her a number of times. She lived near Rochester, NY. St. John Paul II beatified him in 1995. Thanks for praying with us.

Gratefully in Christ, 

Fr. Justn Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends,

WELCOME FR. MICHAEL GREENE, C.P.: Our Community was blessed with a new member this past week. Fr. Michael Greene has been assigned here to help in the Retreat Center. He will assist the new Director, Fr. Curtis. Fr. Michael is originally from the Bronx, NY and has been a member of various retreat teams. He worked in the radio and television apostolate in Scranton and NY. Besides his experience, he is a very nice person and a good and faithful priest. We are all quite happy that he is assigned here with us.

THIS TUESDAY-HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: Our monthly Holy Hour for Vocations will be on Aug. 8 at 7 PM. People tell me how much they appreciate that hour of prayer with Rosary and Benediction. Our Music Minister, Andrea Terlesky, always has a beautiful cantor to add to the beauty of the Hour. Our Passionist Community is not the largest in the Church. I hear several young men are applying at this time. St. Paul of the Cross had the custom of saying, “Few, but good.” I’d rather say, “Many, but good!” He also frequently said, “God sends us what we need at each moment.” Our trust is in Him.

BL. DOMINIC BARBERI, C.P.: This is a hero of mine. Born in 1792, he lived at the time of Napoleon’s attacks on the Catholic Church and suppression of religious communities. He worked as a shepherd for the uncle who raised him and was not given a formal education. It was on the hillsides that he learned to pray and, with the help of his parish priest, taught himself to read and write. It was a rough time for the Church and the Passionists. Napoleon was closing religious houses and monasteries in Italy. Dominic’s neighbor’s son was a Passionist priest who had to return home and live with his family. He invited Dominic to pray at his family’s chapel. There, Dominic experienced God calling him to be a Passionist and he had a mystical attraction to go to England. He entered the Passionists and was ordained in Rome in 1821. For the next 19 years, he shared the life and ministries of the Passionists in Italy. He taught theology and philosophy to the seminarians, regarded as an outstanding teacher and theologian. During this time, he never forgot God’s call to England and he prayed constantly for their conversion. He even learned the English language. He was elected Rector of the new monastery in Lucca and then served as Provincial. Pope Gregory XVI requested Fr. General to ask Dominic if he would be willing to establish Passionists in England: just what he had been waiting years for! He left for England in 1840 and until the end of his life worked for the conversion of the English and the establishment of the Passionist community there. He endured persecution and rejection but also had some great success. He died of a heart attack at the Reading, England train station at 3 PM, August 27, 1849.He received many English into the Catholic Church, among whom and the most famous is St. John Henry Newman, whom Pope Francis canonized in 2019. Dominic Barberi is indeed one of our heroes!

In Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P. 

Dear Friends:
PASSIONIST ASSOCIATES: This weekend Passionist Associates will speak at each Mass about who they are and what they do. They are recruiting new members. They are lay people who spend close to a year in studying what it means to be a Passionist. They look at our history, charism and ministry. After a period of prayer and formation, they decide whether or not to make promises to promote Passionist values and ministry. They help us in various ways and the professed Passionists join with them in activities throughout the year. Most of all they learn the spirit and charism of St. Paul of the Cross. Several Associates will speak before each of the Masses this weekend. Next weekend following the 10a.m. Sunday Mass, there will be a meeting for anyone interested in further information in the rose garden room at 11:15. You can also call the front office for further information. We are all very grateful for our Associates!
NEW BEGINNINGS: Our Retreat House, the first laymen’s retreat house in the entire U.S.A., continues its’ work of 103 years, with the new Retreat Director, Fr. Curtis Kiddy, C.P. We received word that the Provincial will be assigning another Passionist to assist Fr. Curtis. We welcome having another Passionist here.
HOLY HOUR WITH ST. MARIA GORETTI: We celebrated her feast day this month. We will ask her to accompany us at the Vocation Holy Hour on this Tuesday at 7pm June18th. We have the beautiful shrine to her in our church. Recently, we placed a relic of Maria there. Also, I have been in contact with the architect. We plan to add prayers and a place to kneel to seek Maria’s aid in living a pure life. There will be three prayers high-lighted. A prayer to help us be pure despite all the temptations that surround us in our culture daily. Another prayer will be for healing for people who have been hurt. And a third prayer for the conversion of the offenders. St. Maria taught us to avoid anything that could be displeasing to God and to even pray for the conversion of the offenders. She prayed that Allesandro, her murderer, would be converted. At Maria’s shrine in Corinaldo, Italy, her saintly mother, Assunta, is buried on one side in the rear of the church and on the other side is buried her attacker, Assesandro. Maria prayed for forgiveness even for her murderer.  He died repentant.  
THE MISSING PICTURE:  In the sanctuary of our beautifully renovated church, are three very vauable paintings by Hildreth Meier, who is called the ‘icon of the art-deco period.’ They are nearly 100 years old and painted originally for our church in Union City, NJ, St. Michael’s. During the recent church renovations, we received a most generous grant to have them restored. They are beautiful paintings of St. Paul of the Cross as Founder, the deathbed scene of St. Gabriel and St. Gemma rapt in prayer in the midst of preparing supper. There is also 1 empty wall. I am thinking of a Theodore Foley painting as a confessor who had great devotion to Mary. His Passionist title was Fr. Theodore of Mary Immaculate.
AIR CONDITIONING AND CHURCH REPAIRS: We are about to sign a contract to have repairs done on the façade of the church. A window blew out during a strong storm, it’s to the left of the St. Paul of the Cross statue on the facade. It seems to have something to do with the paint on the ceiling peeling. We have for now put plastic there.  Also, I am looking into getting bids for air conditioning the church. I could try to raise funds.  Let me know if you favor that or not.
Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.  

