The Passionists are a religious congregation of the Catholic Church whose special charism is the meditation and preaching of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
They were founded by Saint Paul of the Cross in 1720 in Italy.
Since then, they have spread across the world setting up “retreats” (their name for a religious house, or monastery).
The order has numerous female branches, but they are autonomous from the Fathers, including in their archives.
The Passionists set up their first house in Ireland in 1856 at Harold’s Cross.