IN THE LATE 60's AND EARLY 70's, MEMBERS OF THE PASSIONIST COMMUNITY OF ST. IVES DEVELOPED A TEAM MINISTRY FOR YOUTH FORMATION AND ADULT EDUCATION. A GROUP OF LAY PEOPLE HELPED IN THIS TEAM MINISTRY. WHEN THE PASSIONISTS ASSUMED PASTORAL CARE OF THE TINY PARISH OF TERREY HILLS, FR. PETER MCGRATH CP BECAME ITS FIRST PASTOR AND ONCE AGAIN THESE LAY PEOPLE SUPPORTED HIM. OUT OF THIS NUCLEUS, THE LITTLE PARISH ATTRACTED AN EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS. IN 1973, IN AN EFFORT TO PRESERVE THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN THE PARISH, FR. PETER GATHERED SMALL GROUPS OF FAMILIES TO SUPPORT AND LOVE EACH OTHER. FROM THE HEART OF THE PARISH OF ST. ANTHONY IN THE FIELDS CAME THE PASSIONIST FAMILY GROUP MOVEMENT. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF FR. PETER, IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PASSIONISTS AND A GROWING GROUP OF LAY LEADERS, THE MOVEMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN OTHER PARISHES IN AUSTRALIA. IN 1988 THE MOVEMENT WAS INVITED INTO NEW ZEALAND AND IN THE NINETIES, PASSIONIST FAMILY GROUPS REACHED THE USA, ENGLAND, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. AS OF JULY 2006, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 3,100 PASSIONIST FAMILY GROUPS IN OVER 420 PARISHES WORLD-WIDE, WITH A TOTAL MEMBERSHIP IN EXCESS OF 100,000 PEOPLE.
MORE EXTENSIVE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE PASSIONIST FAMILY GROUP MOVEMENT. |