Dear Friends:
FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART: This past Friday was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacred Heart is the title of the parish where I was baptized, confirmed, attended school, said my first Mass and so on. This devotion developed in the Church. The Heart of Jesus has always been seen as the symbol of God’s love. In the Old Testament, God’s love is described to be like that of a parent for a child or a husband for a wife. In the New Testament, we adore and love the tender pierced heart of Jesus from which flows living waters. In the 1600’s, St. Margaret Mary and St. Claude de la Colombiere through their prayer, writings and visions helped the Sacred Heart of Jesus become an object of personal devotion and eventually a celebration and feast. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is filled with love to meet every need. At the feast day Mass this past Friday, was assigned a reading from Deuteronomy for the first reading. It’s one of my favorites. I prayed over it the night before the feast: “It is not because you are the greatest of all peoples that God set his heart on you, it is because He loves you.” I think that is one of the most beautiful lines in all of Scripture. God loves me because he chooses to love me. It is never because of anything we have or haven’t done. His love is greater than any human love. He chooses to love me and hold me to His Sacred Heart. We are called to rest in that love. That’s beautiful prayer.
FR. DONALD WARE RECIEVES NEW ASSIGNMENT: Our Pittsburgh Community is certainly changing. Fr. Curtis became Retreat Director this week. We also received word that Fr. Donald has been assigned to our Scranton Monastery. Fr Provincial has asked him to work at setting up a new type of program for the monastery. Recently, a diocesan priest was appointed Pastor and the Provincial wants to offer Passionist programs from the monastery. Donald served several terms as Vicar here and has led the Passionist Associates and been a member of the Retreat team. He is often in the front parlor helping in that ministry. He is very well known to so many Pittsburghers.  Thank him for his ministry and wish him well in Scranton.
ARRIVAL OF MEMBERS OF THE ROMAN TRIBUNAL: Members of the Roman Tribunal are arriving on Monday evening to investigate the cause of Fr. Theodore Foley for sainthood. The former General also served as Rector of this monastery before going to Rome to lead the world-wide Passionists. He was always thought of as an excellent holy Passionist. Since his death in 1974, he has been considered for sainthood. His cause for canonization was opened in Rome and his body was transferred here and entombed in our church. Many favors are reported to have been granted through his intercession and even claims of cures are now being noted. The Diocese of Rome where he died is sponsoring the movement toward his being considered for sainthood. This week people who are still living will attest to his holiness and others will attest to favors and cures that were thought to have come from his intercession. People who lived and worked with him are coming here to give testimony. Please keep this in your prayers. He was a great man and has been always held as very saintly among the Passionists of the U.S.A.

