History & Heritage Topic

Ministeracres

MINISTERACRES is Roman Catholic retreat and prayer centre near Consett, County Durham (although it falls within the Northumberland county boundary). The Passionist Congregation has owned Ministeracres since 1950, and it includes four Passionist priests in its resident community.

The buildings are set in aproximately 90 acres of lawns, parks and woodlands, and includes an avenue of Californian Giant Redwood Trees.

The mid-18th Century Mansion House was built when the Silvertop family first moved to the area and the Ministeracres Mission began in 1765. Further provision was made for Roman Catholic worship in the local area when a chapel was built in the mid-19th century and consecrated to a 13th century saint, Elizabeth of Hungary. St Elizabeth was the patron saint of Eliza Stoner, the wife of Henry Charles Silvertop, who built the church. It is now a Grade II listed building.

Ministeracres Website

Passionists

MINISTERACRES is a Passsionist retreat. The Passionists were founded by St Paul of the Cross (Paul Francis Danei), who lived from 1694 to 1775 in what is now modern-day Italy.

The full title of the Passionists is The Congregation of Discalced Clerks of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. St Paul of the Cross wrote the Passionist Rule in December 1720 and it was approved by Pope Benedict XIV in May 1741. Pope Clement XIV confirmed the Rule and approved the Institute in November 1769.

The Passionists are distinct in that they embrace both an active and a contemplative life, reflecting the aims of their founder who tried to combine the solitary life of the Carthusians and the Trappists with the active life of the Jesuits.

Passionists are not allowed to own property apart from their own collective house and land (such as Ministeracres). They cannot receive endowments so have to live by their own labour and voluntary contributions.

New Advent Encylopedia entry for the Passionists