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