FromFrom thethe FootFoot NON-PROFIT U. S. POSTAGE ofof thethe CrossCross PAID From the Foot OWENSBORO, KY From the Foot 42301 Passionist Nuns PERMlT NO. 100 8564 Crisp Road ofof thethe CrossCross Whitesville, Kentucky 42378-9782 The Passionist Nuns of Monastery in the Diocese of Owensboro KY Christmas 2008

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May Christmas joy and peace be yours!

Dear Friends in Christ, As we conclude another Year of the Lord, we wish you the gift of Jesus–the joy of man’s desiring. "And the angel Turning a page said to them: ‘You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim tidings of great joy to be shared by the whole people. This day a Savior has been born to you.’" (Lk 2:10-11) We pray that Jesus who is the true spiritual joy of our hearts will make hope and holy joy spring up in your hearts and homes at Christmas and throughout the New Year. We thank you warmly for your prayers and help, which enable us to continue our ministry of prayer for the Church. As an aside, if you are still looking for that perfect gift, try visiting our modest “gift shop” at www.passionistnuns.org. Our “Infant Resting on of our history the Cross” and rosaries were just featured in the National Catholic Register Christmas Gift Guide! Wishing you abundant Christmas joy in the Lord, Sister Mary Bernadette Mother Catherine Marie and all the Passionist Nuns of the Immaculate Heart of Mary P.S. I invite you to make a retreat in our Guest House in 2009. Just call 270-233-4571 or visit our website. 1912 - 2008 “Make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the Mother of God, with the apostles, and with all the who have done your will

St. Venerable St. Paul of the Cross St. Innocencio Canoura St. Charles Houben St. Gemma Galgani Mother Mary Crucified 1838 - 1862 our Founder throughout the ages.” 1887 - 1934 1812 - 1893 Bl. Nicephorus and 26 companions 1878 - 1903 1713-1787 1694 - 1775 Martyred in Spain 1934 Gift of Healing Martyred in Spain 1936 Passionist seminarian Passionist lay woman Co-Foundress of the Eucharistic Prayer II Feastday Oct. 9 Feastday: July 24 Feastday: Feb. 27 Feastday: May 16 Passionist Nuns Feastday: Oct. 20 - Feastday: Jan. 5

