Dear Friends,

HALF WAY THERE: When we see the rose-colored vestments, we know we are half way through Lent and quickly approaching the holiest week of the year. Today, the gospel of the Prodigal Son is read. We hear of the son’s wanderings and selfishness. Then we listen to the beautiful love of a forgiving Father. The story is more about a father’s love than a son’s selfishness. How beautiful a story and how loving a father! God’s love for you and me is greater than we could ever imagine.  We are approaching the holiest time of the year. Take time to be with Christ, to rest with Christ. During Lent I have been reading from the Letters of St. Paul of the Cross each day. I have so enjoyed this. Paul constantly calls on those he directs “to rest in Christ,” to be quiet and let God be God and let Him fill us with his presence. It’s a beautiful part of Lent.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: Our special monthly hour will be a week from this coming Tuesday. April 8th at 7pm in the church.  I particularly look forward to that hour. It is beautiful each month. Andrea Terleski always puts together a music program of high caliber. “You couldn’t get better in Carnegie Hall.” Thank you for your faithful attendance. The Passionist Saint that I will ask to accompany us is Blessed Bernard Silvestrelli. He was a classmate of St. Gabriel’s in Italy, a diocesan priest who became a Passionist. From a very wealthy family in Rome, he joined a very simple and poor community. He served a number of times as Superior General of the Passionists. He was the first General to visit America. After arriving by boat in New York, he came to Pittsburgh and visited here at St. Paul’s. He was deeply loved and venerated by the community. He donated funds to this Province to set up a minor seminary to train future Passionist priests and brothers. There are pictures of him sitting with the community here by our church and in our garden.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Stations of the Cross every Friday in Lent at 7pm. Thanks to those faithful who attend.
PRESENTATION ON ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS:  Judy Callan invited me to give a presentation on St. Paul of the Cross to the new Passionist Associates. I am honored to do so. It will be open to anyone interested in knowing more about our Founder and the patron of our church. This was the first church in all the world dedicated to him. It was called Blessed Paul of the Cross Church when dedicated in 1858.  Over the years, especially when I was Vocation Director, I took pictures of many of the places special to Paul of the Cross. I have a very nice audio-visual presentation on disc that covers his life. Retreat House Lounge on Thursday, April 10th at 6:45pm! I will be honored to speak on Paul of the Cross and everyone is invited
CELEBRATION OF FR. THEODORE: Another Passionist Superior General, dear and beloved by us, Passionists is Fr. Theodore Foley, Servant of God. He is entombed in our church. People come there everyday to pray at his tomb. I have recently received good news about his cause for canonization. The initial phases are drawing to a close. We are in the early stages of preparing a celebration at the end of September. More details to follow later.
In Christ with much gratitude to all of you, Fr. Justn Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends,

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  Every Friday in Lent, we pray the Stations of the Cross in the Monastery Church at 7pm. There is a steady group who comes during Lent as their special devotion to the Passion of Christ. I am honored each week to lead that group. I thank you for the inspiration you give me. Just know how proud I am to be with you.

APRIL HOLY HOUR – Tuesday April 8th at 8pm:  Having the monthly Holy Hour for Passionist Vocations is another practice I look forward to each month. The music is beautiful. Andre Terlesky puts extraordinary music pieces together with vocals and instruments. They should be in Carnegie Hall. It enhances the beautiful adoration and quiet. Also, equally as beautiful is the quiet, when we look on Jesus and he looks on us. I thank those who so faithfully come out. It used to be a small group but we have been having over 50 and one month over 70. I love the contemplative aura to that time.     

PRESENTATION ON ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS: All Invited. Mark your calendars. Judy Callan, who directs the formation of the Passionist Associates, asked me to give a presentation on the life of St. Paul of the Cross. I have a disc with all shots of the places and shrines of St. Paul of the Cross. It was put it together over 25 years from pilgrimages to Italy and trips during the General Chapters. I used it as Vocation Director to explain St. Paul’s life and our Passionist Vocation. Judy wants me to give a presentation to those aspiring to be Passionist Associates. The new Retreat Director, Tom Octave said I could use the Retreat House Lounge and the equipment there. So I am also inviting all interested to a presentation on the Life of St. Paul of the Cross on Thursday, April 10th at 6:45pm. Everyone is welcome – Retreat House Lounge.

THANK YOU FR. MICHAEL: Last week, I concluded the bulletin with the news that Frs. Curtis and Michael would be assigned to our Florida Retreat House. That was sad news for all of us. However, a reversal was made and Fr. Michael will remain in Pittsburgh to help with the retreat work here and assist the new Director, Dr. Tom Octave.

An Addendum:  Thank you for all the kind Birthday wishes last week. The altar Guild here took me and our community out to celebrate my 80th birthday. I hopefully will send thank you notes. After that I still have Christmas thank you notes. Dear God, I used to be much more efficient. Please understand! It has something to do with that 8 in my age!!!

FR. THEORODE CELEBRATION: Still hoping and planning for a big celebration at the end of September to honor Fr. Theodore Foley. Things are moving along nicely.

With much gratitude and love,  Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends:
ASH WEDNESDAY & LENT FROM JERSEY CITY TO PITTSBURGH:  We begin Lent Wednesday. I found a good definition of Lent in “The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.” “Lent is an annual period of 40 days beginning on Ash Wednesday for Latin Catholics, which is set aside for fasting, penance and almsgiving in preparation for the coming celebration of Easter. It is modeled in part on the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert before his public ministry. The penance, fasting and almsgiving are meant to help lead the believer to on- going conversion and a deeper faith in the Lord who redeemed us.” That says it all. I remember Lent 1956. I was 11 years old. One evening before supper, my mother asked that before we start eating, we share what special thing we would do or give-up for Lent that year. We sat in a circle pulling our chairs away from the kitchen table. My father said he would give up sweets and deserts. My mother said she would make an effort to go to Mass everyday of Lent and receive Jesus.  I said I would go to Mass each day before school started. Bob and Jack both said they would give up candy and sweets. Fred hadn’t started school yet. He got a pass. Daily Mass was one of the best choices of my life.  We lived down the block from the church. It was easy. After Lent, I continued going to daily Mass. Sr. Loretta de Sales, my 6th grade teacher, told me to sit with her when I came to Mass. I did. One day she whispered to me: “William, you will be a priest someday. Say this prayer.” I still have that holy card of (then newly canonized) St. Pius X in my breviary. My religious name is Justin of the Blessed Sacrament and the most wonderful part of each day as a priest is to celebrate Mass.
PASSIONIST SUPERIORS LETTER ON MIGRATION: Thank you for your responses to our Superiors letter on migration. It is the gospel message: caring for the poor and welcoming the homeless Many people told me they appreciated the Passionists speaking out for the poor and needy. In no way, are we welcoming drug traffickers or sex purveyors. I was 20 years in North Carolina, dealing especially in Raleigh with many Mexicans working hard in factories and fields attempting to find a better life for their children. Their love of Christ and Our Lady of Guadalupe prejudices me in their favor. One person complained last Sunday. Most were grateful for the letter.
LAUDATO SI GROUP: We have a wonderful group of people on this committee. We will print up a booklet they prepared, a simple guide for helping to preserve our common home. I am very grateful for the work of this group.
FR. THEODORE FOLEY, C.P.:  I was directed by the Postulator General in Rome to have a celebration for the successful conclusion of the diocesan investigation for the canonization of Fr. Theodore Foley, C.P.  After 20 years of investigating his writings and legacy, after interviewing many living witnesses to his holiness both in the United States and Rome, everything is positive to proceed forward. I was told we are to have an American celebration for this local Church. It is scheduled for September. Bishop Zubik will come. Bishop Walterscheid told me he looks forward to it. I have people to help with the celebration and have notified Fr. Massimo in Rome who is in charge of our canonizations. I am also hoping that our Fr. General, Fr. Provincial and Fr. General Consultor will celebrate Fr. Theodore with us. I have a beautiful letter Fr, Theodore wrote me personally when I was ordained. I hope we get a miracle so his cause advances.
With love and gratitude,

 Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends, I had been away to North Carolina to do a baptism and visit my brother, Jack.The Pope bestowed special honors on a number of people who helped build the new cathedral in Raleigh and I was invited by the Bishop to the ceremony. I saw people in the Hispanic community with whom I worked. They are concerned and fearful. Some were my most faithful and devout parishioners. I wish there would be a way those who have lived good, hard-working lives could get citizenship. I understand clearly how we don’t want criminals and drug dealers. My experience of being 20 years a Pastor in N.C. is so different. My prayer is God will show us the way to provide paths to citizenship.  With these thoughts in mind, I welcome this letter on immigration from the Passionist Leadership in the United States, Canada and Mexico. May God grant us understanding, patience and charity.                           

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P. , Rector 

Dear Friends,

YOUR GENEROSITY OVER CHRISTMAS: I am beginning to send out thank you notes to many of you who were very generous in your Christmas donations and gifts. It will take me a while in the meanwhile “Thank You.”
FRIDAY FOOD BANK: A beautiful practice of this house that goes all the way back to the 1800’s is the assistance given to needy families each Friday through our food bank. On Friday around 50 families come to the side entrance and are given food and supplies for their families. Peg Donley and a large group of volunteers distribute to the needy. Peg and her late husband, Tom, have overseen this for years. The early Passionist Brothers, following the example of St. Paul of the Cross, would put aside some food for the poor. St. Paul directed that our communities were to be aware that Jesus comes to us in the needy. The generosity given us over Christmas enables us to continue this beautiful practice of our Founder
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: Tuesday, January 14th is the next Holy Hour for Vocations. It’s quiet prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, excellent music and song. I invite a special Passionist Saint or Blessed to accompany us. This month will be Bl. Grimwald Santamaria, a young Passionist died as a seminarian. I took part in the services that marked his beatification in the 1990’s. His mother is buried in Rochester, NY. He has a shrine there. His niece, Ida, and I kept in contact for a number of years. She gave me a statue of him and told stories that I will share with you. At times I sense his presence. 
FR. THEODORE: Our other friend is the Servant of God, Fr. Theodore Foley. There is movement on Theodore’s progress to sainthood. Fr. Massimo, the Passionist priest who is our saint maker, indicates that Fr. Ted’s cause is being reviewed favorably as we await a miracle.
HOLY NAME OF JESUS: Today, as I write, I had just returned from offering Mass at the Passionist Nuns Convent. It’s the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. Fr. Ed Wolanski with whom I was stationed for over 10 years in North Carolina loved this feast. We were ordained together and go back a long time as good friends. We were lost one day driving in N.C. and hungry. It was getting late. We finally passed a run-down saloon. Decided it was better than nothing. Went in to eat. As we awaited our sandwich, this rowdy group of southern gents, (who were not there to eat), were yelling and disrespectfully using Our Lord’s name. Suddenly, Fr. Ed was standing in front of them: “Excuse me, gentlemen, please have a good time but that NAME you are disrespecting means everything to me.”  I was petrified thinking how I would get him out. Suddenly, silence, then resumed conversation and no more disrespect for the Holy Name, Jesus. True story. Treasure the name 

of Jesus.

With gratitude and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

DEAR FRIENDS:
THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS:  I especially want to thank all of you for helping make our Christmas so beautiful. The church decorations were elegant, the poinsettias, the manger, the Christmas trees. All contributed so beautifully to the liturgies. I thank the Altar Guild, our workers, Rusty and John, for all their dedicated work. The Passionist Associates put on a beautiful dinner for the professed and all the associate members. What contributed so overwhelmingly was the beautiful music arrangements with singers and instrumentalists. Andrea Terlesky outdid herself with the beautiful singing and instrumentalists for the Christmas Masses. Christine coordinated the various ministers and schedules. Charlot kept the Christmas Novena very successful. Your generosity to us is outstanding. Thank you for your support by being present. Thank you for your financial support which always comes through. Thank you for loving the Passionists which is so evident! Thank you.
FR. THEODORE FOLEY’S CAUSE ADVANCES:  I received a message this past month from Fr. Massimo Parisi, C.P.. He is a member of Fr. General’s staff in Rome. He directs and handles all cases for canonization and sainthood. He told me he had wonderful news. Fr. Theodore Foley’s cause for canonization is advancing. Rome had approved advancing his cause to the next stage. After a number of years of investigation locally here in the USA, Fr. Theodore cause advances now to the next phase. Investigations have been conducted successfully over the past 20 years and they are asking for a local celebration that everything is o.k. to advance to the next stage as we await a miracle as confirmation of his holiness. We have been directed to plan for a local celebration of his holiness and the Vatican’s initial approval of that holiness.
WE ARE DEBT FREE: When I came here in 2018 and was elected Rector, we undertook a $5,ooo,ooo. renovation of the church. We had many generous benefactors . The benefactor who led the campaign and contributed overwhelmingly was Jack Mascaro. Right up until his death, he was the outstanding benefactor. This past month we were able to make the final  payment through another generous benefactor. We are now totally debt free! Thanks to all of you and to the outstanding generosity of the Mascaro family. Thank you, everyone!
FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE, THE BELOVED: I had Mass at the Passionist Nuns this morning, Dec. 27th, feast of St. John the Apostle. I love preaching on him because he was the Apostle that loved our Lord so tenderly. Always considered the youngest of the Apostles he had a special relationship of intimacy with the Lord. He was present at so many of the miracles. He was with Jesus in Gethsemane and the Transfiguration. He was the only Apostle that stood at the foot of the Cross so deeply in love with Jesus and caring of his Blessed Mother. Historians tell us he lived till about the year 100 and wrote the 4th Gospel at the end of his life. St. Polycarp, the Bishop Martyr of Smyrna, knew him. He attended liturgies at which John presided and he listened to him preach. He would end up always saying: “ What Jesus would want me to tell you is: Love one another.” Bishop Polycarp said John sat as he celebrated the Eucharist and always reminded them to love one another! 
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS:  Our monthly hour of adoration for Passionist Vocations is Tuesday, January  14th at 7pm. It is a beautiful quiet hour of prayer. Please make an effort to come. I will invite 2 Passionist holy people to be with us in prayer: Fr. Theodore and Bl. Grimoald. May they intercede for this monastery and for vocations for the Passionists.
With my love and gratitude, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.,Rector

DEAR FRIENDS:
3rd WEEK OF ADVENT ALREADY: We light the third Advent candle, the pink one, this week. We are close to celebrating Jesus’ birth. I think it is beautiful to look at the Baby with the out-stretched arms in the manger and then look to Christ with outstretched arms on the Cross - the same one, the same one. Why? Because His love for me abounds and is beyond all telling. These are powerful and prayerful days.
CONFESSIONS DURING ADVENT: This monastery since the beginning has been known as a place where you can readily receive forgiveness of sins through the Sacrament of Confession. Many people avail themselves of this great privilege at the scheduled times in the church or by coming to our front door where a priest is available everyday of the week except Sunday – 9 to 5 and on Wednesdays from 1 to 5.  I feel God blesses this house because of our fidelity to this custom of availability for God’s forgiveness. St. Paul of the Cross said he wanted our monasteries to be a “refugium peccatorum”- a refuge for sinners where God’s mercy and love abounds. When I was a novice here in 1965, the priest who was Novice Master and was giving class, sometimes he was called out because he had to hear a confession at the front door. We would read the Rule until he returned. He would say things like: “Remember when you are priests to always show God’s mercy and remember the only reason you haven’t done worse is that God has protected you.” I have never forgotten that.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS THIS TUESDAY – DEC. 17th  at 7pm: One of my most favorite services of the month – a quiet hour with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I ask one of our saints or holy ones to accompany us as we honor the Blessed Sacrament. This month it will be the Servant of God, Fr. Theodore Foley. Fr. Theodore is a candidate for canonization and is buried in our church. People pray though out the day at his shrine. He was Rector here and then Superior General of the Passionists in Rome until his death in 1974. I have a handwritten letter he wrote me in 1972 when I was ordained a priest. I will read some of it. Recently, two distant cousins contacted us. They are the only relatives we know, one in Oklahoma and the other in Massachusetts.
WE HONORED OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE: I had Mass on her feast day this past week at both the Passionist Nuns at 8am and then in the monastery church at noon. It’s a beautiful feast and I could not help recall my 20 years in North Carolina as a Pastor. I also working with the Hispanics at the cathedral. I will never forget their love and devotion for our Blessed Mother of Guadalupe. She is more than just the Patron of Mexico. She is a symbol to all the Church that God Loves and cares for the poor; that God cares for those forgotten by the powerful; that God cares for the most vulnerable from conception to natural death and for that Church, roses will always bloom in December.
BEAUTIFUL WORDS: These are words of St. Paul of the Cross that give me comfort. I am concerned at our lack of vocations especially here in the United States. We are flourishing in mission countries and other places but barely staying alive in many of the first world countries. We need help and prayers. These are words of our Founder, St. Paul of the Cross that give me comfort: “I place my trust in God. The Congregation is His; the lights He gave me for founding it were his. He will take care of its progress. My Hope is in God.” 