 MONTHLY HOLY HOUR: We will have our monthly Holy Hour for Passionist vocations this coming Tuesday from 7 to 8. The usual benediction, rosary and prayers. We will pray this month especially to Fr. Theodore to encourage young men in a Passionist Vocation. I know God hears these prayers. I will invite the Monsignor and Judge coming from Rome to be with us this night. I ask the Passionist Associates to try to be present. As I was writing this bulletin message. I received a call from a young man with whom I have been talking and have met with over past year about being a Passionist. He called to tell me he received application papers, after having met with our Vocation Director, to enter the formation program to be a Passionist. He said he is one of three who are applying. Keep your prayers up and come to the Holy Hours. Thank you so much. Through the intercession of Fr. Theodore, may God grant us holy vocations.
With much gratitude for all your help, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
THESE ARE NOVENA DAYS: Jesus died on a Friday – Good Friday. Rose from the dead on the following Sunday. We call it Easter. He walked among his friends. Came to them in bodily form. It was not a ghost. He ate with them. Ghosts don’t eat. He instructed them, forgave them, broke bread with them, shared in their work as fishermen – shared the Eucharist! Reassured them. Loved them. And forty days later on a Thursday, he led them out and commissioned them to go forth and preach the Gospel to all the world. He assured them of his presence and on that Thursday ascended into the heavens. He told them to wait for his special gift. For nine days the 11 Apostles stayed with Mary and prayed. A nine-day period of prayer! (We call it a novena.) Then on the 50th day after Easter, as they were praying, the Holy Spirit came upon them.  Jesus was true to His Word. He would not leave them orphans. That Sunday, the first Pentecost, buildings shook and a tremendous noise of wind was heard and people came out of their houses, flames of fire appeared over the heads of Mary and Peter, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude. They spoke in foreign tongues and everyone understood. It was the beginning of the church. No longer were they afraid. No longer would they cower. They were on fire with love for Christ and his message and would now go to the ends of the earth out of love for Jesus and His Gospel. They would shed their blood over the next decades in far off lands as they planted the Gospel. These are the beautiful events we celebrate these liturgical weeks. This week we are in the nine-day period of prayer awaiting with Mary the Spirit of Jesus to implant in our hearts courage, devotion and love. Be faithful and know God will not be outdone in generosity.
FR. THEODORE’S CAUSE BEING FURTHER INVESTIGATED! Beginning June 19, a delegation from Rome will arrive to investigate further the cause of canonization for the Servant of God, Fr. Theodore Foley. He was Rector here in the 1950s’ and died in Rome in 1974 after serving over 10 years as Superior General of the Passionists. He was noted for exceptional holiness and kindness. The visitors will meet some people who knew Father Theodore including Fr. Jerome McKenna and Dorothy Hilley, who served in secretarial duties when Father was Rector here. I am convinced that God will raise him up as an example of priestly holiness all of us.
LOST AND FOUND: True story. For my 50th of ordination celebration I had prepared a speech to give after the dinner. I was going to read a letter Fr. Theodore wrote me personally from Rome in May of 1972. He spoke to me kindly about being a Passionist priest. It was a beautiful letter that I received from a saint addressed to me personally. I brought it to the reception and placed it with the speech on the lectern to read at the end of the dinner. Somehow it got misplaced and I never saw it again. I prayed all these months for it to reappear. A few days before Easter, 8 months later, I was praying to Fr. Theodore for a special intention in the back of the church. Nobody was there so I talked out loud to him at his tomb. “Theodore, please grant this prayer I ask. Forget the letter. I had begged you to find that. I don’t need it. Forget it.”  Two days later, Holy Thursday morning, a telephone call: “Are you Fr. Justin Kerber?” I answered “Yes.” We have found in a shopping bag in a linen closet an old letter of yours.” They dropped it off that night in the church, Holy Thursday, during adoration. I knew. That’s enough.  
LAUDATO SI GROUP MOVING AHEAD: Meets this week under the competent guidance of Rose Ann Lord. Steadily and surely, we have been moving ahead discussing issues and planning. We are now working in our garden. We hope to continue and to integrate ideas about stewardship. Work has begun in sections of the garden where we are treasuring God’s gifts and preserving our resources. There is a Passionist program coming out on the internet that we are hoping to discuss and study along with the garden work. I am pleased with the progress we are making. We have other plans, too.
Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.