HOW MANY PASSIONIST SAINTS, “I shall await each of you in Paradise.” We an exemplary way, but she has met at last our Holy ETERNAL REST GRANT TO THEM BLESSEDS AND VENERABLES have every reason to believe that these words QUEEN OF THE Founder and the many holy men and women The month of October brought us three other DO YOU KNOW? of our Holy Founder were fulfilled for our ASSIONIST whose lives were such an inspiration to beloved Sister Mary Bernadette of the P her on earth. On his deathbed, St. Paul of the powerful reminders that this earth is not our In the opening prayer for the Passionist Votive Mass of Immaculate Heart of Mary, as she passed CONGREGATION Cross said he would await us all in paradise, and so permanent home. Tony McKimmy, Sister Mary “All Saints of the Congregation of the Passion,” the from this life on October 16, 2008 after a long we can only imagine the joy our dear Sister knew Veronica’s only brother, was killed in a motorcycle Church places these words on our lips: illness. For years, Sister had longed for her when she was greeted by our founder, whose life accident on October 1st. In mid-October Sr. Marie Lord, pour out on us the spirit of holiness Divine Bridegroom to come and take her with and spirituality she had interiorized and lived for so ’s brother-in-law, Dr. George Clark, died that is your gift to so many saints, Him into the eternal embrace of our Heavenly many years. after a long illness. Then, shortly after Sister Mary members of our Congregation. Father. In Sr. Mary Bernadette’s funeral homily, Fr. J. Bernadette’s funeral, Sister Mary Dolores’ oldest May we come to know the love of Christ Sr. Mary Bernadette was just 3 weeks Edward Bradley put these words on the lips of St. sibling, Sister Barbara Hornbeck, S.C.N., died that is beyond all knowing, short of her 96th birthday when she went Paul of the Cross: from head injuries suffered in a bad fall. and be filled with the fullness of God. home to God, having lived 76 years in “Sr. Mary Bernadette, you have meditated your Because a religious community is a true family The Passionist Congregation has an array of holy men religious life. She was the last of the original entire religious life on the Passion of our Lord, and gathered together by the Lord, we felt all these and women who lived the Passionist charism with heroic founding group who came from the Passionist by this sacred Path you have reached union with deaths profoundly. The community experience virtue in the challenges of their time. Quoting Fr. Roger Nuns’ monastery in Scranton, PA, in 1946, to God. In this most holy school, you have learned was all the more intense because all these deaths Mercurio, C.P. we can “discover from their stories what begin a new community in the diocese of true wisdom, for it was there that all the saints came so close together. the memory of a crucified Christ meant for each one of Owensboro. Truly, with her death, a chapter in learned it. Indeed, our Lord Jesus has planted its them. The stories of these great and little Passionists, the our community history has ended, and we roots deeply in your heart. You have lived your In the ’s prayers for the dying, veterans and the youthful, the mystics and apostles and begin a new phase. vocation in such a way that all may know that you we say: “May holy Mary, the angels and all the martyrs - their human but so inspiring stories are our Because of her uncomplaining acceptance bore outwardly, as well as inwardly, the image of saints come to meet you as you go forth from this history, our patrimony. Taught by their examples, of being bed-ridden and helpless for about 7 Christ Crucified, the model of all gentleness and life....May you see your Redeemer face to face.” encouraged by their experiences, the Passionists of today years, we believe Sr. Mary Bernadette humility.” We pray that this consoling prayer had its perfect can look to the future with hope that the same God who “graduated with honors” from the school of Sr. Mary Bernadette was a Passionist to her fulfillment as Sr. Mary Bernadette, Tony, Dr. was at work in them is at work in us.” suffering, and has joined the ranks of the This beautiful icon was recently sent fingertips. May she now experience the joy of George and Sr. Barbara departed this life. May “The spiritual goods of the communion of saints [are] Passionist family in heaven. Always devoted by our Passionist Nuns in Korea. Christ’s glorious resurrection! they rest in peace! the Church’s treasury.” Catholic Catechism #1476 This treasury is to our Holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross, There wasn’t time for us to put together in this And now we hold in our hearts the precious primarily the infinite merits of Christ. It includes the she fittingly died during the solemn novena before his feastday! newsletter the full story of this beautiful soul, and so we hope to do lights and graces received as we supported each prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as Not only has she seen the God whom she loved and served in that in 2009. well as those of all the saints who have been faithful to other and walked through it together. Christ in this life. May we join the company of the blessed one day in heaven! Check out our website for stories about our Passionist saints www.passionistnuns.org

Bl. Bernard Mary Bl. Dominic Barberi Bl. Lawrence Salvi Bl. Isidore De Loor Venerable Bl. Pius Campidelli Servant of God Bl. Eugene Bossilkov Bl. Grimoaldo St. Vincent Strambi Servant of God Servant of God Servant of God Silvestrelli Mother Magdalena 1792 - 1849 1782 - 1856 1881 - 1916 Galileo Nicolini 1868 - 1889 Sister Addolorata 1900 - 1952 1883 - 1902 1745 - 1824 Mother Leonarda Fr. Ignatius Spencer Fr. Theodore Foley 1840 - 1921 1888 - 1960 Founded Passionists Outstanding preacher Passionist brother 1882 - 1897 Passionist student 1920 - 1954 Bishop & Martyr Passionist Student Bishop 1908 - 1953 1799 - 1864 1913 - 1974 Superior General Foundress of Passionist in England Feastday: June 12 Feastday: Nov. 3 Passionist Nun Feastday: Nov. 13 Feastday: Nov. 18 Feastday: Sept 24 Famous preacher Feastday: Dec. 9 Feastday: Oct. 6 Passionist novice Nuns in Madrid, Spain Feastday: Aug. 26 Passionist Nun