With love and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector    

Dear Friends, 

 FEAST OF ST. ALBERT THE GREAT: I grew up in Jersey City which was heavily Catholic. I was baptized and received the sacraments in Sacred Heart Church, which was the “Church of the Dominicans.”  The priory had a number of priests. We always had fine preachers. It was one of the most beautiful churches in the city. It was modeled on a Spanish cathedral and had beautiful stained-glass windows of all the Dominican Saints: Dominic, Martin de Porres, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, Vincent Ferrer, Hyacinth, Pius V, Rose of Lima, Albert the Great and numerous other saints and martyrs, all Dominicans. As I write this, it is St. Albert the Great’s feast. I said a few words about him at the 7:30am Mass this morning. He taught Thomas Aquinas and was one of the most brilliant men not only in theology and spirituality but also mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology, chemistry, economics etc. He taught in the great universities of Paris and Cologne. Favorite sayings from his wisdom: “To forgive those who have injured us in our body, reputation or goods is more advantageous to us than to cross the seas and go venerate the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord.” Here’s another: “An egg given in life for love of God is more profitable for eternity than a cathedral full of gold given in our name after death.”
A REFUGE FOR SINNERS: St. Paul of the Cross would say that our monasteries with their beautiful churches were to be a “Refuge for Sinners.” That people could come to our front door and receive the sacrament of Penance, was to be an important ministry. Our Pittsburgh house from the beginning has been “a refuge for sinners.”  Monday to Saturday, 6 days a week a priest is available at the front door to bestow the sacrament of Penance to all who come. The priest is available 9am to 5pm except Wednesday, 1pm to 5pm. Wednesday morning is a spiritual morning with quiet personal prayer for the community. I was talking with a good Passionist priest friend this past week. I told him how beautiful this ministry is and most times when I hear confessions, I mention words Pope Francis spoke to priests when he was elected Pope. He said: When you hear confessions let people know that God is more anxious to forgive them, than they are to be forgiven. Also, there is nothing they could ever do that would make God love them less.”
FR. THEODORE FOLEY: Later this week I will pick up books that have been sent from Rome. They are expanded paperback biographies of Fr. Theodore Foley. They will be available next week at the front door for $7.00 each. While I was in Rome, two women left me information that they were among the last living relatives of Fr. Theodore. One was from Massachusetts and the other from Oklahoma. I plan on contacting them shortly, hopefully today. Many asked me about Fr. Theodore’s cause. We have completed everything. It’s in the Lord’s hands. We need a miracle.
PASSIONIST CALENDARS:
Fr. Victor Hoagland mailed me several hundred calendars for the coming year. They have the Passionist feasts and commemorations for the Holy Year 2025. They will be $7.00 each. I have several hundred and will have them at the from door beginning this Monday.
In Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends, 

BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS: After 40 some days in Rome at our General Chapter Meeting, I am happy to be back in Pittsburgh and to be eating supper again at 5:45 instead of 8pm. The walk to my room from the meeting room was 4 long corridors and a climb of exactly 99 stairs. I counted. No longer am I smiling at people and not understanding what they are saying. It was a wonderful experience but I am happy to be home. We met wonderful Passionists from all over the world. We were encouraged by many young Passionists. We had beautiful liturgies. We listened to the Pope address us and tell us to be faithful to prayer and the tradition of St. Paul of the Cross. Pope Francis shook hands with each one of us, 78 capitulars. He gave us each a rosary and talked about the wonderful work of the Passionists. It was great and I am happy to be home.     
FR. THEODORE’S CAUSE: A few people still remember Fr. Theodore Foley. Others are aware of his holy life and asked how his cause for canonization is going. He was Rector here in the 1950’s. I told them how he is entombed in our church and that people pray there. We are awaiting a miracle through his intercession before we can move to the next step of the canonization process. I have had sent from Rome about 400copies of a more detailed book of his life, which is in English. It will be available in the next month or so. I just finished answering all the mail that had arrived while I was away. There were two messages from women inquiring about the progress of Fr. Theodore’s cause for sainthood. Both said they were related to him and very interested in his cause. One is from western Massachusetts and the other from Oklahoma. I will contact them this week.
GARDEN WORK: The gardens in Rome at our monastery are some of the most beautiful in all Rome. Pope Clement XIV gave the basilica, monastery and gardens to St. Paul of the Cross as headquarters of the Passionists. They are beautiful and overlook the ancient Coliseum. We always try to keep our gardens a place where the beauty of nature puts you in a contemplative mood of prayer and holiness. The gardens in Pittsburgh are also magnificent with their view. Thanks to all who make them that way and keep them that way – monastery and retreat house, employees and volunteers. Thank you.
OUR FRONT DOOR – A HOLY PLACE:  Lastly, our front door is a holy place. I remember when I first lived in Pittsburgh in 1964 as a novice. Our Master, Fr. Augustine Paul, told us the front door especially here in this house is a holy place. St. Paul of the Cross wanted this area to be especially holy. It is a refuge for sinners where they receive God’s forgiveness in the sacrament. We still have that and treasure it. Daily we hear confessions 6 days a week at our front door confessional. Please understand this is a holy place where holy things are happening and we want to respect that. Thank you. It is an honor to be here.
                                        May the Passion of Christ be always in our hearts.  

                                                                              Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends, 

RETURNED FROM THE GENERAL CHAPTER: I had been gone 30 days for our General Chapter in Rome by the time I arrived back home last Tuesday. I had arrived in Rome a few days early to visit the shrine of our St. Gabriel Possenti, a canonized Passionist student. The other 28 days were spent mostly in meetings and prayer. The Chapter was a beautiful experience. 78 Passionist priests and brothers from all over the world came together to review our lives as Passionists, suggest new strategies, evaluate where we are and elect a new leader (Fr. General) and his Council. We reviewed many areas of our lives as priests and religious. We made proposals in a synodal fashion and elected the new leaders for the community. Fr. Giuseppe Adobati from Italy was chosen as our new leader for the next six years. He is an excellent Passionist. We elected 6 Passionists to serve as his Council in leading our community. The first two of those elected to advise him, were two of my good friends: Fr. Paul Francis Spencer from Scotland and Fr. Aurelio Miranda from Brazil. They are excellent Passionists and both Frs. Paul and Aurelio have come to the USA and helped us. Besides all the wonderful fraternity and love for the Passionist Vocation evidenced, a very special part was a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican where he addressed us about his hopes for our community and encouraged us to find new ways of evangelizing. He said go out and bring them to Christ. Get new strategies. Go into the streets. However, never forget the contemplative dimension of your vocations. You are followers of St. Paul of the Cross whose love for the Passion of Christ came out of a deep contemplative life. He gave a beautiful speech and then greeted each one of us shaking hands and giving each a pair of rosaries in a case with his insignia
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ON ELECTION DAY: Bishop Zubik and the U.S.A. Bishops have asked that in parishes of the diocese and frequently visited churches there be a period of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. We are to ask the Lord to bless our election of the President and keep our country safe and caring for the poor and less fortunate. Also, to unite us in care of the needy and faithful to protecting all human life. I wonder sometime can we ever come together in charity, love and forgiveness. God can bring it about.
FAVORS RECEIVED FROM FR. THEODORE: Many people write in our book at his tomb in the church about favors received and prayers answered through the intercession of Fr. Theodore Foley. It is a regular thing. I have to admit 

that I have had to deal with a few things that seemed impossible and when I prayed for help through Fr. Theodore’s intercession, answers or help was received. I have a letter he wrote me. I keep it in my Passionist Rule and Regulations. I am convinced he is interceding for this community where he served as Rector.
With much gratitude for your loyalty and help, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P. – Rector

Dear Friends,

 As I write this, I have my Passionist Rule and Constitutions before me. I had been reading the sections on the General Chapter. That is a meeting of Passionists from all over the world that is ordinarily held at our Motherhouse in Rome. Every 6 years since St Paul of the Cross in 1775 the General Chapter (GC) has been held and the 48th will be this year, Oct. 7 through 26. I was thinking of what I wanted to share with you. Our Rule tells us, “The GC is the supreme authority in the Congregation. The GC meets to carry out the task of making laws and holding elections.” The GC elects the one who will stand in the place of St. Paul of the Cross, leading the congregation until the next GC.  The GC also makes laws and suggestions for how our Congregation is to best serve the Church and live as dedicated members of the Passionist Community. Our current Superior General, Joachim Rego, and his Council are voting members of the GC. The head Passionists from each country where our Communities are located are voting members. Also, a delegate is elected from each country as an additional voting member. Please pray for us. Our Rule states that the GC discerns the working of the Holy Spirit, nourishes the growth and development of the authentic Passionist spirit, clarify common goals of community life and apostolate, and fosters solidarity. It also evaluates how the General Passionist government has operated and elects a new Superior General and his Council. Why am I sharing all this with you? Because I was elected the additional voting member representing the USA and Puerto Rico. I was pleasantly surprised and have asked God to make me a good delegate, to help me vote for a holy and wise leader of the Passionists. I ask you to pray for me, that I may “speak the truth in love” (St. Paul of the Cross) and listen attentively to the others. I will be leaving at the end of September and returning Oct. 28. May the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ be ever in our hearts.   

With  love, and prayers, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends,

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU: This past week on Thursday we celebrated the feast of Mary’s Assumption into heaven. It’s a beautiful feast and a day on which many of us Passionists pronounced our vows. When we had bigger classes, we would all pronounce our first vows here in Pittsburgh on Aug. 15th. I have happy memories of that day. My parents and family came from New Jersey and I was so proud to wear the habit with the Passionist sign over my heart. That was 59 years ago. We, Passionists, have happy memories of the Assumption of Mary. This year, we added a vigil Mass for the feast. We had 3 Masses and they were well attended. The Holy Hour for vocations was also well attended on Tuesday. The only time we had a larger group was when the investigators from Rome were looking into the cause of Fr. Theodore for canonization. Andrea Terlesky, our music minister, always puts together a special program for the  monthly Holy Hour. It is beautiful. I have Benediction and ask one of our Passionist saints to accompany us as we honor Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. This month I invited St. Maria Goretti, whose shrine in our church has received the beautiful mosaic of the Netuno landscape where she was martyred. I want you to know how grateful we, Passionists, are for the support and encouragement you give us. I hope you know how appreciative we are for the support spiritual and material, that you give this community. Our Provincial recently noted how this Pittsburgh Foundation manages to stay afloat because of the generosity of our benefactors. Thank you.

MARY’S ROLE IN FOUNDING THE PASSIONIST CONGREGATION:  St. Paul of the Cross related how the Bl. Virgin Mary was central to the founding of the Passionists. The decisive experience which led him to found the Passionists involved Mary. It brought together all the inspirations he had been receiving. In 1720, Paul saw himself in a vision wearing the Passionist habit. He had just finished attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion in the Church of St. Charles in Castellazzo. He remained very recollected as he walked home and turned the corner toward his family home. He had a mystical experience. This is what he wrote in his spiritual diary: “I was raised up in God in the deepest recollection and with great interior peace. At that moment I saw myself clothed in a long black garment with a white cross on my chest, and below the Cross the holy name of Jesus was written in white letters. At that instance, I heard words spoken to me: “This signifies how pure and spotless that heart should be which must bear the holy name of Jesus graven upon it.” After his death, Rosa Calabrase testified that Paul had also shared with her about how Mary had appeared to him wearing the Passionist habit and calling him to found the congregation. In 1721, Paul saw Monte Argentario for the first time and felt Mary was calling him to live there. That same year he made the special 4th vow, “to promote the memory of the Passion.” He did this in the chapel of St. Mary Major in Rome, ‘Salus Populi Romani.” St. Vincent Strambi writes: “He made the vow as if presenting it to the Lord through the hands of Our Lady.”  When I go to Rome in October for the General Chapter. I will early on go and pray to Mary in that holy place. Mary is key to understanding our vocation.

CONGRATULATIONS    Sr. Mary Sarto, C.P.:    65 Years in Vows!  Sister is one of the Passionist nuns at their convent in Carrick about three miles from our monastery. We say Mass for them each day.  She is a holy nun, very prayerful, and very kind. Mother Joyce said to me: “If you are looking for Sr. Sarto, check first before the Blessed Sacrament.” Congratulations, Sister, for a wonderful holy vowed life. May you experience God’s presence and love.

                                                With my love and prayers,  Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P. 

Dear Friends,

AUGUST 15TH – ASSUMPTION OF MARY INTO HEAVEN: This coming Thursday is the beautiful feast of Our Blessed Mother being taken up into heaven at the end of her time on earth. It is also a Holy Day of Obligation. We will offer 3 Masses for the feast. Tuesday, a Vigil Mass, Aug. 14th at 5:30pm. Then two Masses will be celebrated on the feast, the 15th, at 7:30am and 12:10pm. They will be simple Masses with a homily. Mary is in heaven body and soul and she awaits us there. St. Paul of the Cross loved this feast of Mary. He prepared for it with a novena and with fasting. He gave up fresh fruit, plentiful at this time of year, until the feast day. He loved the fresh fruit of his Lombardy area, the grapes and the wine. It was a tradition in many parts of the Passionist Community to profess our vows on this day. I took my first vows on this day here in Pittsburgh in 1965. The feast is my 59th anniversary of being a Passionist.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS – TUESDAY, AUGUST 13TH AT 7PM:

This coming Tuesday, we will have an hour of quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in our church – Benediction, the Rosary and Quiet Adoration. I look forward to it each month. We pray for an increase in religious vocations. When I was pastor in North Carolina and Bishop Burbidge came to our diocese he inaugurated the practice. Within a short time, instead of a few seminarians in the diocese, there were over 10. God hears our prayers. I started the Holy Hour here. There’s no big increase in Passionist numbers but there is an increase in people coming out and praying and receiving God’s peace and quiet. For me, it is one of the most beautiful hours of the month. Jesus tells us to trust Him and, in His time, all is taken care of. I invite everyone to this beautiful hour when we look at God and He looks at us and tells us to trust Him. I ask one of our saints to accompany us each month. This month it will be St. Maria Goretti. She was taken care of by Italian Passionists and attended Mass at our church in Netuno, Italy. Made her first Communion and first Penance with us. She was assisted in her dying by Fr. Jerome, C.P. The Passionists sponsored her cause for canonization. Her body is venerated in our church in Netuno, Italy. The shrine to her in our church here is almost complete. The mosaic was completed two weeks ago and is beautiful. It is a window you look through and see the Netuno countryside much as it was when she was killed. I have stood in the kitchen where she was killed and as you look out the window that is what you see with a few more farm type buildings. We are having a special kneeler made for there and will have leaflets and prayers for healing peace, purity, and forgiveness.

FRONT DOOR CONFESSIONAL:  At our Monastery Office you can obtain Mass cards and enrollments for the living and deceased. It is a beautiful service we offer you and helps us a lot. People come all day for Mass cards and enrollments. Also, there is a very private confessional where people come to receive the sacrament of penance. No appointment is needed. We consider it one of our most important ministries here in Pittsburgh. You simply come to the Office and the Receptionist directs you to the confessional. You may choose face to face or anonymous. A signal is sent to the priest on duty. After your confession, you leave. This is a beautiful service offered at our monasteries and dates back to the time of St. Paul of the Cross. That’s it for now.

            With my gratitude, love, and prayers, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends,

ALREADY AUGUST:  I am writing this column on August 1st. There are a lot of feasts and commemorations this month particularly precious to Passionists.  August 6th the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John witness his glory on Tabor. A short time later the same three, witness his Agony in the Garden when he sweats blood and cries out for help. August 15th, Mary is Assumed into Heaven, a holy day of obligation and a sacred day for so many of us Passionists. It was the day on which so many of us became Passionists. It was an especially common practice for American Passionists to take their vows on the feast of Mary’s Assumption. I did so in 1965, 59years ago this month in this church into the hands of Fr. Gerard Rooney, who was Provincial then. One of our many saints and blessed has his feast day this month. On August 26th, we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Dominic Barberi, Passionist priest. He was beatified during the Second Vatican Council by Pope St. Paul VI and held up as a model of ecumenism for all priests. He received the great Cardinal John Newman into the Catholic Church. We will pray this month to all these greats at our Holy Hour.  

ST. MARIA GORETTI MOSAIC:  This past Tuesday the mosaic behind the St. Maria Goretti statue was installed. It appears as a window through which you see the outside countryside of the Nettuno area where she was killed. It was digitally produced and replicates the landscape. Our particular statue depicts her resisting the sexual advances of her neighbor, Allesandro. That white marble statue of St. Maria Goretti with arm raised has her fending off her attacker. It is an exact replica of the statue under the main altar of the church in Corinaldo, Italy where there is a beautiful shrine to her. At the entrance to that church, if you turn to your left, is the tomb of St. Maria’s mother, Assunta Goretti. Turn to the right is the tomb of Allesandro Serenelli, who murdered St. Maria Goretti. After nearly 30 years in prison and repentant, he asked her mother for forgiveness. Assunta gave forgiveness. Allesandro died a Franciscan brother. St. Maria was taught by the Passionists in Netuno. Made her first Communion and confession with the Passionists. Fr. Jerome, an Italian Passionist, ministered to her when she was dying and heard her forgiving her attacker. I pray that shrine will be a place of forgiveness and strength for all who pray there. Whether the prayer is for strength to be pure and chaste, or the grace of repentance of failures, or for forgiveness of misdeeds. I pray that shrine will be a place of forgiveness and strength. Pope Francis in one of the first letters he wrote as Pope spoke to priests these words to be shared with all their penitents: “God is more anxious to forgive us than we are to be forgiven.” “Nothing we could ever do would make God love us less.” I hope that shrine becomes a place of great holiness 

HOLY HOUR – AUGUST 13TH: One of the nicest services we have each month is the Holy Hour for Vocations. We again have it this month on Tuesday evening, August 13th at 7:00pm. I find it very simple and very inspiring. All we do is adore the Lord exposed in the Eucharist. We have rosary and benediction and beautiful music and song. Andrea brings along a cantor and musicians that just enhance that Holy Hour. I always ask one of our Passionist Saints or Blesseds to accompany us. Maybe this month, I can ask St. Maria Goretti to accompany us. We can ask her to inspire some young people to become Passionist priests, sisters and brothers

GENERAL CHAPTER APPROACES: In the past week, I finalized my plans for attending the General Chapter and made the plane reservations. Fr. General has asked all the members of the Chapter to arrive some days prior to its opening the first week of October. The Chapter goes the entire month and closes the 26th of October. I plan to arrive a few days early by the end of September and take a little vacation before it begins. The General Chapter is held every six years. There are about 75 members from all the areas where there are Passionists located in our world. They are to review how Passionist life is lived and apostolates served. They make proposals on how to better things always being faithful to the initial charism of St. Paul of the Cross. Then they elect a Superior General to stand in the place of St. Paul of the Cross and lead the community. Consultors are chosen for him from the various regions of the world. I am very honored to be an elected delegate and did not expect it. I will do my best and pray hard.          Pray for me.