Dear Friends:
WAITING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT: There’s 50 days between our celebration of Easter and Pentecost. Jesus rose from the dead. Walked again among his disciples. Ascended into heaven from where, He poured forth the Holy Spirit upon the Church.  Then what he commissioned His Apostles to do happened. They preached the Gospel and spread it to the ends of the earth. By the year 63, Peter and Paul are preaching in Rome. The Gospel has reached what was considered the center of the universe: Rome. They have followed Jesus instruction to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. It is there they shed their blood for Christ. The Apostles have been faithful to what Jesus commissioned them to do.. “Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel.” The readings at Mass these weeks after Easter are pretty much daily including stories of the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. All these days, the readings and stories are often taken from ‘The Acts of the Apostles.’ I love that section of the bible written by St. Luke. Actually, Luke wrote one book – 52 chapters long. It was divided in half when placed in the Bible. 24 chapters on the life of Jesus (his gospel) and 28 chapters about the works of the Apostles (Acts). Luke was not an Apostle or even a Jew. Luke was a doctor and a gentile friend of St. Paul. He presents many of Jesus parables. Many believe Luke met Mary and so can recount in his gospel Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. Luke presents Jesus’ love for the poor and the forgotten. He presents the tenderness and compassion of Jesus and His special care for women. It is so astounding to realize when reading Luke’s Acts of the Apostles that 11, mostly uneducated fishermen, not theologians or canon lawyers or linguists at a time where there was no telephone, television, computers. Yet they could convert the world through the power of the Holy Spirit!  It is so encouraging. When we look at our world today and things that are being proposed. We wonder have people forgotten Jesus and the way of life he calls us to. We know in the end. Jesus will prevail. We have the same Spirit poured forth at Pentecost. We have the same Spirit that led the Apostles. We have the Spirit of Jesus who will keep us faithful to cherishing all life. We have the same Spirit that led the Apostles and kept them faithful. Come Holy Spirit! Pentecost is May 28th! Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts with the fire of your love.  
WAITING FOR VISITORS:  Fr. Massimo Parisi is scheduled to come from Rome. He is the “Saint-maker” and overseeing the canonization process for Fr. Theodore Foley, C.P.    There is some movement on Fr. Theodore’s cause. Keep praying and let us know of favors granted. I am hearing of favors and several cures reported.
VOCATIONS HOLY HOUR: This Tuesday at 7pm we will have an hour of prayer with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations especially to the Passionists. We will pray to St. Paul of the Cross for help. I am talking to a young man who is discerning a vocation. He recently made a retreat up at our Monastery in New York. He told me there were a few other young men on the retreat. Pray God will give us strong holy young Passionists.
‘LAUDATO SI’ TEAM:  There were ten in attendance for a meeting on April 18th. Roseann Lord led the meeting. I gave a tour of the beautiful monastery grounds. Roseann gave a handout with information about St. Paul of the Cross’ love of the natural world and the Passionist commitment to Pope Francis encyclical, Laudato si. We reviewed our Mission Statement. We had a discussion on enhancing the monastery gardens to create a more inviting meditative space. A number of the members had considerable gardening experience. Several acquired the title of Master Gardener from Penn State. They will meet with Rusty Wilcox. There will be an annual cleanup of the grounds in May. Everyone had excellent suggestions for enhancing our place. There was much enthusiasm and energy and we ended the meeting very positively. Pope Francis put it: “Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.”
With much gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.                                                                                                

Dear Friends,

OUR WEBSITE:  www.stpaulofthecrossmonastery.com  is being taken care of by a new person. She is a young mother of three, a musician and teacher. I met her and her husband in North Carolina. The family visited me here in Pittsburgh a year ago. Her husband was raving about her work for his music and website. They are both faithful Catholics. I have hopes she will help us make our website more user friendly.  

ENROLLMENTS & PURGATORIALS ARE NOW ON LINE: One of the first things the web master did was to put our Mass cards and Enrollments on line. You can now select, order and pay for them on line. That will help the financial viability of this house.  It is a huge place with insurance bills and all sorts of things that need to be paid for promptly.  We depend solely on free will offerings, bequests, the enrollments, offerings that come from the candles at the shrine etc. 

LAUDATO SI GROUP MEETS: The group that planned the showing of the film on the Pope’s encyclical on the care of God’s earth meets this week to plan. We would like to expand and do some concrete actions and projects. We have beautiful acres of property. I am hoping we can use them more for prayer and appreciating God’s gifts. The Passionist Community will be meeting this week on Wednesday and this will be one of the items of discussion. The Laudato si group is open to hear from you.

ST. MAR1A GORETTI SHRINE: A beautiful addition to our church was adding the shrine to St. Maria Goretti. Her fidelity to Christ no matter what the cost is an example for all of us today. Her refusal to offend God by a sexual sin even to the shedding of her blood helps all of us to strive to follow her good example. Maria was stabbed to death for not consenting to sin sexually and died forgiving her attacker. She had been given her first communion and made first penance with Passionist priests. Our community sponsored her canonization. We oversee her shrine in Netuno, Italy where she in entombed. The marble statue in our church is a replica of the one in Corinaldo, Italy where her mother and her repentant attacker are both buried in the back of that church. I want our shrine to be a place where people can pray for strength to be pure, for forgiveness of sins, for healing of wounds, for loving and pure hearts. I am going to have special prayers there where we can pray for these things. Every so many years the relics of Maria are sent on pilgrimage. I am trying to have our church placed on the list. This past year we obtained a relic from her bones and it is in a beautiful reliquary which you see attached to the shrine.     

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  I have appreciated very much that you are making the Stations of the Cross on the Friday nights of Lent. We have picked up in numbers. A Passionist Church should be especially a place where we show our love for Jesus Crucified. It is wonderful to remember his love that made Jesus give all for us.

