Our Roots

   The Institute of the Nuns of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Passionist Nuns) was the fulfillment of the dream of St. Paul of the Cross to have a female contemplative branch of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ which he founded in 1720. Only after more than fifty years later, on May 3, 1771, did the dream materialize when the first community of Nuns, led by Ven. Mother Mary Crucified entered the Monastery of the Presentation of Our Lady in Tarquinia (now Corneto), Italy.

In 1968, the Most Rev. Bishop Quentin Olwell, C.P., D.D., Bishop of the Prelature (now Diocese) of Marbel in Koronadal, South Cotabato requested the Passionist Nuns of St. Gabriel's Monastery in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. to release three sisters for a foundation. He had so long desired to have a powerhouse of prayer in Marbel. The Passionists have been founded in the Philippines in 1958.

Rev. Fr. Harold Reusch, C.P., Superior of the Passionists in the Philippines presented a definite invitation to the Passionist Nuns at St. Gabriel's Monastery from Bishop Olwell. Three Nuns came ad experimentum: Sr. Elizabeth Brennan, C.P., Sr. Alene Perry, C.P. and Sr. Marilyn Ann Dittmeier, C.P.

The Sisters arrived in Manila on July 16, 1968 and stayed there for studies in language and culture. On April 28, 1969, they arrived in Allah Valley airport in Surallah to commence the work of establishing a convent in the prelature of Marbel where the Nuns would live a contemplative life of prayer and sacrifice. They had a temporary convent in Lagao, General Santos City where they accepted enclosed women's retreats.

It took time to find a property and to build the monastery. By now the three sisters were determined to go on with the foundation that started as an experiment. Bishop Reginald Arliss, C.P. who succeeded Bishop Olwell greatly encouraged the Nuns to keep trusting Our Lady of Holy Hope in everything. Only in 1972 was the monastery near the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary in Marbel completed.

Soon there were new difficulties. Sr. Elizabeth had to go back to the States because of ill health. The Sisters in Scranton could not send other sisters. Sr. Marilyn appealed to the Passionist Nuns in Japan for help. In 1975, Sr. Marguerite Marie Matsuda and Sr. Stella Marie Tomizawa came for the needed assistance. Later, Sr. Marguerite decided to stay. Soon, Sr. Alene also had to go back to the States for health reasons.

In spite of the dearth in vocations, the small community celebrated the perpetual profession of the first Filipina Passionist Nun, Sr. Teresita Kho, C.P. in September 1983. Sometime after, Sr. Marilyn began to fail. Struck with Alzheimer's Disease, she nevertheless carried on for 14 years and became for the Nuns a living example of Jesus Crucified. Sister died in March 1997. It was also in this year when the Nuns purchased a new property for a new monastery in Matulas, still within Koronadal City.

The life of prayer and work went on for the Nuns. They bake altar bread for the whole Diocese and beyond. Some women also came to try their way of life. Two persevered to perpetual profession: Sr. Maria Socorro de Leon, C.P. (February 1993) and Sr. Mary Gabriel Wenceslao, C.P. (February 1994).

Another help came from Japan in the person of Sr. Maria Magdalena Tanaka, C.P. who made her perpetual profession here in May 2001. In 2010, the community witnessed the Transfer of Vows of Sr. Paul Marie Ostria, C.P. from the Passionist Sisters of St. Paul of the Cross. Sr. Veronica Alagadan, C.P. also made it to her final profession in November 2012.

The dream for a new monastery grew in the hearts of the Nuns as daily they had to put up with the noise from their neighborhood. Breaking ground on March 23, 2011, they trusted fully in God who will provide for everything through the help of many people and their own initiative. Mr. and Mrs. Mar Ong Ante of Agan Land Corporation and Architect Arturo Ober were the main movers of this project, including our very own, Mother Ma. Socorro and Sr. Maria Magdalena.

The Nuns moved to the new monastery in time for the blessing on October 7, 2014. Less than a year after, they celebrated the Dedication of the new chapel by Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, D.D. on August 5, 2015.

And they were blessed with a new vocation in the midst of this great transfer from the old monastery to the new. Sr. Bernadette Anne Magullado, C.P. professed her first vows on July 9, 2016, Solemnity of Our Lady of Holy Hope. The Nuns believe that God will send more generous women to offer their lives as witnesses of hope in this powerhouse of prayer.