                    With much gratitude and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends,

FRIDAY FOOD BANK: I am writing this bulletin column on Thursday morning. I had been at the Passionist Nuns in Carrick for their Mass this morning. They prepared beautifully for the feast of the Apostle, St. James. I was thinking what an honor it is for this monastery to serve those Sisters. Their entire life is dedicated to Christ Crucified by contemplation and prayer.  When I returned back to the monastery at 9am, I saw Rusty Wilcox and Stuart Wait, our employees, unloading our pick-up van of cans of vegetables, rice crispies and all kinds of foods for our food bank on Friday. Once a week, we have a food line and help feed 50 or so families. Rusty and Stuart were getting ready for that. “Whatever you do to the least one, you do for me.” I no sooner returned and went to have some breakfast when my call bell rang. I was assigned as confessor for that Thursday till 1pm.  Someone had come in for confession. We hear confessions every day, except Sunday, from 9am to 5pm. Wednesday mornings, the exception, we try to spend the morning in prayer. Then we begin hearing confessions at 1pm. St. Paul of the Cross wanted our monasteries to be “a refuge for sinners” where people were forgiven. Certainly, this monastery has been that for over 170 years. Just as I am writing this bulletin, I have been called to the front door confessional five times. And that’s beautiful!
MISSION TRIP FROM GREENVILLE: There is a group of young people from Greenville, NC here this week for the annual Mission Trip. Joe Farris, Joe Blick, and a number of lay people started that tradition around the year 2000 when I was Pastor there. I came each year with the young people and was the priest for their Masses, Penance Service and Prayer Services. I left Greenville in 2013. They were a wonderful 15 years. I will help tonight with the confessions. It makes me so proud when they say something like: “Father, my parents told me you baptized me.” That was one of the very beautiful assignments God has allowed me to have!
MOSAIC IS ARRIVING:  I received the good news two days ago from the Rugo Stone Company. St. Maria Goretti Shrine mosaic will arrive in Pittsburgh on Monday, July 29th and be installed on the side wall July 30th.  Once that is completed. We will get kneelers and have prayer cards to St. Maria and special prayers for her help in fidelity to Jesus
FR. JOSEPH FROM PAPUA, NEW GUNIEA:  A young Passionist was preaching in behalf of Passionist Missionaries to raise money to train their seminarians. He passed through our house here two weeks ago. He spoke to me of how impressed he was with our life here. The programs in the retreat house, the holy hour in the church, fidelity of the CP community to prayer, the Wednesday adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He said, “ I would love to live here. “ Please God, we can get some more Passionists.
TICKET FOR THE GENERAL CHAPTER: Fr. General sent around a letter to all the Members of the 48th General Chapter. He asked if we could arrive a little early to adjust and get to know the members of the Chapter meeting. I bought my ticket the other day and am leaving at the end of September. I will arrive a few days early and return Oct. 29th. He wants us to familiarize ourselves with Rome and the other members of the Chapter from around the world as we will be the electors for the next Fr. General. I am looking forward to it. Pray all goes well.
With my gratitude and prayers, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends,

HOLY HOUR THIS PAST TUESDAY:  Thank you to those who came for the Holy Hour. The church was hot and still there was a good attendance.  Andrea, our music director, always invites musicians and a volunteer vocalist who make it a very special hour of prayer. After praying over each person, we conclude with benediction. Each month, it is customary to invite one of our Passionist Saints or Blesseds to accompany us and teach us to love Christ Crucified. This past month I prayed to the Servant of God, Theodore Foley, and asked him to bless our Province and House and all those present. I told a few little stories I know about him and read a letter he wrote me from Rome, when he was General and I was being ordained a priest in 1972.
FR.THEODORE FOLEY: He was a holy Passionist Priest. He was born in Massachusetts in 1913. He professed his vows as a Passionist in 1933. He was ordained in 1940. Taught theology, trained seminarians, was elected Rector of this Pittsburgh house in 1956. Served as Assistant to Fr. General, was elected Superior General in 1964. In that role, he served as the successor of St. Paul of the Cross for ten years directing and visiting Passionist Communities around the globe. During his last visitations to missions in Indonesia, he contracted a disease. Upon his return to Rome, he was hospitalized and died on Oct. 9, 1974. He participated as a Father of the Second Vatican Council.  He was highly respected by St. Pope Paul VI and the holy Jesuit General, Pedro Arupe. I met him when I was a Deacon and sat next to him at a meeting! I am honored to have had his room when I was stationed in Jamaica, NY. The office I use here in Pittsburgh was used by him, also. He wrote me when I was ordained in 1972 and I keep that letter in my Passionist Rule book. I have no doubt that he is a saint and will one day be canonized. We are honored to have his shrine in our church where his body rests. During our last holy hour, I read to the people the letter he wrote me when I became a priest. We had invited him to be with us as our special Passionist Guest!
YOUTH FROM GREENVILLE:  Welcome our youth from Greenville, NC. Many a summer, as Pastor, I came here with our youth for that mission trip.  Joe Farris led the group. Our Fr. Pat Daugherty, Fr. Pat Geinzer, Fr. Ed Wolanski also participated. It was a wonderful week. I help a little now with their confessions. Many of them say, “Father, you baptized me.” Then I tell them: “Then, I pray for you.” And that I do.  St. Augustine wrote: “You have an obligation to pray for those you baptize.” I have kept a list begun March 21, 1971 when I was a Deacon. As of today, #1 is Sherry Frances and #1,017 is Zachary Dylan. I do pray for them!
MANY HANDS PRODUCE A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN:  Our gardens are more beautiful than ever. People have asked to walk through them and pray. As long as a retreat is not going on, I always say yes. Thank you to our maintenance crew directed and headed by Rusty Wilcox, who seems to keep so much afloat these days. Rusty and John O’Neil have been the main stays over the past years. They are joined by Stuart Wait this summer. Thank you for the lawns, the gardens, the planting, the watering and all the maintenance.  Dave Sylvester, whose generosity enabled the new walks and enabled wonderful renovations. Along with Fred Watke and Ron Sestili, we put up trees and bushes and plants and statues over these past years. Thank you. Thank you from retreat House, Monastery, Associates and Friends.
I want to tell you about the 4 paintings in the church, a communication from Fr. General regarding the General Chapter. Completion of the Maria Goretti Shrine, Stay tuned for next week. 

                     With thanks and much gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends,

THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S HOUSE:  This past week Mother Superior of all the Passionist Nuns convents in the world made a visitation of our Passionist Nuns here in Carrick. Mother Joyce, Superior here, called and asked if I could show Mother Catherine Marie and Sr. Daniela this Passionist Monastery and Retreat House. On Thursday, I took 4 Nuns on a tour. They said how beautiful the church was and the gardens and how Passionist it all was. The solitude of the gardens and the beauty of the newly renovated church were very impressive to them. We all prayed at the tomb of Fr. Theodore Foley, Servant of God, in the back of the church. This was one of the main reasons Mother Catherine wanted to come here. Fr. Theodore was very much devoted to the Passionist Nuns and encouraged their vocations and contemplative life. They also wanted to see the crypt where Fr. Anthony Calandri, one of the saintly founders of this monastery, is buried. He was reputed to have had the gift of healing.  It was very beautiful and we prayed at the various places for the well-being and fidelity of the Passionists all over the world. Three of our missionary bishops are also buried in that crypt: Bishop Cuthbert O’Gara of China, Bishop Quentin Olwell and Bishop Reginal Arliss, both missionaries in the Philippine Islands. I knew Bishop Cuthbert as a sixth grader when he returned to our monastery in Union City, New Jersey after spending nearly five years in solitary confinement in a Chinese jail for his loyalty to the faith.  I remember after released from prison at a vocation program he let me sit next to him and I saw his bishop’s ring with the Passionist sign on it. I remember thinking this is a man like the early martyrs of the church who would die for Jesus. Bishop Quentin ordained me a Deacon. Bishop Reginald returned from the Philippines to ordain my class as Passionist priests in 1972. After the crypt, I took the Nuns into the gardens and showed the beautiful renovations there. The Visitors talked of the beauty of the place but especially how Passionist everything was. I reminded them that Fr. Anthony Calandri wrote Fr. General after they had acquired this site in 1853 for the first Passionist Monastery in the new world. He wrote to Fr. General, Fr. Anthony Testa. He told him he would love this place because it has the beauty and solitude of Monte Argentario. That beauty continues today in this very special place. I thank Mother Catherine Marie for cherishing it. 
THE BEAUTY OF OUR GROUNDS: Then the next day on this past Friday, I was called to the front door to greet a man visiting from Brazil who wanted to stop here. He told me he was a lay Passionist, the leader of the Passionist Associates in Brazil and wanted to visit this monastery. He had heard of this monastery as pivotal to all the foundations in the new world. In my English 

and a little Spanish and his Portugese and a little English, we tried to communicate. I gave him a tour and he loved the place. The beauty of the church, the retreat house, the gardens. He told me this was the high light of his entire trip to America. He presented me with a beautifully framed wooden Passionist sign which he carved himself. I was deeply touched. I was the confessor yesterday and so had a few interruptions which he understood and appreciated how the Passionists always have time for confessions. I gave him as much time as I could and wanted to give him a gift. I remember I had a bag with a few articles I had gotten in Rome six years ago. I chose two things a large Passionist pin and a first- class relic of St. Gemma Galgani. He thanked me for the pin and then told me something. In his parish church in Brazil, he and the Pastor had just finished building a shrine to St. Gemma Galgani. “This relic will be venerated there.”  Then he said that he was grateful and now understood why he had come to the U.S.A. and how he loves the Passionists. So do I!
THE MONTHLY HOLY HOUR:  Please try to come out for the beautiful Holy Hour for Vocations. It will be this coming Tuesday, July 16th at 7:00pm – Adoration, Prayer, Singing, Rosary and the beauty of Jesus!
                                      With my gratitude and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.

Dear Friends,

BL. SACRAMENT PROCESSION IN OUR GARDEN – SUNDAY, JUNE 30TH:
Following the 10:30 Mass next Sunday, we will have a procession through our beautiful gardens carrying the monstrance with the Eucharist. It will be prayerful with some singing. Then we will have refreshments outside. We had hoped to have this for Corpus Christi. Everything is ready now and our gardens beautified. I thank all those who worked and contributed to the beauty. A beautiful to honor Christ in the Eucharist. All are welcome.   
HOLY HOUR THIS PAST WEEK: Thank you for coming out to pray for vocations at the Holy Hour. Next week, a member of our province from Puerto Rico will be ordained a priest there, Fr. Cristian Martinez. We congratulate him and assure him of our prayers.
VAGABOND MISSIONARIES: These are young people who evangelize young people and get them to church through a lot of street ministry. They are located in about 16 sites across the United States.  There is a group in Greenville, NC. Joe Farris, our youth minister there, made contact with them. Then when I came here, Joe Farris made contact with the Vagabond Missionaries in Pittsburgh at 2 sites. I told them they are always welcome at our monastery. This past week, as they do from time to time, they asked if they could make a day of recollection here. They asked if I would say Mass and give them a meditation on the Passion of Christ. Happily! They are always welcome.
PASSIONIST NUNS: One of the best parts of being in Pittsburgh, is being near our Passionist Nuns. We go to their convent each morning, taking turns, to celebrate the Eucharist for them. It is an honor and a beautiful duty. Their lives, hidden with Christ in prayer, very much inspires me.
FR. RICHARD NALEPA:  Fr. Richard has come through his knee replacement surgery and is back to driving and serving the community here in Pittsburgh generously. All went well. Thank you for your prayers and concern.
FR. CURTIS KIDDY:  Fr. Curtis is back from a little vacation time. The retreat house is going well. Fr. Curtis will represent us this coming week at Fr. Cristian’s ordination. They studied together. Curtis will represent our house.
ST. MARIA GORETTI SHRINE: I spoke with the creator of the mosaic this past Friday. He apologized for the delay. We are scheduled for the installation in our church of that beautiful mosaic behind the St. Maria Goretti statue during the last week of July. There are kneelers etc. also being made. The company had a backlog of projects. Brett has assured me the work will go on in our church the last week of July. The statue is a duplicate of the one in Coronaldo, Italy at Maria’s shrine there. St. Maria Goretti’s mother, Assunta, is buried in the back wall of the church on the left side. On the right side, Alessandro Serenelli, is buried. He attempted to rape and murdered her. He repented after decades in jail and died a Franciscan Brother. Mama Assunta forgave him and received Holy Communion with him in that church after his release. I want our shrine to be a place of purity, healing, forgiveness, mercy and love.
        With love and gratitude for all your help, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends,

Laudato Si Committee: This group has continued to beautify our property. They meet regularly to study Pope Francis’  documents and asked  me to make this request, “Do you like to garden? Do you love the Monastery gardens? The St. Paul Laudato Si team can use your help to maintain them. No expertise needed, just willingness to work. We’re meeting the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 4:30 pm. Join us at the St. Paul Garden between the Church and Monastery Office. For more information, email Rose at roseannlord7@gmail.com or call 412.951.7224 and leave a message.”

Corpus Christi: This Sunday we celebrate this beautiful feast of the Body of Christ. Our Passionist tradition when we entered the Monastery we received a new name, as our Founder St. Paul of the Cross and his brother John Baptist of St. Michael did. I received the name Justin and was given permission to add “of the Blessed Sacrament.” I love this feast especially. Today we thank God for the wonderful gift of His Body and Blood. We receive the Lord Who wants to be with us. That thought alone moves us to prayer. We will have a beautiful procession through our Garden after the 10 am Mass on June 30. The Passionist Associates will provide coffee and some refreshments following the procession.

All are invited and can see the gardens, all beautiful!

Monthly Holy Hour: For the month of June, our beautiful Holy Hour will be on Tuesday, June 11, at 7 pm. Please join us as we pray for Passionist vocations. It is a beautiful time of quiet, prayer, and song. It is growing in attendance! I look forward to it each month.

St. Maria Goretti Shrine: Work is being done on the background mosaic at the studios. I had hoped it would be installed by her feast day in July. I will check on the progress later this week. It will honor our modern martyr.

St. John Fidelis McMillan: Many of you have asked how he is doing. I saw him last week and he is fine. We told him all is well here and that many of you still ask about him. He wants to be remembered to all. His niece, Mary McGee, recently sent photos of his 100th birthday party in our Jamaica, NY Monastery last fall. He is still going strong! I put the pictures on the Community Bulletin Board in our private quarters so we Fathers can see him at his party, surrounded by generations of nieces and nephews, all of whom sent a generous donation to our Monastery to honor their uncle. We are grateful.

                              With love and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends:
SCHEDULE CHANGES – Due to the PASSIONIST ASSEMBLY:  Our Superior has called a meeting of all the professed Passionists in the eastern United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. We meet in Jamaica, NY from May 21 to 23. Fr. Joe at 88 is excused. Fr. Richard is getting through a knee replacement and cannot drive. The rest of us head to New York on the 20th and return by the 24th. Masses, Confessions, Novena Services are canceled from Monday May 20th till and including Friday, May 24th. Our regular schedule of Masses and confessions resumes on Saturday, May 25th. An exception! Fr. Joe said he will offer a 12:10 Mass each day Monday through Friday, May 20 -24. Thank you, Joe.
THANK-YOU PASSIONIST ASSOCIATES: Last Sunday after the 10 am Mass, the Passionist Associates had a reception in the garden room for anyone who wanted to get together after Mass. They had prepared coffee and an assortment of fancy pastries etc. The best part wasn’t the nice refreshments. It was how everyone enjoyed that time to catch up and have an opportunity to chat. Usually, retreats are being conducted and space isn’t available. People chatted and enjoyed the opportunity. For some it was a great hour! We are appreciative to the Associates for this thoughtful gathering.
PASSIONIST NUNS ELECT SUPERIOR: On this past Friday, the Passionist Nuns, here in Pittsburgh, held their elections for Mother Superior. On the first ballot, Mother Mary Joyce, C.P. was re-elected Superior. Mother Catherine Marie, C.P., Superior General in Rome, had appointed the Rector here to preside. Fr. Curtis tabulated the votes and after the first ballot, it was my honor to confirm Mother Joyce as the re-elected Superior.  We ae all happy and assure her of our prayers and admiration
VOCATIONS HOLY HOUR: This prayer time is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th.  I look forward to it each month – a beautiful hour of quiet and prayer before Jesus exposed in the Blessed Sacrament. The people attending is increasing. The music is beautiful, the prayer is moving and to be with Jesus in the quiet is a gift. Come see.
OUR BEAUTIFUL CHURCH – PALLADIO AWARD: I am told by the architects who renovated our church, O’Brien and Keane, that the Palladio Award is a very prestigious award. It’s about the highest you can get and highly competitive. Our church was entered along with over 220 other entries. In all, 20 Awards are given. Our church won 1st place for renovation and interior design of a classical traditional building. The architects are delighted and are flying me up to Boston to receive the award with them. They said wear your Passionist habit to the dinner. I will be honored to.
JOHN CARDELLO UPDATE: Our faithful friend and helper with everything in the church – set up, sacristy, collections, Mass, Benediction, Stations had a bad fall weeks ago. Has been with his son and daughter-in-law up by Grove City recuperating. I’ve been calling him to tell him we miss him. Couldn’t get through. I had the wrong number. Spoke with his son. John has an infection and is recuperating in the hospital. I connected up with him and he sends his best and his prayers..
LIFE OF ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS PRESENTATION: Judy Callan, who oversees the formation of our Passionist Associates, lay people who desire to be more closely connected with our community and share in the charism of St. Paul of the Cross, asked me to give a presentation on the Life and Spirit of our Founder, St. Paul of the Cross. I did that on Thursday evening. If there were people who come here and would appreciate a presentation on the life and spirit of St. Paul of the Cross, I would be happy to show it again.

