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The Congregation of the Poor Sisters of Jesus Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother was established by Father Alphonsus Maria, C.P. on January 21, 1924, in the diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania under the guidance of Bishop Michael Hoban.  Father Alphonsus, a zealous young Passionist, was deeply moved by the spiritual poverty and the social problems of his day.  His memories of his native land, Lithuania, were replete with the sorrows and sufferings of his people.

Here in the United States he saw the suffering Christ in the Lithuanian immigrants as they struggled for survival.  Touched by the plight of these people, so frequently left widowed, orphaned or homeless, he spent himself in untiring missionary labor trying to alleviate prejudice, misunderstanding, deprivation and hardships.  The immensity of this task in meeting the needs of the times was a great challenge.  Inspired by the love of Christ Crucified, he founded the Poor Sisters of Jesus Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother with the vision that these women would serve the poor and bring to them the hope and consolation of Jesus and His Mother Mary.  By so doing the Sisters would realize in their own lives the Mission of Jesus. altar flowers

The newly founded Congregation situated in the diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, received the approbation of the Holy See.  Greatly encouraged, Father Alphonsus proceeded to revise and adapt the Passionist Rule to guide his little community.  Within a short time the Congregation flourished and the Sisters were responding to the needs of the Church in many surrounding towns.  Eventually, their ministry expanded to Massachusetts.  In 1945, at the invitatioquote 4n of then Archbishop Richard Cushing of Boston, the Sisters began a new chapter in their history when they transferred their motherhouse to its present site in Brockton, Massachusetts.

The Poor Sisters of Jesus Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother, extend their hearts and hands to all of God's people in loving response to the urgent needs of His Church.
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