PASSIONIST PDFI BRIEF HISTORY

The Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, commonly known as the Passionists, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded in 1720 in Italy by St. Paul of the Cross (1694–1775). Inspired by a vision to spread devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ, he established the first Passionist community at Monte Argentario, Italy. From the beginning, the congregation focused on preaching, retreats, and fostering devotion to the Passion.

The Passionists soon expanded throughout Italy and beyond, founding missions, retreat houses, and parishes. They became widely known for their preaching, spiritual direction, and deep devotion to the Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus. Their charism centers on keeping alive the memory of Christ’s Passion by leading people to a deeper understanding of God’s love and mercy, expressed through evangelization, retreats, spiritual direction, and a simple, austere lifestyle.

Today, the Passionists serve in more than 60 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, continuing their mission while adapting to local cultures and pastoral needs.

The Passionists arrived in the Philippines in 1958, led by nine American Passionist missionaries. From 1958 to 1986, a total of 58 Passionist priests and four brothers served in the country. Upon arrival, they were entrusted with the administration of nine parishes in South Cotabato and Sarangani. When Marbel (now Koronadal City) was established as a Prelature Nullius, Fr. Quentin Olwell, CP, became its first bishop, followed by another Passionist, Fr. Reginald Arliss, CP. With the support of generous benefactors, the Passionist presence in the Philippines continued to grow.

At present, the Passionists in the Philippines minister mainly in Luzon and Mindanao. They administer five parishes in Luzon and three parishes in General Santos City, with the majority of their pastoral and missionary work located in Mindanao. They serve communities in South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Davao del Sur, including around 60 mission centers among the Indigenous Peoples—T’boli, B’laan, and Manobo. They also established and currently administer four elementary mission schools in remote areas, serving approximately 800 to 1,000 pupils.

Building on more than six decades of mission in the Philippines, the Passionists partnered with Spring Rain Global, Inc. In November 2018, with their guidance, the Passionist Philanthropic Development Office (PPDO) was established and launched, carrying nine advocacies: (1) Formation and Vocation, (2) Education and Scholarship, (3) Human Resource and Development, (4) Health Care and Retirement, (5) Infrastructure and Community Development, (6) Mission Abroad, (7) Catholic Mission to the Indigenous Peoples, (8) Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, and (9) Pastoral and Social Services. These advocacies also recall the nine pioneering Passionist priests who arrived in 1958 to administer the nine parishes in South Cotabato.

On March 19, 2025, the PPDO formally became the Passionist Philanthropic Development Foundation, Inc. (PPDFI), duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under registration number 202503194087-05.