With gratitude,

Fr. Justin Kerber CP

Dear Friends,

 Fr. Jerome McKenna, C.P.: His funeral and burial were here this past week. He was very much appreciated by his family, his Passionist Community, the dioceses where he was assigned, and the many people he served. He was the eldest of seven brothers, all born and raised here in Pittsburgh. Two brothers, Joseph and Regis, live here in Pittsburgh and his brother Robert is a Passionist Brother at our infirmary at our Jamaica, NY Monastery. Fr. Jerome was born April 13, 1930 and professed his vows as a Passioinist in 1951. He was ordained a priest in 1958. He died this past April 7 in Atlanta, where he was Pastor, the oldest active pastor in our country!

Fr. Jerome lived at our monastery in Rome following his ordination. He did further studies in Theology and obtained an advanced degree in Theology from the Angelicum University in Rome. In his 66 years of priesthood, he held may positions in our Passionist Communities and in the dioceses in which he served. He was Rector of this Monastery for 2 terms, Provincial Consultor, Provincial Secretary, and Director of Passionist Volunteers. He established various apostolates, serving many years as Pastor in West Virginia and in Atlanta, Georgia until his death. He even served as Vicar General for the entire diocese of Wheeling/Charleston. He was extremely capable and talented, and beyond that, a very good, holy, and dedicated Passionist priest.

The Archbishop of Atlanta celebrated a funeral Mass at St. Paul of the Cross Parish there and then Father’s body was transferred here. A funeral Mass was celebrated this past Friday with our Provincial, Fr. Jim O’Shea, C.P. as the main Celebrant. Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer of Atlanta and the Bishop of Wheeling/Charleston presided. Father is buried now in our Monastery cemetery next to the church. There are more than 125 Passionists buried there and in our Crypt. 

On a personal note, I first met Fr. Jerome when he was a Deacon preparing for Ordination at Union City, NJ. I was a 7th grader who wanted to become a Passionist priest. He and his classmates impressed me as so kind. He was Rector here when I professed my vows in 1965. Last year, I asked him to fly up from Atlanta to be interviewed by the delegation that came from Rome, investigating the cause of canonization of Fr.Theodore Foley, C.P., for 

sainthood. Fr. Jerome had lived with Fr. Theodore for over 10 years in the USA and in Rome. At 92, he was a star witness and sharp as a tack. May God now welcome him into heaven with Theodore and all the holy Passionists.  

I have already asked him to send us some new vocations! Thank you, Fr. Jerome, for your goodness and dedication.

                                                                  With gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.  

Dear Friends,

FUNERAL OF FR. JEROME MCKENNA, C.P.:  Fr. Jerome died In Atlanta, Georgia following a fall on April 7th, just six days before his 94th birthday. He was the oldest active Catholic Pastor in the USA. Fr. Jerome was a very likeable Passionist priest from a big family here in Pittsburgh. He took his vows in Pittsburgh in 1951and was ordained in 1958. He served in many important positions and was in in-charge of our Social Concerns. He had a degree from Rome. Worked with the Servant of God, Fr. Theodore Foley there. Was Rector of several monasteries including here at St. Paul’s. He served as Director of Social Concerns and as a Provincial Consultor. He served as Pastor in West Virginia for 20 years and was Vicar General of the Wheeling Diocese. His last assignment was Pastor of our parish in Atlanta, Georgia from 2009 till his death. He was a favorite of mine. I first met him in 1957 when he was a deacon in Union City, NJ. I attended his ordination as an 8th grader in April, 1958. He was Rector of this Monastery when I took vows in 1965. He came here last year to testify on behalf of Theodore Foley’s cause for canonization. At 93 he was still sharp as a tack and deeply loving our Passionist Community. He outdid himself-testifying in behalf of Fr. Theodore’s sanctity. May they now enjoy the presence of Jesus with Paul of the Cross and all the great Passionists who went ahead of them.  The funeral Mass was held in Atlanta. Here at this Monastery, he will be viewed in the church Thursday April 18th, 3 to 9pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday at 10:00am with burial in our cemetery. Fr. James O’Shea, C.P., our Provincial, will officiate. Atlanta’s Archbishop, Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv. will attend.  

ST.MARIA GORETTI SHRINE PROGRESS:  Within the next few months, the shrine of St. Maria will be completed. The art studio is working on the mosaic to be installed on the shrine rear wall. It is of the Netuno countryside. The backdrop of where Maria was martyred. There will be a matching railing and a place to kneel and pray. Prayers for healing, purity, forgiveness will be there. We also have a first-class relic of the saint.  

THE PALLADIO AWARD: If you are into church architecture, you probably know  that this is a prestigious award by ‘Traditional Building Magazine’ and coveted by church architects. There were 220 entries this year and 20 Awards given. St. Paul of the Cross Church in Pittsburgh won the award for “Interior Design of a Non-Residential Structure.”  Our church came in 1st in that category. Thank you, Jim O’Brien and co-workers for designing and the renovation of our beautiful church, the first in the world dedicated to St. Paul of the Cross. 

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: We did not much advertise the time of the April Holy Hour for Passionist vocations. It was last Tuesday. Yet, I walked into the church and was happy to see 40 some people. What a beautiful hour we had honoring Jesus. Thank you. The Passionist we prayed to was Bl. Grimoaldo from Pontecorvo, Italy. St. John Paul II beatified him. His niece, Ida, visited us at our Monastery in Jamaica, NY when I was superior. In Rochester, NY, where she lived, is a shrine to the young Passionist Blessed. Ida has since gone to God. The next Vocations’ Holy Hour is Tuesday, May 14th. Thanks for coming.  

FR. RICHARD’S KNEE SURGERY:  Our dedicated Vicar, Fr. Richard Nalepa had knee replacement surgery this past Wednesday. Everything went well. I waited in the family room with his brother, Ken and sister-in-law, Evelyn. The doctor reported afterwards that everything went perfectly. He will be a few more days in rehab and then come home. 

THE ALTAR GUILD: The Altar Guild keeps the church running! They take care of the sacristy, the sacred wash, the candlesticks, the vestments. They order and care for the flowers, set-up for feast days and liturgical seasons and feasts. They have been in existence for about 5 years now. I want them to know how grateful we are. Thank you: Jane, Phyllis, Suzy, Cindy, Barb, Deb and Tina.                                    With love and gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.  

Dear Friends,

 EASTER MASS ATTENDANCE: This is a special thanks to you for attending our Easter Masses. We offered 3 Easter Masses: the Vigil on Saturday evening and the two Easter Sunday Masses. Over 400 attended. We are not a parish and don’t advertise. The music was superb, the church was beautifully decorated, our entire staff and Altar Guild contributed to organizing, assigning, cleaning, decorating. It was an exceptionally beautiful Easter. Also, thanks to all of you who attended. The best attendance in a long time. The collection was also one of the most generous we have had. Thank you.
NEWS ON THE ST. MARIA GORETTI SHRINE:  Mr. Jim O’Brien, the architect whose company oversaw the church renovation, called me recently with two great pieces of information. The mosaic for the St. Maria Goretti Shrine is half way finished and is beautiful.  I hope, if possible, to bless her shrine some time near her feast day in July. Jim said everything so far is on target and beautiful. He said our church has also won a prestigious award for church renovation. It will be awarded in New Hampshire in June. He asked me to attend the dinner. We’ll see. We have received two other awards for renovation and outside lighting. God certainly takes care of us. This shrine will also have prayers and a kneeler. We can seek Maria’s intercession to be faithful Christ as she was in purity and chastity in forgiveness and integrity.
INTEGRITY:   I have always liked that word. I remember in the high school seminary an upper-classman told me his special hobby was ‘etymology.’ I didn’t know what it meant and looked it up. It’s the history of words. How a word comes into a language. A good strong word I always liked is integrity. I remember once saying: “When I die, I hope someone says: ‘He was a man of integrity’.” As I recall, ‘integrity’ came to English from the French and Latin word ‘integer’ which means whole, together, not a lot of loose ends! That will be a beautiful gift to pray for at St. Maria’s shrine. Our society needs to value purity, forgiveness and integrity.
GOOD NEWS FROM THE PASSIONIST NUNS IN CARRICK: Very shortly, a young woman who has spent over a year in discernment living with the community of Passionist Nuns will be vested in the Passionist habit. She will spend a year as a novice in prayer and study discerning whether God is calling her to devote her life to Him. After this year, if she desires to continue, she will pronounce her first vows and the beautiful Passionist Sign will be placed over her heart and she will wear it, being a daughter of St. Paul of the Cross. Three years later if all goes smoothly and she wishes to continue and the community judges her fit, she will take final vows as a Passionist Nun. One of our priests goes to their convent each morning for 

Mass. I find it a wonderful honor to serve these holy women and help them in their beautiful dedication to Christ as Passionist Contemplative Nuns. It is a very special vocation not given to huge crowds but to those who receive the gift a beautiful prayerful life.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL – PASSIONISTS, ASSOCIATES, MONASTERY STAFF, ALTAR GUILD, MUSIC MINISTRY, FRIENDS, AND BENEFACTORS      FOR MAKING EASTER SO BEAUTIFUL

With love and gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.  

Dear Friends:

HOLY WEEK IS HERE: This is a pressure time in the church, especially for Pastors. I was one for 20 years. You have all the Rites of receiving people into the Church. The three great days of holiness immediately before Easter. Cleaning the church, decorating for Easter, preparing sermons, confessions, helping other places with confessions, trying to recollect yourself and being in God’s presence. This past Wednesday, we had our prayer morning. The community voted that on all Wednesdays we would spend the first part of the day in prayer. And we have. The front door, open all days from 9 to 5 for confessions and other business, is closed till 1pm. Only on Wednesdays is the first public Mass at 12:10pm.  We agreed to spend those early hours each Wednesday in prayer and quiet. We have Divine Office, Community Mass, a short meeting if needed and an hour of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament before lunch. We open at 1pm. This past Wednesday was particularly beautiful. During that adoration hour, I brought with me two books for prayer. A small book I use on Holy Thursdays at adoration till midnight. The book is “The Hymns and Prayers of St. Thomas Aquinas.” It’s a little book with beautiful words about the Eucharist. The other book was a personal diary hand written by Fr. Augustine Paul Hennessy. He was our Master of Novices, the Passionist priest who trained me and my class how to be Passionists in 1964 – 1965, right here at this monastery, where we first became Passionists.  About four years ago, before Fr. Timothy Fitzgerald left for our infirmary, he said: “Justin, I want you to have this book. It’s Fr. Augustine’s diary, beautiful thoughts. I know you were very close to him and he would want you to have it.” It is one of the most precious things I now have. Some years after my novitiate, I was again stationed with Fr. Augustine in Springfield, Mass. Often after a meal, we would walk on the monastery grounds and he would share his beautiful thoughts on God with me. He looked on me as a beloved spiritual son. I had many grateful thoughts as I read from his diary last Wednesday. I’d like to share some beautiful reflections he wrote on training us as Passionists. He wrote: “My aim was to embody in my words and still more, in my life, four goals: to be relaxed with the Providence of God and seldom crippled by fear, to believe in the uniqueness of each one’s vocation in Christ, to expect the inevitability of conflict and the predictability of failure and to insist that maturity is impossible without a total commitment to love.” He told us two qualities were especially needed to accomplish this: mystic insight and maneuverability. I remember this still so clearly. Mystic Insight – see what God is asking and  Maneuverability - able to adjust to the moment by moment demands of love. These are what make a happy Passionist. Then he writes: “I was confident that by lecturing to them and sharing my life quite openly with them they would learn, partly by an osmosis, that a Christian career is a career in Christ. A career in Christ is a career on the Cross. A career on the Cross is a career of sacrificial love. This is Good News from Calvary.”  May we all strive to love God with the great intensity and tenderness of love that he did. After my parents, he was one of the most important people in my life by God’s Providence. Have a wonderful Holy Week and Listen to His Love.

With gratitude and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends, 

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE: The community reviewed last year’s schedule. It will remain pretty much the same. The one change is we will recite Morning Prayer in the church at 9a.m. Thurs., Fri. and Sat. rather than sing the lessons of Tenebrae.  Mass of the Last Supper will be on Thursday at 7 p.m. with the washing of feet. Procession follows with adoration till midnight.  That is a beautiful time to pray and be present to the Lord. I read some of the prayers and hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas who wrote the Mass prayers and hymns including the Tantum Ergo for this feast.  The Dominicans who lived with Thomas said he liked to even sit very close to Jesus when he adored the Eucharist. It is a beautiful evening to spend time close to the Lord. I love that time and do my best to stay till midnight

BIOGRAPHY OF FR.THEODORE FOLEY,CP:   I mentioned last week that Fr. Victor Hoagland sent me a copy of the new biography of Fr. Theodore Foley he has written. It has been taken to our General Headquarters in Rome where it will be translated into both Italian and Spanish. It’s a little over 70 type written pages. If pictures etc. are added, it will be a bit larger. It is very well done and a joy to read. I also had two people recently contacting me about cures attributed to his intercession. A cure has to be proven where there is no other explanation and there’s a lot of technicalities. Eventually, one will come through. Fr. Victor has a web site where he has a lot of good Passionist material: Victor’s Place.

MONASTERY COOKS:  I have reported to you over the past six years our need for a monastery cook. You heard of our searches, try outs and successes and failures. What I have learned from being a superior for over 40 years and what’s of prime importance: fidelity to prayer and good meals!  I want to thank Ann Hedges for the great job she is doing and Gemma Kolcun for the times she has filled in. Things are running smoothly in our kitchen.

GENERAL CHAPTER 2024 NEWS:  The General Chapter opens in Rome this October. I was elected a delegate from our province and am greatly honored. The Passionists world-wide are divided into 6 configurations – geographical groups. The priest whom the General appointed to head our configuration is Fr. Rafael Vivanco Peres, C.P., a Mexican Passionist in Rome. When I was Pastor in Raleigh, I had Rafael several times preach Missions for the Spanish speaking at the Raleigh Cathedral. My good friend, Fr. Aurelio Miranda, C.P., whom I have had here in Pittsburgh was elected to represent Brazil. So together with Fr. Jim, our Provincial, I am now feeling what a great experience this should be surrounded by many excellent Passionists. God’s in charge.

PASSIONIST NUNS: The Sisters have much to celebrate.  Because on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, a young woman, after having spent many months as a postulant will advance to the novitiate. She begins a full year of prayer and discernment about becoming a vowed Passionist nun. Sr. Mary Megan of St. Joseph will be vested in the Passionist habit and spend the next year in prayer and discernment of God’s will for her life. It is a beautiful and unique vocation. Pray for her.

HOLY HOUR LAST WEEK: The monthly hour of adoration for vocations every month is one of my favorite prayer times. The singing is beautiful. Andrea brings in beautiful cantors and instrumentalists. We adore the Lord exposed in the monstrance. Pray to Mary and Paul of the Cross. I get moved when we carry the Eucharist through the Church. We had about 45 participants last week. Not a great crowd but a beautiful faith filled group and attendance is going up. I so appreciate this time with you and the Lord.

With gratitude and love, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends, 

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS:  This coming Tuesday in our church we have the monthly Holy Hour. We pray that God will bless the Church with vocations to priesthood and religious life. It is a beautiful hour – songs, quiet, Rosary, Benediction and carrying the Blessed Sacrament through the church. Each month, we invite one of our Passionist saints to be with us. Bl. Lorenzo Salvi is chosen for this Tuesday. Last month, we had a higher attendance. Glad to see that.
JOHN CARDELLO: Our dedicated friend, John, is recuperating in a nursing facility. John assists daily by setting up the altar, lighting the candles, often serving as lector at daily Mass.  A couple weeks ago, he had a bad fall down a flight of monastery stairs breaking four ribs and clavicle. His son has moved him up to a facility in Grove City close to him. His daughter drove all the way from California. He is getting love and attention! When I told him I would drive up to see him. He said: “Please bring a pair of rosary beads.”  Had a wonderful visit. He thanks everyone.
BIOGRAPHY OF FR. THEODORE FOLEY, C.P.: Fr. Victor Hoagland called the other day from our monastery in New York. He said he had just finished writing a longer biography of the Servant of God, Fr. Theodore Foley, who is entombed in our church. I’ve read a good part of it. It will be translated into Italian and Spanish. Including English, it will be printed in three languages in Rome. People are visiting his tomb every day and recording favors granted and petitions requested.
ST. MARIA GORETTI SHRINE: Finally, the agreements have been signed. The architect who renovated our church, Jim O’Brien, has helped me finalize the last renovation to our church. Brett Rugo of Rugo Stone was hired to finish St. Maria Goretti’s shrine. It is to be a place of prayer for purity, healing, and forgiveness. Maria Goretti was taught and ministered to by Italian Passionists. They gave her first Communion, heard her first confession and taught her of God. One of our priests, Fr. Jerome, assisted her when dying as she forgave her murderer. The Passionists sponsored her cause for canonization as one of our own. The marble statue of her on the St. Joseph side of our church is an exact replica of the one under the main altar in the church in Corinaldo, Italy where she was baptized. Cardinal Christoph Pierre, Nuncio to the USA, got permission for us to replicate that statue for our shrine. A beautiful mosaic of the Netuno countryside will be the backdrop. The mosaic is being prepared.  The shrine will be beautiful and a place to pray for purity, healing and forgiveness.
HOLY WEEK:  Despite a reduced number of priests, we will try to keep everything going for Holy Week so that everything will be maintained. We will have a Community Meeting of the Passionists this week and will finalize.

