Historical Account · 1842–1863

A History of the Passionists
in the British Isles

Fr Pius Devine CP · Written c. 1881–1882

This is the full text of Fr Pius Devine's unpublished history of the Passionist Congregation in England, Ireland, and America from 1842 to 1863. Devine was himself a member of the Province throughout the period he describes—ordained at Highgate in 1861, he writes as an eyewitness and participant. The history is candid, opinionated, and vivid: equal parts chronicle, institutional memoir, and polemic.

“I have written just what I think, in the hope that when you have read it, you will put me down as a complete radical.”

Fr Pius Devine, postscript to Chapter XIX

The text is reproduced here in full from the manuscript, in Devine's own words, without editorial alteration. The 26 chapters cover the arrival of Fr Dominic Barberi in 1842, the reception of John Henry Newman at Littlemore, the foundation of houses in London, Dublin, and Paris, and the growth of the Province into a self-sustaining English and Irish congregation.

The Twenty-Six Chapters

  1. I Vision of Saint Paul of the Cross: Fr Dominic comes to England 1842 →
  2. II The First Mission — Lane End 1843 →
  3. III Foundation Stone of Stone Church 1843 →
  4. IV The Missionary Year 1844 →
  5. V Reception of Mr Newman — Death of Frs Constantine and Marcellian 1845 →
  6. VI Woodchester — Foundation of Northfield House 1846 →
  7. VII Fr Ignatius Spencer enters the Noviciate 1847 →
  8. VIII The London Foundation — The Hyde 1848 →
  9. IX Death of Fr Dominic — Woodchester Consecrated 1849 →
  10. X Restoration of the English Hierarchy — Broadway 1850 →
  11. XI St Wilfrid's — First Provincial Chapter 1851 →
  12. XII Broadway Schools — An Irish Mission — Sisters of the Cross and Passion 1851 →
  13. XIII Beatification of St Paul of the Cross — Foundation at Pittsburgh 1852 →
  14. XIV Second Visitor General — Second Provincial Chapter 1854 →
  15. XV We Give Up Aston Hall — Students Sent to Rome — Death of Fr Austin Edgar 1855 →
  16. XVI Foundation in Dublin 1856 →
  17. XVII Death of Fr Paul Mary — General Chapter — New Provincial, Fr Ignatius Paoli 1857 →
  18. XVIII Body of Fr Dominic — Purchase of Highgate Property 1858 →
  19. XIX Reports to Rome: Their Excellence 1858 →
  20. XX New Horarium — Foundation Stone of St Paul's Retreat, Dublin 1859 →
  21. XXI Church of St Joseph, Highgate — Provincial Chapter 1860 →
  22. XXII St Joseph's Church Opened — Highgate People — Ordination 1861 →
  23. XXIII State of the Province — Father Anthony Testa — Incidents 1862 →
  24. XXIV Our General and Provincial Chapters — Fr Vincent Grotti 1863 →
  25. XXV Opening of St Paul's Retreat, Dublin 1863 →
  26. XXVI The Foundation in Paris →