ANNUNCIATION – MARCH 25TH: Next Saturday, is this wonderful feast. The Angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she is to become the Mother of God. Jesus takes flesh in her. Christ the Word is enfleshed in Mary. Gabriel announces to her God’s plan and Mary says “Yes.” She lets God use her. She had nothing to give Him but herself. He asked for nothing else. Mary conceives and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. The feast is exactly nine months before Christmas. Enjoy this feast.  I remember visiting Nazareth and the Basilica of the Annunciation built over what, from the first centuries, was believed to be the home of Mary. There is an altar there that has the words of the Angelus in Latin “Et verbum caro factum est.”  And the Word was made flesh. And one other Latin word was added ‘hic’ which means ‘here.’ Wow! Right here.  I was with my classmate, Fr. Peter, we asked the sacristan if we could come back and say Mass at 6:30 the next morning. He said he would be here but couldn’t open the church till 7:30 or so.  Peter handed him something green and at 6:30am we had a beautiful Mass ‘hic’ right here where Mary became the Mother of God.                                     

Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends:

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: On the Friday nights during Lent, we have the Stations of the Cross at 7pm. It is a beautiful tradition, the Way of the Cross. We think of Jesus as he made his way through Jerusalem carrying his Cross to his place of execution, Calvary, outside the city walls. St. Jerome, the great biblical scholar and Doctor of the Church, lived in Bethlehem for the last 35 years of his life. He died in 420. Jerome attests to how crowds of pilgrims in Jerusalem would make the way of the Cross. They would begin where Pilate condemned Jesus and stop and pray at different points, especially where he met his mother, and then end at Jesus’ tomb. This continued for centuries. Indulgences were attached to making this way of the Cross. In the 1300’s, the Franciscans were appointed Guardians of the holy places in Jerusalem and the Way of the Cross. When the Moslems blocked entrance to the Holy Land and pilgrims were prohibited from pilgrimages there, various Popes allowed the erecting of a Way of the Cross in various places and churches throughout the world. In 1742, Pope Clement XII set the number of stations at 14 and allowed every church to erect them inside the church on the walls. That’s how we have come to have the beautiful custom of the Stations of the Cross. We, especially as Passionists, are very happy to remember Jesus great love for us during the way of the Cross. Join us on Friday nights.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: You are also invited to join us this coming Tuesday for an hour of quiet prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life especially the Passionists. It is a time for the rosary and time for adoration and quiet. There are some beautiful songs sung. But mostly, we look at God and he looks at us. It is one of my favorite times of the month. I invite you to come and look upon Jesus and have Him look upon you.

‘THE LETTER’: This is the name of an hour-long film on Pope Francis’ encyclical on the beauty of God’s creation and our care for the gift of the earth. I have not yet seen the film. Everyone who has thinks it is beautiful and helps us understand the mind of Pope Francis as he calls us to cherish and protect God’s gift of the earth. I put together a small committee on the Pope’s letter “Laudato si.”  They are sponsoring this showing. I hope you will be able to attend. We are looking for ways to open our beautiful gardens for prayer a little more. This committee hopes to implement some of the teachings of Laudato si. Please come on this Wednesday, March 8 at 7:30pm in the retreat house. We are having some light refreshments afterwards. If you are able to come, it would help us if you called in.

RETREAT HOUSE PROGRAMS: Frs. Gerald and Curtis have been conducting the week-end retreats here and I am hearing so many good things about the programs they are offering. During covid many things closed down. People stopped coming to church and to retreats. Everything is starting to pick up a bit including the retreats. Besides the week-end retreats, during Lent the retreat house is offering Days of recollection and prayer. They are greatly appreciated. If you think you would like some quiet refreshing time with the Lord, these programs are available to you. Thanks for all your help.

Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P. 

Dear Friends,

THE SOLEMN COMMMEMORATION OF THE PASSION: The Passionists celebrate a feast proper to their community on the Friday before Ash Wednesday. As I write this message to you, it is that day and we are celebrating this feast. It goes all the way back to our founder, St. Paul of the Cross. St. Paul wanted this to be the ‘joyful’ celebration of the mystery of Good Friday focusing on the Passion of Jesus “as the most overwhelming sign of God’s love.” Fr. Thomas Struzzieri, who was assistant superior to Paul, wrote the prayers and got the approval for the feast. Paul leaned on Thomas to get a number of things accomplished. He had connections. It was shortly after this that Fr. Thomas was named the first Passionist Bishop. St. Paul was honored but missed him greatly. Paul said: “Wisdom comes from the wounds of Christ. The Passion contains everything. By gazing on the Cross, we understand God, ourselves, love, the human heart and the heart of God.”

ASH WEDNESDAY: Please note that we are adding extra Masses for Ash Wednesday: 7:30am, 12:10pm, 5:30pm. Ashes will be distributed at those Masses. I remember growing up and how we would do something special for Lent. You would give up candy or sweets or do something special like Mass every day or say the Stations of the Cross. I still think Mass is the best thing to do for Lent. Jesus offers Himself again to the Father. Then He comes to us because He wants to be with us.