RETREAT HOUSE – LENTEN DAYS OF RECOLLECTION:  These days planned by Fr. Curtis and Fr. Michael are being attended and appreciated. Actually, despite the reduction in number of Passionists, everything is being maintained: the masses, confessions, retreats, special programs. I am very thankful for your attendance and the generosity of the members of this community. 

PILGRIMAGES:  When I was a Pastor in North Carolina in conjunction with other parishes served by Passionists there, we led pilgrimages to Italy: “In the Footsteps of St. Paul of the Cross.” Also, pilgrimages to the Holy Land centered on the Passion of Christ. “Catholic Travel Agency”, located in Anaheim, CA, helped us with everything. I plan on contacting that Director to inquire about Passionist pilgrimages to the shrine of Fr. Theodore Foley in Pittsburgh and the holy places of New York.

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

Dear Friends, 

DAILY CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST:  What an honor it is to go to Mass every day and what a great honor to celebrate Mass each day. There is nothing more important that I can do as a priest. I promised God when I was ordained that I would celebrate Mass every day of my life. Except for 2 days when I was hospitalized, He has helped me keep that promise for over 52 years. There is nothing more important in my life that I do. #43 of the Passionist Rule of Life states: “The Eucharist is central to the life of each community. In so far as possible, we celebrate it together each day as the fundamental action of community life. Our common sharing in the same Body of Christ nourishes the life of our community, constitutes its norm and fosters union among ourselves. For every community, and for each religious, the Eucharist is a divine reality that transforms their lives.” This beautiful directive comes to us from Paul of the Cross and from the Church. What a beautiful gift! Daily Mass – what a gift – to renew what he did on the Cross and then receive Him because He wants to be with me and wants to be with you!
DAYS OF RECOLLECTION: Frs. Curtis and Michael are offering “A Day of Recollection for each Week in Lent.” It is for your spiritual growth and holiness. Each week they are having a different speaker. It’s all for you and your coming closer to the Lord. Check out the schedule – the Tuesdays of Lent – see if you are available and if this is beneficial for your spiritual growth. All are welcome.
PASSIONIST FEAST DAYS: Countries, Religious Organizations, Communities of Priests, Brothers and Nuns etc. have special feast days for their members. It is true of the Passionists. We follow all the Masses of the entire Church and some that are specific for the USA and others specific to Passionists all over the world.  Passionist feasts include those in honor of Saints, men and women, who were Passionist priests, brothers and sisters, for example: St. Paul of the Cross, St. Gabriel, St. Gemma etc. There are also special feasts that were set up by St. Paul of the Cross and later Fr. Generals of the Passionists that recall specific devotions to the Passion of Christ, for example: Jesus Crowned with Thorns, Jesus in Gethsemane, Jesus Scourged etc. Fr. Thomas Struzzieri, the first Passionist bishop was influential in establishing these first feast days proper to our community.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS – MARCH 12TH: One of my favorite hours of the month is when we adore the Lord in this Eucharistic hour. Nothing else to do but be with Him. We usually get between 25 to 30 people. What matters is that we are adoring the Lord. Last week it was over 40 people.  Andrea and the Cantor provided beautiful music. I look forward to it and 

find it very prayerful. I thank Andrea for providing a beautiful musical setting.
POPE FRANCIS’ MARCH PRAYER INTENTION: At this time of year, we celebrate beautiful feast days of great martyrs of our faith. Last week, I mentioned that I have always admired St. Polycarp, an early martyr, anxious to shed his blood for Christ.  Sts. Perpetua and Felicity will be celebrated in March, greatly loved and admired women martyrs of the early Church. The Acts of their Martyrdom was read at the Eucharist. Another is St. Justin, who had the honor of shedding his blood for Christ. These heroes and heroines of the 2nd century followed the Apostles. Martyrdom was a great honor granted them. This year Pope Francis’ March Intention for the Apostleship of Prayer is: “for the martyrs of our day, witnesses to Christ.” “Pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel imbue the Church with courage and missionary drive. And are open to the grace of martyrdom.”  Great Love!                                                            

With  appreciation, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
ST. POLYCARP: In my office, I have a file cabinet where I keep talks and sermons I’ve written. Some I like. Some I throw out when I read them a second time. I also have a section on the saints, mostly short stories about each of the saints. I love St. Paul of the Cross and St. Therese of Lisieux and I have lots of stories about them. For Feb. 23rd, the feast of St. Polycarp, I went to my notes. I have always admired everything about him except his name. He’s one of the early Bishop Martyrs, put to death for the faith in the year 155 at the age of 86. He was a disciple of St. John the Apostle! Polycarp related how John would tell the people about Jesus. John would sit when he preached at the Eucharist. John would tell them all about Jesus even how he looked. Polycarp served very long as Bishop of Smyrna in Turkey. When St. Ignatius of Antioch had been arrested and was being brought across the sea to Rome for martyrdom in 107, the young Bishop Polycarp walked down to where the boat was being re-supplied and knelt in the sand and kissed the chains around the hands and feet of Ignatius.  48 years later, Polycarp, himself, after having been arrested for being a Christian and being asked to deny Christ responded: “For 86 years, I have served Him. He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?” He was condemned to death. The fire was lit and he was burnt to death and could be heard praying: “Lord, Jesus Christ, I bless you for judging me worthy to share the cup of Christ.” The account of his martyrdom was written by Marcianus, who signed it this way: “I, Marcianus, knew him, saw him in flames, touched his remains with my own hand.” The account was read at Masses to inspire the early Christians!
LENTEN DAYS OF RECOLLECTION: For each week in Lent, Fr. Curtis has invited a speaker for a day of recollection at the retreat house. He has asked me to speak at the first one this Tuesday. It’s in God’s hands!
VISIT OF OUR FR. PROVINCIAL:  As I write this bulletin message Fr. Provincial, Jim O’Shea, has arrived for a visit and to check up on how things are going in Pittsburgh.  He is working very hard at a plan to hopefully insure the continuance of our Retreat House Ministries especially in light of the decreasing number of Passionists. Pray God blesses our Province with new members.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  We are having the Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent at 7:00pm.
This past Tuesday, we also had the Holy Hour for Vocations. We had close to 40 people show. It made me very happy because everybody so reverently prayed and sang beautifully. I sincerely find it one of the best hours of the month.
ST.MARIA GORETTI SHRINE: I have approved the contracts to finish the work on the St. Maria Goretti Shrine. It is already beautiful and a place to pray for strength and healing and peace. Maria Goretti, Martyr for Purity, will help all of us to be pure and chaste in all the situations of our lives.  The shrine will have a beautiful mosaic background based on her area in Netuno. There will be prayers and a place to kneel and pray for purity and strength, a place of forgiveness and peace.
OUR MONASTERY MINISTRIES: The number of Passionists in this community since  2018 has gone from 17 to 6. I want to thank my fellow Passionists for all the extra work they are now doing. Two are serving full time in the Retreat House. The R.H. is doing well with programs and attendance. The other 4 of us cover much and at advanced ages. Thank you, Men, for Daily Masses in the Church, Daily Mass for the cloistered Nuns, 3 Sunday Masses, 4 novena services on Mondays followed by confessions, daily confessions at the front door from 9am to 5pm, Confession in the church on Saturdays, being present each day for our community prayer together and also for Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays.  I am so very grateful to you, our staff and the wonderful people here.  
With deep appreciation, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: For the Fridays of Lent, we will pray the Stations of the Cross. I am honored to lead them on all the days I am available. It is a beautiful practice dating back to the early Church . Pilgrims would go to the Holy Land and walk to the places where Jesus walked in Jerusalem carrying His Cross to the Hill of Calvary. They remembered His love. We do the same but in Pittsburgh.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS THIS WEEK: One of my favorite monthly events! All of us praying and being quiet in the presence of the Lord. God hears our prayers and the desires of our hearts. I thank the faithful group that comes every month along with Andrea and the beautiful singer.
QUIET PRAYER: St. Paul of the Cross wanted our communities to be houses of prayer. I appreciate that so much being here in Pittsburgh. There are only six professed Passionists now. However, we met and determined we will keep our prayer life going and so continue striving to be faithful to prayer. We celebrate a number of Masses every day. However, on Wednesday mornings we close down the front door till 1pm. On those mornings, we have our prayers together and a Mass just for the Passionists with an hour of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament before lunch. We open the front door at one and resume all our normal services. It’s great that the community wanted to create this quiet prayer time.
ST. GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS,C.P.: Declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XV in 1920, St. Gabriel is patron of youth, students, seminarians, clerics and the Abruzzi region in Italy. His feast day is Feb. 27th. Saint Gabriel was born in 1838. He came from a large wealthy family in Spoleto, Italy. His father was a lawyer and served as mayor. He grew up in a household where devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows was typical of family life. He was a normal teenager: he danced, hunted, had many friends but felt something was lacking. He turned to Jesus and Mary and received a calling to become a Passionist. Despite objections from his father, Gabriel entered our community after high school. His father never spoke to him again. Gabriel loved God with all his heart and became a saint. One day, his Director, Fr. Norbert, saw him pacing around his room very agitated. “What’s the matter, Gabriel?” “Father is there anything in my heart, I have not given to God? Tell me what it is so I can rip it out and belong to Him completely.” Saint Gabriel is remarkable because he went so quickly from a life devoted to the pleasures of this world, to becoming centered on the Passion of Christ. He grew daily in love with Christ and Mary, Mother of Sorrows. This kind and holy student died from tuberculosis at the age of 23 in 1862. Pope Francis, when speaking on his feast day, said that Gabriel is one “whose example helps young people to be enthusiastic disciples of Jesus and inspires sick people to offer your suffering in union with those of Christ.” His shrine at the Passionist Monastery near the snow-capped Gran Sasso Mountains is one of the most visited shrines in all of Europe. Our Pittsburgh Monastery has always been a place of great devotion to him. For over a hundred years, Pittsburghers have been coming here praying to him. He was to be canonized in 1913. Our Gabriel Chapel was added on to the church to be ready for that canonization. Because of World War I, his canonization was delayed. When it happened in 1920, our chapel had already been built! Today his main shrine is in Abruzzi, Italy .
WHAT THE PASSION MEANS TO ME: Fr.  Curtis, Director of our Retreat House has asked me to speak at the Retreat House Day of Recollection on Feb. 27th. He gave me the topic: ‘What the Passion means to me.’ I have begun thinking about what to say. What it means to be a Passionist and to wear the Sign over my heart. Paul of the Cross said: “The Passion contains everything. Wisdom comes from the wounds of Christ.” I am praying over this and want to connect it to the Mass. We learned as children: “The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of Christ offered on our altars.”  It’s all connected and it all about God loves us.
Gratefully in Christ,   Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P. 

Dear Friends, 

LENT AND ASHES AND GIVING UP THINGS:  Lent is here. Ashes will be given out at all Masses Wednesday. Please see the schedule. Stations of the Cross at 7pm on Fridays. Please do extra things for Our Lord….prayer, kindness, reaching out to someone, avoiding things that displease Him and sacrifices -all things that show our love for Jesus. Daily Mass is one of the best things we can do…renewing what Jesus did on Calvary, offering Him to the Father and then He comes to us.
Let me share with you a true Lent story. It’s 1954, Jersey City, sitting in the kitchen before supper, my whole family is there: Mom and Dad, I’m 8 yr. old, Bill, a 4th grader and my 3 younger brothers are there; Bob 6, Jack 5 and Fred 2 (probably in a high chair).  My mother said that before we have supper that we should share what we were going to do special for Our Lord for Lent. She went first and said she was going to daily Mass every day. Next, Dad said he would give up sweets, Bob and Jack followed saying they would sacrifice candy. My turn came and I said I will also go to Mass every day. I think my mother said that it meant Saturdays, too. I never have stopped. By the 6th grade when I met a Passionist for the first time, I told Fr. Michael Anthony Campbell that I went to daily Mass and wanted to be a priest. He told me he was expelled from China after spending nearly 5 years in solitary confinement for the faith and was so happy to say Mass again. He told me how much he loved God. That’s how I became a priest. When we do something for the Lord, He does much more for us. Give Him the best.  
PRAISE NATION: This is a charismatic type of prayer group which attracts people ,young and old, to the Catholic Church. Bishop Zubik speaks highly of its good work. Fr. Levi, a diocesan priest, along with Joe Jacobs, a dedicated layman, give a lot of leadership and spiritual direction to the entire group. Fr. Curtis has been on the front line in working with them. He has arranged some usage of the retreat house. I was asked if the monastery church and parking lots could be used at times for prayer meetings and services when  free.  I gladly agreed. The first program of Praise Nation is this Saturday night, Feb. 10 at 7pm. I was asked to preach so I will experience the faith and prayer. I am delighted the Passionists can help. More delighted that young people are responding, am grateful to Fr. Curtis for his apostolic creativity. All people are welcome at these prayer meetings.
PASSIONIST NUNS – GOOD NEWS: As I write this bulletin, I just got back from Mass at our Nuns. Mother Joyce told me the young woman living with them will be vested in the habit and begin preparation to be a Passionist . We wish Sr. Mary Meaghan well and assure her of our prayers.

ST. MARIA GORETTI SHRINE: I talked with Jim O’Brien on Friday. They are researching backgrounds for the mosaic that will be on the rear wall of the shrine. She was martyred in Netuno. It will be a place where we can pray for fidelity to Christ and forgiveness.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  A very popular Lenten devotion is the Stations of the Cross. On all the Fridays of Lent, we will have the Stations in our church at 7pm. All are welcome.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: There will be the monthly Holy Hour for Vocations on Tuesday, Feb. 20th  There is beautiful music, quiet, rosary and benediction. This month we will ask St. Vincent Strambi to be with us. This early companion of St. Paul of the Cross wrote the first biography of the Founder. St. Paul. Vincent became the second Passionist bishop. He said: “God raised up Paul of the Cross in the Church that we might learn to love God from our hearts   With much gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends, 

COMPLETION OF ST. MARIA GORETTTI SHRINE: I am nearly half way through my 2nd term as Rector here in Pittsburgh. It was our custom for the outgoing superior to move away upon completion of his 2nd term. It was a good custom. Maybe because of the shortage of personnel, the custom has not been always followed in recent years. With an aging community, people are less maneuverable. One thing I had wanted to accomplish here was the renovation of our church. That has been accomplished beautifully through your generosity and the exceptional goodness of Jack Mascaro. However, the beautiful St. Maria Goretti shrine needs completion. I spoke with our primary architect, Mr. Jim O’Brien, a number of times in these past weeks.  Plans are now underway, sketches shared, decisions made for the completion of the shrine. Perhaps a mosaic on the back wall, a kneeler, prayers available for purity, chastity, forgiveness, healing and strength. St. Maria Goretti, a saint from a Passionist parish and a patron of our community, is a model of purity in a culture that seems to no longer cherish or strive for this virtue. I hope this shrine will inspire us to strive to be pure and chaste and to please God in all our lives.      

FEB. 2ND ST. BLASÉ – BLESSING OF THROATS: Next Saturday, Nov. 3rd is the feast day of St. Blasé, Bishop and Martyr. We will have the Blessing of Throats after the 8:00a.m. Mass.

“DO THE TRUTH IN LOVE”:  As a seminarian, my class had a special honor. As high school seminarians for three years we had as rector of the Seminary in Dunkirk, NY., Fr. Augustine Paul Hennessy, C.P.  Then when we came to the Novitiate here in Pittsburgh in 1964-65, Fr. Augustine had moved here and was our Master of Novices who taught us spirituality and how to be a Passionist. He was one of the finest Passionists I have ever met. He had a doctorate in Theology, was elected head of the Theological Society of America, was called to Europe to debate theologians at the time of the Vatican Council but above all he was one of the most loving and saintly Passionists I have known. He always told us: “Do the truth in love.” I have thought of that so many times as a Passionist, as a priest, as a Superior. The other night I was listening to the political debates I just wanted to say: “Do the truth in love.” It applies to so much. Before Fr. Timothy Fitzgerald left here for the infirmary where he died not long after in Nov. 2021, he gave me a book.  He said: “Justin, you were very close to Fr. Augustine, I want you to have this.” It was a hand written book of some 200 pages entitled: “By the Gift of his Grace – Reflections on a Happy Life” by Augustine Paul Hennessy, C.P. I have it next to my bed and I read it many a night. Beautiful! Beautiful reflections. To me it is all about living in God’s presence and ‘doing the truth in love.’ Our country needs that so much. As a young priest, I was stationed in W. Springfield, Mass.  Fr. Augustine was Rector there for a couple years. We would walk many a day after lunch and talk about the things of God. One day he said to me: “Justin, when I die I want you to preach for me.”  I was dumbfounded and so very grateful.  He died when I was In North Carolina. Someone else preached. That was alright. All I want is “To do the truth in love.” It is a beautiful way to live.

