St. Paul of the Cross Monastery

St. Paul of the Cross Monastery ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS MONASTERY, CHURCH, AND RETREAT CENTER stand today as a monument to the praise of God in its service to the neighbor. Joseph's, Mt.

The Monastery stands on a hilltop overlooking the Southside of the City of Pittsburgh. 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 Lawrenc

e 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 Passionisis 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 Passionisis in America rendered invaluable service to the hardpressed clergy of the Pittsburgh diocese and helped establish new parishes: St. Michael's on the South Side; St. 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.

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Address

148 Monastery Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA
15203

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+14123811188

Website

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