THANK YOU - TOM DONLEY: On Saturday, Feb. 11, Tom Donley died surrounded by his family. He was 87. He and his wife, Peggy, had celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary last year. They have two sons and four grandchildren. As a young man, he had considered a vocation to the Passionists. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, he had a 30 year career in the insurance business. After retiring, he reconnected with the Passionists by volunteering at the monastery here on the South Side Slopes. For nearly 25 years, he has been the director of the Monastery’s Food Bank along with his wife, Peggy. They have served Christ faithfully week after week in the needy who come here for food and assistance. He has kept our food bank supplied and cared for the Lord as he comes in the guise of the poor and needy every week. St. John of the Cross, the Carmelite mystic, has a often quoted famous saying: “In the evening of life, we will be judged on Love alone.” I used that quote at Tom’s funeral Mass. All those years of serving God’s needy of helping families with basic sustenance. All the truck loads of food picked up and delivered, week after week, month after month in the heat of summer and the cold of winter and all done for Jesus as he waited on line for help from Tom, Peggy and their cohort of volunteers. I first came to this monastery in August, 1959 for a visit. I had completed my first year of high school seminary with the Passionists at Dunkirk, NY. I wanted to see this monastery where eventually I would come to officially become a Passionist. I thought it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen and holy. Saints were buried in the crypt. It was the first Passionist foundation in the new world. Fr. Gregory Flynn was in charge of the novices. One day we would be one of them hopefully. I was told this monastery was important for two things. Confessions were heard every day except Sunday. People came here for confession. It was a ‘refuge for sinners.’ Secondly, on Fridays the needy came here for food since the very first days of our time in Pittsburgh. Just as Paul of the Cross had wanted: “Always put aside some of your food for the poor.” In a special way, we, Passionists, thank Tom and Peggy Donley for keeping us faithful to our care for the poor. God bless them specially! In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.

Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

DEAR FRIENDS:

POPE FRANCIS PRAISES US CATHOLICS FOR PRO-LIFE WITNESS: Returning from Mass at the Passionist Nuns this past Friday, I was thinking that it was the day of the Right to Life March in Washington. When I was Pastor, we always accompanied the young people from our school and parish. We had Mass and were part of the annual March for Life. It was a beautiful thing and I miss being part of that. I was gladdened to read the message our Pope sent to all the participants in the National Prayer Vigil for Life. Pope Francis said to Americans, he “is deeply grateful for the faithful witness shown publicly over the years by all who promote and defend the right to life of the most innocent and vulnerable members of our human family.” My good friend, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, is now chair of the Bishop’s Pro-Life Committee. He said the most important work lies ahead. It is the work of not only changing laws but of changing hearts.

ORDINATION IN PUERTO RICO: This Thursday, I am flying down to San Juan, Puerto Rico for an ordination to the priesthood of a young Passionist seminarian, Luis Daniel Guivas. He is a member of our Province based in the eastern USA. I have been also talking to a young man interested in becoming a priest in our community. Our Vocation Director asked me to accompany him to Fr. Luis’ ordination. I am honored. I will return Monday. The ordination is Friday at our church of St. Gemma there and his first Mass will be Sunday at his home parish. I return Monday. Pray that God sends us more. St. Paul of the Cross would say: “More. More. Never enough because we have to proclaim the love of Christ Crucified.”

VOCATION HOLY HOUR: We have a beautiful hour of prayer for vocations to the Passionist way of life once a month on a Tuesday. We say the rosary, have some beautiful songs, quiet, and end with benediction. I ask a Passionist saint to accompany us each time. Always on a Tuesday from 7 to 8, St. Gabriel will be with us this month. His beautiful shrine is in our church. It’s the room with all the candles. It was added-on in 1920 the year of his canonization. There were so many people coming here to pray to him. It was enhanced during the renovations with a beautiful new statue of St. Gemma and ceiling paintings copied from those on the ceiling of our first church at Monte Argentario. St. Gabriel is a deeply loved Passionist saint. Didn’t live to be ordained a priest. He loved the Sorrowful Mother. She led him to Jesus and he became a saint.

His Director, Fr. Norbert Casinelli is also up for sainthood. He was still alive when Gabriel was beatified and he spoke to some young Passionists about Gabriel. They asked why were they canonizing this kid? Fr. Norbert said if you knew him you would understand. He loved God so much and the Blessed Mother.

NEW WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE 2/7: Reminder starting Feb. 7 th , there will be a change of schedule on all Wednesdays. One Mass at 12:10. Monastery door open for confession only after 1:00pm. Reasons were all explained last week.

LAUDATO SI: A group to discuss this encyclical of Pope Francis on the environment and care for God’s earth has begun meeting. They are reflecting and thinking of ways the monastery may implement and help others to understand the Pope’s concerns. A date is being chosen for the showing of the film, ‘The Letter,’ which explains the Pope’s message. The date will be finalized this week.

Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TUESDAY: We are set for the Holy Hour at 7pm on January 10th. We are assured of music and it will be a beautiful time of adoration and prayer. Please attend and pray for us that God will bless the Church with religious vocations and remember especially us, Passionists. Each month I pray ahead of time and ask one of our Passionist saints or blesseds to accompany us during that hour. This month I am inviting St. Charles Houben. 

St. Charles Houben was an outstanding Passionist priest. Born in Holland in 1821 to a devout Catholic family of 11 children. He learned of the Passionists while in military service. He applied to our community and was accepted by Bl. Dominic Barberi and pronounced his vows in 1851 in Belgium. After ordination, he was assigned to England where the Passionists had recently opened 3 foundations. In 1856, he was transferred to Ireland to a new monastery being built on the outskirts of Dublin, Mt. Argus. He never mastered the English language and was considered a poor preacher. The Irish people loved him. There were eloquent preachers in the house but all the locals flocked to Fr. Charles for his blessing and confession. Though a Dutchman by birth, he was referred to as Fr. Charles of Mt. Argus. Towards the end of his life, hundreds were coming daily for his blessing and for confessions. He also had the gift of healing and cured many. People came from England, America, Australia and parts of Europe. He couldn’t understand it and would just ask them to pray for “Poor old Charlie.” At his death in 1893, the papers noted that thousands came from all over. They had never seen anything like this. The Rector of Mt. Argus wrote his family: “The people have already declared him a saint.” St. John Paul II declared him Blessed in 1988. Pope Benedict XVI canonized him with 4 others at an outdoor Mass because of the enormous crowds of people on June 3, 2007.

I was part of the Passionist delegation and concelebrated at the mass with the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. I remember it began to rain and I was not under the canopy! A great honor even though I got soaked. Let me tell you a little story, I never forgot. At one point, the Fr. General of the Passionists visited all the Passionist Monasteries throughout the world to see how they were doing. His report on Mt. Argus was dreadful. He called it one of the worst Passionist communities he visited. Except for a couple good religious there, it was not what it should be! It’s wonderful when things are perfect, but we are meant to become saints even when they’re not!

OUR WEBSITE HAS A NEW WEBMASTER: We have gotten a new webmaster, Brenda Accurso. She has already put the Mass cards and enrollments online. She has updated material there. Hopefully in a month or two, we will get it all up to date. I think she will do an excellent job.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS BEING HELD: We are having regular Community Meetings here to make adjustments to our schedule and commitments now that we are only 6 in the community. It was easy to fulfill all our commitments and have a regular community life when there were 16 or 18 here. Fr. Provincial told us we need to have a weekly Mass just for the Passionists. We pray and share at that. Our Rule from St. Paul of the Cross calls it: “The fundamental action of community life.” So we have been having weekly meetings and have made some decisions to enhance our living together and adjust to the declining numbers. We hope to have everything in place by February. Basically, we will be adjusting when we open the monastery on Wednesdays and the number of public Masses and when confessions begin that day. We hope Wednesday will be a time of prayer, community Mass and a time we can meet. I will keep you fully informed of the changes that we make.

ORDINATION SCHEDULED IN PUERTO RICO: One of our seminarians, Luis Daniel Guivas, CP will be ordained a Passionist priest. Currently, he serves as Deacon in our New York parish. He will be ordained on Jan. 27 in Puerto Rico at our church, St. Gemma, by our Passionist Bishop, Neil Tiedemann, CP. The assistant Provincial asked if I could attend and bring with me a young man who is interested in joining our community. I will be honored to attend and to bring to the ordination and first Mass there. Pray that God blesses all our work!

In Christ with much gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.

Dear Friends:

NOVENA OF MASSES: This past week, I had to fill in at the front door more than normal. A few things surprised me. I know many people come in to the confessional all day long. In many places confessions are falling off. Not so here. More men than women come and more young than old. Many people come in or phone in for Mass cards and enrollments. Others call in with prayer requests. That day I helped with answering the phone and manning the office desk, there were nearly 50 requests to enroll people in the Christmas Novena! WOW.

‘LAUDATO Si’TEAM MEETS: Our Provincial, Fr. Jim O’Shea, asked that the Local Superior of each foundation have a team to consider ways of implementing and living Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment. He has and will send out some directives. We are a workable small group and had our second meeting and shared a lot of good ideas. Rose Ann Lord is leader and has practical experience. Suggestions were quite good. We are looking into showing the film “The Letter” one night when space is free. Young people especially have been impressed by it. The monastery is surrounded by many younger people.