                                     With love and gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends, 

THE CHURCH WAS BEAUTIFUL: The church was beautiful for Christmas. The flowers, lights, manger scene and Christmas decorations were as beautiful as I have seen them. The ladies of the Altar Guild headed by Jane Connor do a fantastic job. They decorated and had the church spotless. Rusty and John did much of the heavy work. I want to thank all of them. Many nice things happened over Christmas, especially the music selected and arranged by Andrea Terlesky. Thanks, too, to the musicians that accompanied her and made the Masses beautiful. I am grateful for the tremendous generosity of so many of you that allowed us to help the 50 or so families who come to the monastery food bank for assistance every Friday.  We were able to generously provide food gift cards for Christmas dinners. Thank you for your tremendous generosity shown the Passionist Community that enables us to keep things going here in Pittsburgh.
THE RETREAT HOUSE IS DOING SO WELL: Transitions are difficult. Happily, the Retreat Center is moving along under the direction of Fr. Curtis Kiddy and Fr. Michael Greene. They are starting new programs and building up the loyal retreat movement that Fr. Gerald preserved and served for sixteen years.  This is the first retreat movement in the entire U.S.A. We are here 104 years! Fr. Curtis brings years of experience as a Pastor to this assignment.  It continues to be a beautiful prayerful place to encounter Jesus.
OUR APOSTOLATE AS CONFESSORS FLOURISHES: One of the beautiful apostolates that the Passionist Community of Pittsburgh has been known for is providing access to the sacrament of Penance for the clergy of Pittsburgh and for the laity. Besides all the confessions heard in the church on Saturdays and after novena services on Mondays, a Passionist priest is available every day except Sunday at the Monastery Office. This is arranged so clergy and lay people have access to the sacrament of Penance six days a week with anonymity observed. I have pledged as long as I am Rector to continue providing this service which has been offered for over 160 years.  St. Paul of the Cross said our houses were to truly be a “Refugium Peccatorum,” a refuge for sinners. We offer confessions nearly every day and all day. Right before Christmas, one of the Bishops of Pittsburgh stopped by and asked to see the Rector. He said: “Fr. Justin, I have made this trip to your monastery to especially thank your community for providing such access to the sacrament of penance. The clergy are very appreciative.  At a time when so many things are being cut back, we are so grateful to the Passionists for providing this sacrament. The esteem we have for your community continually increases.” Actually, it is an 

honor to honor our Founders’ wishes!    

AN ELECTION THAT MADE ME HAPPY: Every 6 years, the Provincial superiors of the 25 or so Passionist provinces (groupings) along with Fr. General and his council are called to Rome to review the life and ministry of the Passionists and to elect a new Fr. General. They all meet with the Pope and promise fidelity. Each province also elects one of their members as a voting member at this meeting. Last week, the votes were counted for the delegate who will represent our province (Eastern U.S.A. and the Caribbean). I was elected as the delegate. I was absolutely surprised and was also quite happy. Pray that I represent our men well in October and am faithful to our Father, St. Paul of the Cross.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS:  Our monthly Holy Hour for Vocations, the first for 2024 in slated for this Tuesday at 7pm. We have Benediction, Rosary, singing and beautiful silence to adore the Lord in the Eucharist. There’s nothing else to do but to be with Jesus in the Eucharist. We look at Him and He looks at us. We give Him our hearts and He gives us his love. Please join us! 

Dear Friends,

In the church where I grew up, was a beautiful stained-glass window of St. Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th century Dominican theologian. It depicts an event that happened toward the end of the saint’s life. Thomas is before the crucifix. He was in Salerno, Italy, and had worked late into the night finishing the 3rd section of the Summa Theologica. He had just written on the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus and was lost in prayer. A sacristan passing by saw him kneeling before the Cross. He then heard a voice coming from the Crucifix: “You have written well of me, Thomas; what reward will you have?” Thomas replied: “Nothing but yourself, Lord.” Thomas asked for nothing but in reality connected to everything. To connect with Jesus and possess Him is to have everything our hearts desire. May you experience that love. May all of you connect with your loved ones, your families.  But above all may you connect with the love Christmas celebrates.  A love that moved the arms of the Infant reaching out from the manger to become the very arms that reach out in love for us from the Cross. He reaches out to connect with us. May we connect with Him. May Jesus be your best gift this Christmas.
With love and prayers, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.

Dear Friends,

Christine, who serves in so many capacities here, told me that a short Christmas message was needed for the bulletin. Last year, I spoke of how Paul of the Cross loved the image of the Infant Jesus resting on the wood of the Cross. Paul had such a painting in his room. It reminded him of Christ’s love, so strong, from birth to death for us on a Cross. He came to earth to stretch out His arms on the Cross and give Himself for us. Look at those outstretched arms and see how much God loves you. One of the greatest blessings I have had was Fr. Augustine Paul Hennessy, C.P., as Rector of the Seminary when I was in high school. Later, he was my Master of Novices here in Pittsburgh. I learned how to be a Passionist from him. He often quoted Pope St. Pius XII’s great encyclical “Mystici Corporis,” the mystical Body of Christ. One line I remember by heart: “In the crib, on the Cross, in the unending glory of the Father, Christ has all the members of His body united to Him in a way more loving than a mother has for the child in her arms or that with which a person loves himself.” Wow! Jeus died on the Cross for me with a love more tender than a mother for her child or a man for himself. We celebrate this at Christmas. It is overwhelming! A few years back when I was Pastor in Raleigh, I was sitting in the old cathedral and helping with the Christmas confessions. The confessionals were taken so I heard in the body of the church. Somehow, the angle where I sat, was one whereby the large Crucifix with Jesus’ outstretched arms was directly behind the stable with the outstretched arms of the Infant. From the wood of the manger to the wood of the Cross, Jesus reaches out to tell us, “I love you this much. This is how much I love you. I want your heart more than anything else this Christmas.”                 

                                                                  In Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends,

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RETREAT HOUSE MUSIC MINISTRY:  Last Tuesday evening I had a beautiful experience in our Retreat House Chapel. I attended a 2 hour musical performance put on by the Retreat Center Music Ministry directed by Joe Schubert with Nick Capone, organist. I attended primarily to show my support for Fr. Curtis Kiddy as he has assumed Retreat House leadership. Honestly, I went as duty but two hours later was hoping it wouldn’t end! Never did I expect to enjoy it as I did. Superb! The singers and musicians were magnificent. The time flew by and was I happy to have experienced this prayerful singing and raising of the mind and heart to God. Isn’t that what we learned as children to be the definition of prayer?
THANKS TO OUR PASSIONIST ASSOCIATES:  Our C.P. Associates treat us as family. Do you know why? Because we are family. They are lay people who have studied our Passionist spirit and charism. They have associated themselves with us in ministry. They love St. Paul of the Cross and all that Paul is for the church. This Sunday after the last Mass, they are going to decorate our refectory (dining room) and then have a special dinner with the Passionist Community to celebrate the Christmas season. We are so grateful to them for all they do and all the help they give us in trying to maintain our Passionist charism and ideals. Paul Ruhl is the new chairman of the Associates and he is doing great. We will have a nice celebration and it’s all rooted in the charism of St.Paul of the Cross to which we have all committed ourselves.
2ND COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND:  It will go to purchasing substantial gift certificates for the 40 families that come each Friday for assistance. I thank you for your generosity at Thanksgiving. I thank also your understanding of these changes as we are trying to maintain our primary works within an atmosphere of prayer and quiet.
CONFESSION MINISTRY CONTINUES:  This is especially important for our front door ministry which includes us being available Monday through Saturday for the sacrament of Penance. Holy things happen each day at our front door. It is not a parish office or a place to catch up on what’s going on. St. Paul of the Cross asked that our houses offer confession freely and be a “Refuge for Sinners.” As an old man, they would carry him down from his sick room in a specially made chair to the sacristy to hear confessions!  Our front door is a holy place!
OUR MUSIC MINISTRY:  Andrea Terlesky is the church Music Minister and does a wonderful job at the organ and piano. Especially are we graced with wonderful cantors and instrumentalists. I publicly want to thank her for the beauty of our liturgies and for the special beauty we have at the Holy Hours for Vocations. Come see and hear for yourself!
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS  -   THIS  TUESDAY  7:00pm  -  COME JOIN US !
With my deepest gratitude for all your kindness and support                    

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends,

A BEAUTIFUL THANKSGIVING: We had a beautiful Thanksgiving Mass. The music and singing was superb. Andrea Terleski, our Music Minister, has a way of finding these wonderful instrumentalists and cantors who join us. It was beautiful. I thank our regular faithful cantors and all the extras and instrumentalists who join us for these special celebrations. Thanksgiving

was beautiful. 

AN UNPOPULAR DECISION: I want to thank you for understanding why we are not able to continue doing the “Giving Tree” project. Last weekend, I announced that we would not have the Giving Tree this Christmas. We will give the 40 to 45 families who come weekly for assistance gift cards to Giant Eagle for Christmas Dinner. Peg Donley, who heads our Food for the Poor Line, said food is so expensive. We cannot give out Gift Cards like we did other years. I suggested we take up collections in church. Then the monastery will make up the difference. A collection was taken on Thanksgiving. Another will be taken up in Advent. This will replace the

Giving Tree Project. I made that decision to help the poor and to protect our Passionist life. We are not a parish and don’t want to be. Our front door is open for Mass cards and people coming for help mostly sacramental, the Sacrament of Confession. Six days of the week, we are available. The Giving Tree interferes with that Apostolate, a primary ministry in Pittsburgh. We only have 5 religious. We cannot have people dropping off presents all the days before Christmas. Tying up the front door with noisy chatter as if we were a parish office. Also, there is the difficulty in finding adequate and reachable space to store things while maintaining our privacy and quiet. Rusty is called on to do much of the work. He is now maintenance man, not

only for the monastery, but also for the retreat house. Bro. Matt who delivered and organized things died. We are a small aging community. I have made this decision, as Rector, that this is not compatible with our life here or the atmosphere we want at the front door. I do this for the good of the Passionist Community.

DECEMBER HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: One of the nicest hours of the month is the Holy Hour of Adoration for Passionist Vocations. This month - December 12 th , Tuesday, at 7p.m. We pray quietly and have the rosary and benediction. I invite everyone to come December 12 th at 7pm. We invite a Passionist Saint or Blessed to accompany us. This month it will be Bl.

Bernard who celebrated mass in the church!

PASSIONIST CALENDAR WORKSHOP: Following Mass, the 8am Mass next Saturday, December 2, I will have a brief explanation of the Passionist Calendar and the liturgical year. We have been selling them at the office. The calendar has all the Passionist feasts listed, the American feasts and those of the universal church and the readings for each day of the year. All

are welcome – 8:30am next Saturday.

DECEMBER PASSIONIST FEASTS: There is one feast day of a Passionist in December on the 9 th , the feast day of Bl. Bernard Silvestrelli. He served as Superior General of the Passionist for 25 years and had a reputation for holiness. Born into a wealthy Roman family, their palatial home was at Piazza Minerva not far from the Passionist Generalate. Born in 1831, ordained a priest in 1855, he became a Passionist in 1857. Made his novitiate with Francesco Possenti, St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows! When Superior general, he used his inheritance to further the growth of the Passionist Congregation all over the world and here in the United States. He visited Pittsburgh encouraging the community here. During his leadership, the congregation experienced great growth in numbers, houses and activities. As Fr. General, he arrived in New York in the spring of 1896. There is a picture of him sitting at the front of this monastery with all the community around him. I’m inviting him back for our Holy Hour!

With much gratitude and appreciation, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
MONASTERY ALTAR GUILD:  When the renovation of the church was completed, I assembled an Altar Guild to keep the church and sacristy spotless and to care for the vestments and altar linens. Jane Conner heads a group of about 8 women who have for these past few years kept the church fresh with flowers ordered, linens washed and ironed, statues dusted, sacristy in order and spotless. John O’Neill has for over a quarter of a century done all the heavy cleaning of floors and pews during the summer and through the winter ice and snow. These ladies have formed a wonderfully working group. On certain Saturdays, they have had a communion breakfast in our refectory after the morning Mass. I have given them a talk which is more a teaching on some aspect of the faith.  One time it was the theology of the Eucharistic Prayers, another a workshop on Scripture. This Saturday, I will explain the Church Calendar. I am so grateful to John and Rusty Wilcox and our Altar Guild for our beautiful clean church.
BLESSED PIO CAMPIDELLI: We celebrated Mass in his honor on his feast day Nov. 3rd. He is one of our young Passionist Blesseds. From central Italy, Pio is greatly honored in that area. He was a copy of St. Gabriel and died Nov. 2, 1889 before his ordination to the priesthood. A miraculous healing of a child was attributed to his intercession and St. John Paul declared him Blessed in 1985. One of our priests in Rome told me that there are other claims of miraculous healings attributed to him. We might see his canonization before long. Pope John Paul once said to us: “I have given you, Passionists, so many saints and blesseds. You should all become holy!”
ST. MARIA GORETTI SHRINE: This is the one area in our beautifully renovated church that has not been completed. I contacted the architect, Jim O’Brien. He has designed an area on the rear wall to display prayers for purity, healing and forgiveness behind the beautiful statue of Maria. She has her hand raised fending off her attacker. I have asked our artists, Bob and Dave, who beautified St. Gabriel’s shrine, to help me complete this area. I’d like their help to design the prayer cards with that symbol of Maria’s hand reaching out and God’s hand reaching back. A first-class relic of St. Maria Goretti has been placed there. Expect to see a kneeler etc. before long.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS:  November 14 at 7pm:  A married man wrote me just the other day about the monthly Holy Hour: “I plan to attend. I love those services…Every Catholic Church everywhere prays for vocations, but the prayer service at St. Paul of the Cross is so much more. The piano, the cello, the hymns, the incense creates the opportunity for prayer and solitude, the distinguishing marks of the Passionist Congregation, at a time when the world can seem like it’s coming apart…” I thanked him for his beautiful words. Please join us. All are welcome, Tuesday the 14th.
CALENDARS:  We have sold nearly 200 of the Passionist Calendars. We have about 40 or so remaining. They are nicely done with the universal feasts of the Church listed along with feasts particular to the USA. Also, all the Passionist feasts are listed and high-lighted. The daily Mass readings for each day are indicated where to be found. Enjoy!
Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends,

 PASSIONIST CALENDAR AVAILABLE:  Fr. Victor Hoagland is one of my favorite Passionists. He taught my class theology. I loved his classes on Liturgy and the Fathers of the Church. In 1971, I was assigned before ordination to accompany him on retreats and preaching assignments and learn from him.  I loved it. We have remained good friends through the years. In 2018, we were delegates to the General Chapter in Rome. It was wonderful to be with him again and still learn from his wisdom!  I called him up a little over a week ago and told him I heard he put out a 2024 Passionist Calendar.  I asked him to explain this calendar. He said that it was three calendars in one. It has all the Passionist feast days, the feast days particular to the American Church, and the feasts for the entire Roman Catholic Church. He said it is meant to be a help to prayer and a help to all our Passionists Associates so that we can be ‘praying with the Passionists.’ There’s also a guide to the daily Scripture readings. I said to Fr. Victor: “Send me 100.” They just arrived and will be available in the Monastery Office this Monday. I am asking $5.00 for each calendar. This is solely for your spirituality and to help you ‘Pray with the Passionists.’
BLESSED BRO. ISIDORE DeLOOR:  He is one of our greats and close to canonization. His feast day is Oct. 6th. He was a Passionist Brother, not a priest. He worked hard and he prayed hard. Born in 1881 in Belgium, he died of cancer in 1916. He was extraordinary in his love for Jesus and his care for the people around him. He became a saint in concrete ways – cooking meals, answering the door, plowing the fields, caring for the sick and the poor and always faithful to prayer. Diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30, he died at 35 totally surrendering to God. The war in Europe had broken out. The only one at his burial was the grave digger. His holiness, love and charity were never forgotten. In 1984, St. John Paul II declared him Blessed. Miracles have been given through his intercession. My mother, Mary, had great devotion to him. There was a time when she was dying in the hospital in Jersey City. She told me Bro.Isidore had come to her.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TUESDAY:  We continue to pray that God will bless the Church with vocations in the Lord’s service and our community with dedicated men and women, Passionists. The Holy Hour is beautiful and a time of quiet when the Lord comes to us. It is one of my favorite times of the month. Please come and join us this Tuesday at 7pm. We praise and encounter the Lord in the beauty of the quiet and in the song, prayer and Sacrament. Bl. Grimoaldo Santamaria will be the Passionist whom we ask to accompany us that evening. St. John Paul also declared him a Blessed. I knew his niece, Ida. She died not too long ago in Rochester, NY.
DAY OF RECOLLECTION WEDNESDAY:  Frs. Curtis Kiddy and Michael Greene have opened the new retreat season for this fall. They are offering a Day of Recollection this Wednesday, Oct. 11th. This is a day program with lunch included and with prayer and reflection.
THANKS AGAIN: Many wonderful things are happening at our monastery and retreat house. The church ceiling is repaired. The grounds are beautified. Things we could not have afforded. Jack Mascaro Co. came through again. The scaffolding company and Lisanti Painters helped us also.  A loyal retreatant oversaw the beautification of the gardens and the extensive asphalt and concrete repairs. We have no salaries or set income, whatever. Everything is free will offerings. It all gets done. God takes care of us. Thank you, God and thank YOU.
          With much appreciation and gratitude, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
NEW RETREAT SEASON BEGINS:  The new retreat season begins this weekend. Frs. Curtis Kiddy and Michael Greene are heading up the program. This is a major apostolate of our house. Pray  we have a successful year. Pray for those who come here that they experience the tremendous healing love of Jesus Crucified.
CHURCH CEILING BEING REPAIRED: For some reason the ceiling paint in the rear of the church is peeling. It’s the only place. The companies are repairing it and have been most gracious. Only the last panel is peeling. That panel was not part of the original church. There was a coal mine entrance near the front in the 1800’s which was filled in and that last section added later. Our regular Sunday Masses will be in church. Hard hats will not be provided! Some week days, daily Masses will be moved to the private chapel of the monastery and retreat house if repairs are going on in the church.
GARDEN BEING RENEWED & BEAUTIFIED:  Be sure to walk through our gardens, when retreats are not going on. They have been landscaped and beautified. New plants and trees have been added and flowering bushes. We are grateful to the benefactor who funded much of this. Likewise, our thanks to the Laudato Si Team that continues to beautify the gardens and the front entrance. They are making us more aware of caring for the beauty God’s gifts and more grateful for His beauty which surrounds us.
FR. THEODORE FOLEY IS HELPING US:  Fr. Massimo Parisi returned to Rome this past week. He had spent time here and at our Monastery in Jamaica, NY. He is the Passionist ultimately responsible for the cause of Fr. Theodore Foley. His title is: “Postulator General.” He handles the causes of all Passionists proposed for sainthood. He told me that he is pleased with the work that has been done to advance the cause of Fr. Theodore. He went from Pittsburgh to New York where he interviewed some last living witnesses to Fr. Theodore Foley. I think there will be some movement on Fr. Theodore’s cause.
MONTHLY HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS CONTINUES:  I thank those who come out each month for the Holy Hour for Passionist vocations. I thank, Andrea, our Music Minister, for the beautiful music provided. There is something very special and holy about that hour. I look forward to it, the quiet, reverence and prayerfulness. We are also having young men apply to be Passionists.
SEPT. 29TH ST. MICHAEL, OUR PROTECTOR:  This coming Friday is the feast of St. Michael, the Archangel.
Since the earliest days of our community, St. Paul of the Cross named him the Protector of the Passionists. The first Passionists, Fr. Paul and his brother, Fr. John Baptist, visited the great shrine of St. Michael on Monte Gargano. They spent the entire night in prayer. Paul asked St. Michael to be our special protector. Our 2nd Monastery founded in Vetralla was named ‘San Angelo’ in his honor. Numerous times Paul wrote how he knew St. Michael had protected the Passionists from things and persons that would harm us. There is a beautiful altar to him in our first church at Monte Argentario.  I pray to him to send us good candidates for our Passionist life. I will be offering the 7:30am Mass in our church this Friday, his feastday, Sept. 29th.
MONASTERY HAS FOUND A COOK:  Finally, it appears we have an excellent monastery cook, Ann. The priests are all smiling and going back for seconds! Deo Gratias.

In Christ with love and gratitude,

 Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:  I will be on vacation and away for the next two weeks. There have been many changes here and things are falling into place. We are a smaller community.  We will continue to serve you faithfully with the sacraments especially being available daily for confessions. Fr. Curtis is taking charge of the retreat house nicely. Fr. Michael Greene and he hit it off very well. We still hope to get additional community members. This past week we had the Holy Hour for Vocations. It is very beautiful – the peace, the silence, the music, the prayerfulness. We had 30 some people. Last month, when we honored Fr. Theodore, we had around 140 people! It’s one of my favorite hours of the month – looking at Jesus and Jesus looking at us. We have much for which to be grateful. God is so good to us. And thank you for being good to us.
As Passionists, the Bishop gives us permission to be in this Diocese and to have a church where people can come and pray even though we are not a parish. Bishop allows us to have public Masses on Sunday. Not all dioceses do that. We are grateful that here in Pittsburgh the Bishops have always been extra good and generous to us. When I arrived and met Bishop, he told me how much he loved having the Passionists and that he had received his vocation while making a retreat here. He thanked me for all we do. He asked me not to have baptisms, weddings or funerals in our church except for rare exceptions which he specified. He wants people to relate to their parishes and his parish priests to be near their people especially at those important times. I promised him I would be obedient.
Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, CP, Rector

Dear Friends:
PASSIONIST ASSOCIATES INFORMATIONAL MEETING: Following the 10am Mass this Sunday, there will be an informational meeting on joining the Passionist Associates here at St. Paul’s. They are a dedicated group of lay people who share in our spirit and mission. There is a period of formation after which they strive to live our Passionist charism. 

RETREAT HOUSE PROGRAMS: Our retreat house has a variety of programs. During the summer various groups use our facility. Some parishes come with high school students for a Mission Trip. When I was pastor in North Carolina, we tried to bring our young people here. Joe Farris and leaders brought 40 to 50 high schoolers every year. It was a great spiritual experience. This past week there were around 45 students from St. Peter’s in Greenville, NC. They had many projects. I helped with confessions on Thursday night. It was beautiful. A number said: “Father, you baptized me.” or “Father you were the priest who married my parents.” I want to thank the parents in N.C. for handing on the faith well.
WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED: I was reading the minutes of the First Missionary Congress of our Passionist Community in the United States. It inspired me. It was attended by 32 Passionist missionaries, among the best preachers in our country. The meeting was held at our first monastery across the Atlantic, St. Paul of the Cross Monastery, Pittsburgh, PA, right here! The meeting opened on Thursday morning, January 25th, 1894 and closed on January 27th. Many of the participants were Pittsburghers. Of our first vocations in the new world, so many were from Pittsburgh.  Fr. Fidelis Kent-Stone was present. He was considered the Fulton Sheen of his day. Known throughout the United States as an excellent preacher, he had been a leading minister in the Episcopal Church. After the death of his wife and after his three daughters were taken care of, he became a Passionist priest and was known throughout the country as a most gifted preacher. He served as Superior in the USA, Assistant to Fr. General in Rome, Founder of the Passionists in Argentina and Chile etc. I was reading his address to the missionaries. He powerfully said to his fellow Passionists: “We are professionally promoters of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. If in all else we succeed, but fail in this, our life’s work must be a failure……by a vow we freely bound ourselves to promote the devout remembrance of the Crucified.” He is considered one of the greatest Passionists in the history of the USA. At the end of his life, he asked permission to see his daughters again. (He had not been allowed to visit them as a Passionist!) He died while visiting them in California and is buried at our monastery in Missouri.
PASSIONIST VOCATIONS: Thank you for coming out this past week for the Vocations Holy Hour.  Three young men have been approved to begin their formation for Passionist life and priesthood. I feel the Holy Hour is a powerful time of prayer. Next Holy Hour will be in August!
LAUDATO SI TEAM MEETING AND WORKING: This little group is accomplishing so much. I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the beauty of nature they are providing us. I want to open our gardens more for prayer and reflection. The gardens are shaping up and we have a benefactor doing major repairs on the paths and walk ways. We have acres of property. Paul of the Cross would tap a flower and say: “ Hush! You speak too loudly of the beauty of God.” and then be lost in prayer!
PASSIONIST POSTULATOR GENERAL VISITING: The main “Saint-maker” for the Passionists, Fr. Massimo Parisi, was not allowed to be present when we had our visitors from Rome. He is not allowed to influence the proceedings when someone is up for canonization. He does the foot work but remains silent when there are interviews etc. He told me his judgement was everything went very well for Fr. Theodore. Now, he wants to see the shrine and will be here for a few days. He’s never been to the USA before. He’ll be in Pittsburgh Sept. 13 – 16.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP – Gratefully, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.

Dear Passionists and Friends,

Our Provincial, Fr. Jim O’Shea, has asked me to report to my fellow Passionists about the recent developments in the cause for canonization of the Servant of God, Fr. Theodore Foley, C.P. He is buried in our church.  Here’s the letter I wrote. Fr. Theodore served as Superior General of our community from 1964 till his death in 1974. Before going to Rome, he had served in Pittsburgh as Rector from 1956 to 58. Because of his evident holiness,  after his death the Passionist Provincial Chapter voted overwhelmingly to propose Theodore for sainthood. For the past decades, that process has been underway. His body, originally buried in his hometown of Springfield, MA, was transferred to our church in Pittsburgh in 2009. His tomb had become a place of prayer and veneration. Every day, people are petitioning through his intercession for favors and healings. We have kept records of the hundreds of people who come to that tomb and write petitions and requests for favors and healings. There also is a place to give thanks for favors and healings received.
Fr. Massimo Parisi, C.P., who is in charge of the causes for sainthood for the Passionist Congregation, informed me that there was some movement on Fr. Theodore’s cause. His works and writings have all been examined.  No problem there. People are attesting to his holiness and others writing of favors received and prayers answered. There are even claims of healings and miraculous cures.
The diocese where a person dies sponsors the person for canonization.  Fr. Theodore died in Rome. So this past June 15th, the head of the Tribunal for the Archdiocese of Rome and a lawyer, Msgr. Giuseppe D’Alonso and Mr. Marcello Terrimani, arrived in Pittsburgh on June 18th. I met them at the airport with Fr. David Monaco, C.P., who served the entire next 8 days as interpreter.  They examined many of the papers we had and the pages of favors granted. They interviewed a number of witnesses who knew Fr. Theodore. Fr. Jerome McKenna, who had lived with Fr. Theodore six years in both the USA and Italy seems to have been a star witness. They couldn’t get over his memory and detail. He was interviewed for hours on hours.  Mrs. Dorothy Hilley, who typed for him as a young woman and helped with the bulletin in the 1950’s testified. Bro. Leo Difiore testified about the spiritual direction he gave him about becoming a Passionist Brother. Mrs. Mary Ann White and Mrs. Nancy Burke testified to favors and healings received. Fr. Vincent Boney was unable to travel. They asked me to please come up with another witness who had known him and spoken with him. I told them I had met him two or three times. That sufficed and I was able to give testimony as to his holiness and the esteem with which he is held by our brethren.  They traveled up to the Passionist Nuns. Low and behold – a 2nd star witness emerged. Sr. Mary Ann remembered him coming and speaking to them on the renewal and called them to move with the church as the new Rule came out. She rivaled Jerome McKenna for keenness of memory.  We had our monthly Holy Hour for Vocations which we dedicate to a different holy Passionist each month. We prayed this June to Theodore for vocations. The Visitors came. More people showed up than at Sunday Mass! The Music Director was magnificent.  They took pictures and heard from the people of our love and esteem for Fr. Theodore.  They seemed very pleased with everything and the wonderful reception they received. They returned to Rome. Subsequently, I am hearing of people wanting to attest to some major healings and favors received. I think Fr. Theodore’s cause will advance.
Keep it in your prayers. I can attest he answers prayers.                       
With deep gratitude and esteem,  Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Pittsburgh, PA    

Dear Friends:
JUNE AND THE MARTYRS: Following the great feast of Pentecost (we celebrated last Sunday), the month of June is filled with the feasts of Saints who were martyrs. We wore red vestments last Sunday for the pouring forth of the fire of the spirit. Now, during daily Masses in June, we wear red again because we celebrate many martyrs who shed their blood for Christ. We see RED for the fire of the Spirit and RED for the blood of martyrs. June 1st was St. Justin the Martyr, a brilliant philosopher and theologian, who shed his blood in 165. We have the actual court transcript wherein Justin affirms his loyalty to Christ which led to his martyr’s death. Then the 2nd, 3rd and 5th of June – all feasts of martyrs. Sts. Marcellinus, a priest, & Peter, an exorcist, martyred in 303. June 3rd we celebrate the 22 Ugandan Martyrs, Charles Lwanga and his companions. They remained faithful to the Church as the King tried to stamp out Christianity. They were court pages martyred in 1886 faithful to Christ and not to the king’s sexual demands. June 5th is the feast of St. Boniface, Apostle to Germany. Martyred there in 754. We honor on June 22nd, St. Thomas More, a lawyer, and St. John Fisher a bishop, the two hero martyrs for standing up to Henry VIII. Their heads were placed on London Bridge to scare those loyal to the Pope. Their example inspired more. June 28th is the feast of St. Irenaeus, Bishop Martyr of Lyons, put to death in 200 for his fidelity. The  Pillars of the Church, Peter and Paul, are celebrated on June 29, both of whom shed their blood for Christ in Rome around the year 67. Peter was crucified but upside down, feeling unworthy to die as Jesus did. Lastly, June 30th is the celebration of the first martyrs of the Church of Rome. The Emperor Nero hated the Christians and blamed a fire in Rome on them in the year 64. He rounded up 979 Christian and put them to death. Many were burt alive or thrown to the wild beasts. Christians were used as human torches. We honor those who had the honor to shed their blood for Christ.
PRESENTATION ON ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS:  There is a wonderful group of lay people here – the Passionist Associates. They help us in many ways and dedicate themselves to our Passionist spirit and charism. There is a new group of people preparing to join these Associates. One aspect of their training is studying the life and spirit of St. Paul of the Cross. I have been asked to give a presentation for them on the life of Paul of the Cross. I will show a video of his life and ministry. If you would be interested in knowing more about our founder, St. Paul, you are welcome to attend this presentation. It’s Thursday, June 8th.  Come to the front door of the Monastery office by 6:15pm. The presentation will be shown in the old monastery library. All are welcome.
VISITORS FROM ROME: During the week of June 18th, we are expecting a visit from some officials from the Archdiocese of Rome. The President of the Roman Tribunal and one of the Vicar Generals are expected. They are coming to look into the progress of the  cause of canonization for Fr. Theodore Foley who is buried in our church.  Fr. David Monaco, C.P. will serve as the interpreter. He speaks English/Italian. Those giving testimony are: Fr. Jerome McKenna, C.P. who lived 6 years with Fr. Theodore in both the U.S.A. and Italy, Mrs. Dorothy Hilley, who as a young girl served at this monastery as a secretary to Fr. Theodore, Bro. Leo DiFiore who knew Father while Leo was a high school student discerning a Passionist Vocation. I may have the monthly Holy Hour for Vocations that Tuesday evening and have Fr. Theodore as the Passionist whose help we are seeking. I’ll keep you posted. If we have a service in the evening, I will alert everyone. Theodore died in Rome. The Diocese where you died is the usual diocese supporting the canonization.
FR. CURTIS BACK FROM VACATION: Fr. Curtis took his vacation early. We have missed him. He will be back by the end of the week and ready to go. Fr. Gerald hands over the reins of the retreat house officially on June 15th. He has led our retreat house for 16 years. That’s longer than anyone in its 105-year history. Congratulations to both!
LOOKING FOR MONASTERY COOK:   We are looking to hire a cook to prepare and serve the evening meal for 6 - Monday through Thursday. We need someone reliable and capable and if you are interested, please call me at 252-375-5201.
Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATION THIS TUESDAY:  At 7pm on May 9th, we will have the monthly Holy Hour for vocations. We pray especially for our community that God will send us dedicated young people to follow the vision of St. Paul of the Cross. The Passionist Nuns in Carrick are always faithfully remembered. It is a beautiful Eucharistic Holy Hour. I look forward to it each month. I understand there are several young men hoping to make application soon. One of them I have been speaking regularly with over the past year and a half. This month I am asking St. Paul of the Cross to assist us specially. He called the Blessed Mother the real founder of our community. Passionists stand with Mary at the foot of the Cross. I expect her to renew our community and send new members to stand with her at the Cross of Jesus. Come pray with us for that intention.
LAUDATO SI TEAM:  It has taken a good part of a year for us to find our way. It seems to me we are heading in the right direction: not to waste but to conserve and treasure and find God in the beauty of creation. Rose Ann Lord, who leads us, has a beautiful understanding of the encyclical and the goodness of creation. We are moving ahead to do concrete things here on our property to respect God’s gifts, to foster prayer and awe in the presence of God. There’s a beautiful story in the life of St. Paul of the Cross. He was an old man and still General of the Congregation. He was doing a final visitation of the communities and was visiting one Passionist house south of Rome. He had bouts of sciatica and arthritis and walked in the garden with a cane. In the garden, a beautiful wild flower caught his attention. He was seen tapping it with his cane and saying: “Hush! Hush! You speak too loudly of the beauty of God.” After an hour, the priest in charge of the seminarians told one of them to go and bring the old man in. He was lost in prayer at God’s beauty in that simple flower!
OUR ALTAR GUILD: These women have done a great job in keeping the church and sacristy supplied and clean and all in order for the liturgical seasons and feast days. I have also given them some reflections after Communion breakfasts. We talked about scripture and the theology of the Eucharist and the Mass. Their dynamic leader, Jane Conner, is recuperating after an auto accident. I have brought her communion. We await her full recovery. That group has become so very helpful for the smooth running of our services. Thank you so much.
FR. THEODORE FOLEY:  Visitors from Rome are scheduled to be here some time after July 4th. They are going to interview some of the last living witnesses to the holiness of Fr. Theodore. Fr. Massimo Parisi, C.P. and one of the Vicars from the Archdiocese of Rome plan arriving a few days after the 4th. They will be talking about the next steps in Fr. Theodore’s canonization. There are tons of papers of favors granted. There are, however, all sorts of conditions necessary for an authentic cure. The cause is moving ahead!
VOCATION NEWS: I don’t have much information on this. I just know the young fellow with whom I speak is hoping to apply for this fall. He very much appreciated the Vocation program recently at our New York Community and was impressed with some others interested in the Passionists
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:  I led several 12 day pilgrimages to Italy “In the Footsteps of St. Paul of the Cross.” I made a video of the highlights – Ovada, Monte Argentario, Vetralla, Rome. I am planning on preparing a presentation for the Altar Guild and would be glad to share it with others. Let me know.
With much gratitude for all your goodness to us, 

Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:
This coming week has important feast days. Monday is St. Joseph the Worker. We also celebrate the feast of two of the twelve Apostles, Philip and James. There is another very important saint whose feast is this Tuesday, St. Athanasius of Alexandria.  Even in his own time, he was seen as a great defender of the Church. It is with good reason that his statue was placed by Bernini along with those of Ambrose, Augustine and John Chrysostom, the four holy Doctors of the Church, that surround the chair of St. Peter in the magnificent apse of the St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Athanasius was ‘the champion of the Incarnation’, Jesus truly God and man. This at a time when the Arian Heresy was ripping the church apart, saying that Jesus was not truly God and man. Athanasius defended the 4th Gospel teaching: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Having been made Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt in 328 at the death of Bishop Alexander, it was left to Athanasius to defend the Faith against the heretics. It was not easy. He became Bishop at the age of 31 and for the next 45 years was fighting the Arians. He was sent into exile for a total of 18 years. I remember when we were studying Patristics – the Fathers of the Church, Fr. Victor Hoagland told us that the theology of the 2nd Eucharistic Prayer is so much in line with the thought and theology of St. Athanasius on the Incarnation.  Athanasius is the impassioned theologian of the 4th Gospel “The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.” I remember that to this day. When I celebrate Mass and use the 2nd Eucharistic Prayer. I try to remember exactly what is happening. “Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.”  The same Spirit that came upon Mary to make the Lord present! Wow! The Word is becoming flesh under the appearance of bread and stretching out his arms on the Cross to save the world. That’s what Athanasius defended and was willing to undergo persecution and exile to defend. A mystery of faith that we proclaim at each Mass! May St. Athanasius help you and I to appreciate as he did the tremendous gift of Jesus in the flesh and under the appearance of bread and wine.   

With much gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.  

Dear Friends:
HAPPY EASTER WITH GRATITUDE: To all of you I send our sincere wishes for a happy and very holy Easter. Special thanks go to those who have contributed to the beautiful services we had this week. The Music Ministry, the Altar Guild, our employees and staff, Associates, lectors, servers, ministers and each of you. Thank you for helping us celebrate God’s love during this Holy Week. Thursday was a celebration of the gift of priesthood and the Eucharist. Pope Francis spoke to priests that day. He told us to be “peacemakers and ministers of God’s mercy. Don’t live double lives and always be ministers of God’s mercy. Don’t be bureaucrats looking for perks and privileges. Don’t be yearning for the Church of the past or become discontented old bachelors. Rather always be welcoming and loving. Fix your gaze on Jesus. He will give you graces for the good of the faithful. Thank God for everything. Avoid worldliness, worrying about numbers and the efficiency of programs.”   Wow! Such good advice! Friday, we walked from Gethsemane to Calvary with Him. Prayed with Him and loved Him. St. Paul of the Cross always said “Listen to His Love” and especially as you gaze on the Cross. We have done that. We are over- whelmed that God loves us so much. Let us return that love. Alleluia! He conquered death and came back to life and awaits us in heaven.
GOOD NEWS FROM ROME: This past week I had a series of messages from our Postulator General in Rome regarding the cause for canonization of Fr. Theodore Foley. Fr. Massimo Parisi is that Passionist priest. He oversees causes for canonization of deceased Passionists. He will be coming to St. Paul’s with officials from the Holy See to check on the progress of the cause of Fr. Theodore. They should be here around June. They will be speaking to some of the remaining witnesses who knew Father. They will question them about his holiness and what they witnessed as people who knew him. We have recorded many favors granted and petitions asked. I think all of Fr. Theordore’s writings have been gone over at this point. It would seem that the Holy See would like to put forth examples of great holiness in the priesthood. Fr. Theodore certainly fits the bill. I remember one time sitting next to him when I was a professed student and felt so honored even then to be near a man who was regarded as a man of such great holiness. I hope one day St. Paul of the Cross Church will also be known as the Shrine of St. Theodore, Passionist!  Pray for this and spread devotion to him. Thank you and Happy Easter!
Gratefully in Christ, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.  

Dear Friends:

LAUDATO  SI GROUP:  The Laudato si group met this past week on Tuesday. It is coming together. Rose Ann Lord is a wonderful leader. We are still trying to clearly define our role and what best to do. Rose has a lot of experience with respecting the gifts of the earth, building gardens and has been studying the documents. The group is beginning to focus on our gardens and how we can best use them and treasure them showing respect for God’s creation. We are hoping to make our property more available for prayerfulness and being in the presence of God.
Fr. THEODORE FOLEY: It is pretty much set that in the next couple months the Postulator General for the Passionists, Fr. Massimo Parisi, will come to Pittsburgh with diocesan officials from Rome. They will speak to some of the last living witnesses who knew Fr. Theodore. All Father’s writings and letters have been examined. Things are lining up nicely. Above all, we need a miracle, that can be verified as such, with no other explanation than divine intervention. Fr. Theodore is now called “Servant of God.” Next step is “Venerable.”  I was asked to line up four witnesses who knew him to be interviewed. Two are here in Pittsburgh. I am telling you these things because there seems to be movement on his cause for canonization. Please continue writing in the books back by his tomb - favors requested and favors granted.
KEEP HOLY WEEK HOLY:  Waving palm branches and then listening to the reading of the Passion, we begin Holy Week today, the most beautiful week of the year. On Palm Sunday, we wave branches for our King and then kneel during the Gospel as he dies a horrible painful death nailed to a Cross. You can bring Palm Branches home to display in your house and remind you of this important week. We will have Tenebrae (morning prayer) at 9a.m. in the church - Wed., Thurs., Fri.  Thursday is the day of the Last Supper. Mass that day, only in the evening, commemorates the gift of the Eucharist. During it will be the Foot Washing as Jesus did on that night. He shows us love for him must prove itself in service to one another even to stooping to wash feet. We recall how that night he gave us the Eucharist and the priesthood. With Christ just received into our hearts, we process through the church singing and thanking Him.  Adoration lasts till midnight. I love that time. I have always tried to stay there with Christ till midnight. Quiet time so beautiful thanking Jesus for this gift and for dying on the Cross. We stay with Him in Gethsemane as he undergoes his agony. Good Friday we make the Way of the Cross at noon both in our garden or in church. Growing up, we kept those hours holy. No radio or T.V. or food was allowed. We tried to keep silence. My mother encouraged us to fast. I like to walk the stations here outside. At the fourth Station, we remember His Mother. He met her on the way to Calvary. I wonder how she got there. She had to push through the crowds to see Him.  That once handsome face of her son was hard to recognize covered with dust and dirt, spit and blood. Their eyes met and she could still read in them. Those eyes reflected how much he loves us. Mary stood by the Cross as Jesus offers Himself to the Father for us. Friday is a day of gratitude and sorrow. Then all is quiet until Jesus comes back to life. He raises Himself from the dead. He conquers death and opens heaven to all of us. Easter Sunday! It is the greatest feast of the year. Everything He said is true. Everything He taught is believable. He proved it when He rose from the dead and now awaits us in heaven. One day, we will be with Him forever. Amen. Alleluia! What a gift is our faith! How wonderful our Church! Alleluia!
CONFESSIONS: One of the most beautiful apostolates of this monastery is having a priest available everyday except Sunday to minister to those wanting to go to confession. We are honored that so many avail themselves to receive this sacrament here. During Holy Week, however, no confessions are scheduled from Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday. We do this so that the Passionists may have time to prayerfully enter into the celebration of the mysteries of the Passion and Death of the Lord to which they have especially dedicated their lives. Have a beautiful Easter.
With much gratitude, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector 

Dear Friends:

THE MOVIE: “THE LETTER”: The Laudato si committee this past week had a showing of the film “The Letter” at our retreat house. It was well received. The film was exceptionally well done. It presented the goodness and beauty of God’s earth and the care that must be given this gift. It was all based on Pope Francis’ Encyclical letter, ‘Laudato si’. We didn’t know how many or if any would come. About 26 people came. The committee that organized the presentation was pleased. We will meet on March 28th. At that time, we will make decisions of how to gather together and how to implement some of the Holy Father’s thinking.     

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: I thank those who are coming out at 7pm Fridays in Lent. We recall the Way Jesus walked to Calvary. It is a beautiful custom and I invite you to join us.

FR. THEODORE FOLEY:  This past week we reprinted Fr. Theodore Foley leaflets. People are praying to him. We have in the back of the church near his tomb two stands with books on them. In the one book, is recorded favors requested through his intercession. In the other, is recorded favors granted through prayers to him. In the files, there are two cures written up that people felt were miraculous. However, the scrutiny given a “cure” is terribly strict. It has to be miraculous without any doubt. No other explanation can be possible. We are going to relook at one of the cures. The priest in charge of Passionist canonizations lives in Rome, Fr. Masimo Parisi. He is coming over in several weeks for a visit and to interview some living people who knew Fr. Theodore. I think all of Theodore’s writings and papers have been examined. I could see him being declared Venerable before lone. Beatification and canonization require a proven miracle. There is certainly a cult of praying to him here. I know he answers prayers! 

VOCATION PROGRAM: The Passionists are offering a program for men interested in priesthood and religious life. It’s for those who are discerning that God is calling them. That means you have already spent time looking at a religious vocation and are considering it.  If this would interest you, call Fr. Curtis or myself. We can give further information about that week-end retreat.

ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: This St. Cyril was the Bishop of Jerusalem. He is one of the 37 Doctors of the Church. He is the Doctor of Catechesis. Right after ordination, he was put in charge of instructing adults preparing for Baptism. He received many people into the Church and was a brilliant theologian. He then became Bishop of Jerusalem at a time when a heresy, Arianism, was dividing the church. It denied the divinity of Christ. Cyril was a gentle teacher but got caught up in the heretical controversy that put him at odds with even the emperor. Most of his time as Bishop he was fighting heresy. In the end, the Arians lost and the Council of the Church defined the true faith using Cyril’s words and definitions. He was exiled three times and excluded from his diocese for over 16 years. In the end, the Council of Constantinople backed Cyril and his wording of the Creed was accepted by all as the true faith. “I believe in one God…and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.” People died for those words. The Holy Spirit speaking through the gentle St. Cyril kept us faithful to the truth. Here is a beautiful quote from him: “We proclaim the Crucified and devils quake. So don’t be ashamed of the Cross of Christ. Openly seal it on your forehead that the devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling far away.”

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

Dear Friends:

‘LAUDATO SI’ FILM MARCH 8 TH : We have arranged to have a free showing of the film “The Letter” on the message of the Pope’s encyclical on the care of God’s creation at 7:30pm in our retreat house lounge on Wednesday, March 8 th . We have set up a committee headed by Roseann Lord to help understand and implement the Pope’s message on caring for the gift of the earth. We feel this is a way to gather people with practical concerns for the beauty of our earth and how the beautiful acres of our property can be used to bring people closer to God. I am reminded of a beautiful poem of Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “The earth’s crammed with heaven and every bush afire with God. But only he who has eyes takes off his shoes….” Lord, give us eyes to see your presence in the beauty of creation. Please come Wednesday, March 8th . Call in and let us know. We were planning some light refreshments for afterwards and need to know. LENT HAS BEGUN: I had a beautiful experience the first day of Lent. I preached on it at the evening Mass. Trying to figure what to give up for Lent, I was fasting most of Ash Wednesday day for blood work I had in the afternoon. Hungry, I stopped at a McDonald’s on the way home. I ordered a fish sandwich which came with French fires. I wanted to use catsup and thought maybe I should give up things that make food taste better. Anyway, as I was thinking , I saw an older woman employee come over and help a teenager who dropped her fries all over the floor, then help a woman who got angry at a machine that didn’t take her order correctly, then the woman got ketchup for those of us who needed some. She inspired me and I decided I would try to be nicer to people. I thought of Jesus: “It is love I desire and not sacrifice.” Perhaps try to be more kind to people who cross our path and I used the ketchup.

ST. POLYCARP: His feast day was Thursday, the 2 nd day of Lent. He was a martyr and an Apostolic Father – one of the early bishops of our church appointed by one of the Apostles . He led the church in Smyrna. He knew John the Apostle. He spoke on things John had preached and how John preached. He was 86 when a persecution broke out. Polycarp was arrested and sentenced to be martyred for his loyalty to Christ. Asked to deny the Lord, he said; ‘Eighty six years I have served him and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?” They tried to burn him to death but the flames would not touch him. He was stabbed by the executioner. The story of his martyrdom was written and read as one of the Mass reading in the early church.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Every Friday in Lent, we will have the stations of the Cross at 7pm in the church. I will do my best to lead them. Please come out for this simple journey on the Fridays of Lent. It is a beautiful way to remember how much God Loves us. In grammar school in the 7th & 8th grades, I would go to Sacred Heart Church in Jersey City and make the Stations of the Cross. A Passionist priest told me it was a good way to prepare to be a Passionist. Many years after that, as a Passionist priest , I had to clean out a deceased uncle’s apartment. I found a box with old letters. One was from the Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in 1913 to my great grandmother, Filipina Thorne Kerber. It was thanking her for donating three of the Stations of the Cross in memory of the deceased of the Kerber family. It made me think.

VOCATION PROGRAM: Our Province is planning a weekend retreat for those interested in being a Passionist priest or brother. It will be hosted at our retreat house in New York. If you think you might be interested, let Fr. Curtis or myself know and we can talk with you about it and give you further information.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: For March, our Holy Hour will be Tuesday, March 7th. This is one of the events I appreciate most each month. A beautiful quiet hour of prayer, song and silence. In the presence of Jesus, who always hears our prayers.  MONASTERY GARDENS: Both the retreat house and monastery are working to beautify our gardens. They are a beautiful place for God’s presence. Any help will be appreciated.

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

Dear Friends:

A Holy, Blessed and Merry Christmas! This is how much God loves us that He sends His Son as an infant who will 33 years later die on a Cross to prove that love. Jesus is proof of a God that would spare nothing to prove His love. There is nothing we could ever do that would make God love us less! The hands of the little Babe that reach out to us from the manger will become the hands stretched out to us and nailed to the wood of a Cross. They tell us of His love. Some years back as Pastor, I gave as a Christmas present to each of the staff a flat Cross on which was resting the Infant Jesus. I had read in a letter of St. Paul of the Cross written on December 18, 1761 to a person he was directing: “Many years ago I had a picture of the Infant Jesus painted on German paper that had Him sleeping quietly on a cross. Oh! How much that symbol pleased me. …On Christmas you will have the Infant in your heart and be transformed into Him with love. Rest with Him on the crib of the Cross being in union with his heart. Then listen to Mary’s lullaby: “May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The second verse is “To work, to suffer and to be silent.” The third verse is: “Do not excuse yourself, do not complain, do not harbor resentment.” What a beautiful Christmas message 2022 from our father and founder, Paul of the Cross. May we strive to follow it and become saints.  

With love and prayers, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector

Dear Friends:

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TUES. DEC. 6TH:  This coming Tuesday night is our monthly Holy Hour for Vocations. It is one of my favorite nights of the month. It’s a night to adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and to ask him to send young people to continue the charism and work of St. Paul of the Cross in the Church. This Tuesday 7pm to 8pm. We simply expose the Blessed Sacrament. We say the rosary. Pray in silence for vocations, especially Passionists. I carry the monstrance through the church and pray over each one. We have a cantor and organist who provide beautiful music. We call upon a particular Passionist saint or Blessed to accompany us and to beg God to send us Passionists who will proclaim the love of Christ Crucified – priests, brothers, nuns, sisters. We end with benediction. I always leave assured that God hears us. When I was a Pastor in the North Carolina, we received a new Bishop. He announced that every parish was to have a monthly Holy Hour for vocations. The diocese always had 2 or 3 seminarians studying for priesthood. After the Holy Hours started, after a year or two, we were praying for our 20 or so seminarians. I know God will hear our prayers. The Passionist Nuns are having inquiries and we pray for them, too. Please come out this Tuesday. I have invited Blessed Bernard Silvestrelli, CP to accompany us. He was a classmate of St. Gabriel, Superior General of our community for many years, the first General to visit the Passionists in the USA and a visitor to this Monastery. He is only a step away from canonization. I am sure he will assist us. Come out and let us send our prayers and Jesus will not disappoint! All are welcome.

FR. VINCENT SEGOTTA, C.P.   We received word from our Community in Jamaica, NY that Fr. Vincent had died during the night on Dec. 2nd. He was 81. Many of you often ask for him as he had been assigned to the Pittsburgh community for many years. He left here not long before I arrived. Often people ask: “How is Fr. Vincent doing?” Lately, we had to tell them that he was quite sick with cancer. I had not lived with him as a Passionist. But I knew him when I was a young boy. We were both from Jersey City and the same parish, Sacred Heart. In fact, he lived right around the corner from us. I remember his mother, Rose, and his father drove a big truck. Vinnie had three sisters that called him “Brother.” They would often be looking for him and would ask; “Did you see, Brother?” The answer inevitably was: “Yes. He was walking up the block to church and had a prayer book!” He was in the choir and loved singing, a short man with a exceptionally strong voice. He was also an altar boy and taught me to be one. Our paths didn’t cross much as Passionists. I hope they will in the future because I’m sure he’s with God singing his heart out about God’s goodness.

WEB SITE IS FINALLY BEING REVAMPED:  We will have a special part of the site for our enrollments and remembrance cards and purgatorials. This bulletin message will also be posted. It is being revamped as you read this. Pass words and pay pal and all sorts of things will be worked out. Rome wasn’t built in a day but it didn’t take as long as our website!

With much gratitude and appreciation, Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P., Rector