WE HAVE CANDLES AGAIN: At any given time, you can go to the St. Gabriel shrine which is attached to our church (built in 1920 for St. Gabriel’s canonization). There are always large ruby six day candles burning – at least 125 of them. We were running out of candles because our supplier’s machine had broken down. We were down to our last boxes of candles. Good News! Machine is fixed. Thousands of candles are back in stock as of two days ago! I often turn the lights out at night. That whole shrine room remains brightly lit by about 130 candles before St. Gabriel, St. Gemma, St. Vincent Strambi and St. Therese. Beautiful act of faith, each one!

VAGABOND MISSIONARIES: These are young people who do street ministry to young people. I knew them when I was Pastor in Greenville, N.C., which is one of the areas in our country where they work. They are also in four Pittsburgh locations including Allentown, right near us. I invited them to use our church, gardens, chapel for prayer and sacraments. The young missionaries will be here this Monday for a day of prayer before Christmas. I admire them and am delighted whenever I can talk with them, say Mass, have adoration and confession available. They are generous servants of the Gospel!

GOD LOVES THIS PLACE: Our bookkeeper about a week ago gave me an alert that our operating budget was very low and we need to write some checks. I sent her something I had in reserve and told her not to worry. Since I have been here, I have seen miracles constantly. God loves this place and what we do here. I told her that. Within the past few days, we received several wills and several large benefactions. God takes care of us if we take care of his people and serve them generously with the sacraments and prayer! Thank you for remembering us in your wills.

ORDINATION SCHEDULED: One of our Passionist seminarians, Luis Daniel Guivas, has been approved for ordination this January by the Provincial and his Council. They want to make this a beautiful Passionist celebration. His family is in Puerto Rico. He will be ordained there. I got a call from our headquarters asking if I would attend and bring a candidate with whom I have been meeting. I had not planned on attending. However, I must be obedient to my Superiors. Yeah! Yeah! What an honor.

Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION: We had a beautiful well-attended Mass at 9:30 on Thanksgiving Day. We are still not back to pre-pandemic attendance but it appears some services are picking up. The usual collection for the food bank brought in a goodly amount of food. The offerings received will also go to supplying food for those in need. Thank you very much.

FOOD BANK AND DOOR MINISTRY: These are two of our ministries that go back to the founders of this monastery. Every Friday we open our food bank, under the direction of Peg and Tom Donley and a number of volunteers, and are able to assist a large number of local families with food and groceries. St. Paul of the Cross had directed our brothers to always put aside some food for the poor. He also called our monasteries: ‘refugium peccatorum,’ the refuge for sinners. In following that directive, we have the sacrament of penance available everyday from 9 till 5 with the exception of Sundays. We have done this from the very beginning of this monastery and hope to be able to continue it in the future. 

DECEMBER HOLY HOUR – ADORATION FOR VOCATIONS: Our monthly hour of adoration for vocations will be Tuesday, Dec. 6th. We will have rosary, benediction and beautiful music. I am asking Bl. Bernard Silvestrelli, CP to accompany us that hour. He was General of the Passionists for 25 years and died in 1911 after a bad fall. He was known for his holiness. Our community grew and expanded to many countries under his holy leadership. A classmate of St. Gabriel, he was the first General to come to the United States. He led a Provincial Chapter here in Pittsburgh. We ill invite him to come to this church again and ask God for more Passionist priests, brothers, nuns and sisters.  

LAUDATO SI COMMITTEE: This group which our Provincial directed be established will meet on Monday, Dec. 5th at 6:30 in the heritage room. Susan Lord agreed to lead us. With directions from Fr. Jim, we hope to develop this group into an active body that will help us better appreciate and preserve God’s gifts of our earth and environment.

THANK YOU NOTES FOR MY JUBILEE: I had a wonderful jubilee celebration. I have not yet been able to send out thank-you notes. Please be patient and know I am very conscious of your kindness and appreciative and intend to thank each and everyone.

RECENT DEATHS OF BENEFACTORS: Recently, three of our loyal friends and benefactors died. We remember them specially in our prayers. The Rector says Masses each month for our benefactors deceased. I want to express our gratitude to these three who were so good to us for many years. Sylvester ‘Jake’ Kramer, 97, died Nov. 19, Rita Kasicky, 93, died Nov. 20, Mary Stromple, 91, died Nov. 22

ADVENT IS HERE: Caryl Houselander wrote this, my favorite Advent reflection: “For nine months Christ grew in His mother’s body. By His own will she formed Him from herself, from the simplicity of her daily life. She had nothing to give Him but herself. He asked for nothing else. She gave Him herself. Working, eating, sleeping, she was forming His body from hers. His flesh and blood. From her humanity she gave Him His humanity. Walking the streets of Nazareth to do her shopping, to visit her friends, she set His feet on the path of Jerusalem. Washing, weaving, kneading, sweeping, her hands prepared His hands for the nails. Every beat of her heart gave Him His heart to love with, His heart to be broken by love.”  - from ‘The Reed of God.’

With much gratitude,  FR. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector