Father Stephen Sweeney, C.P., St. Paul of the Cross Province (1889-1971)

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Born Francis Sweeney on January 7, 1889 in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Bernard Sweeney and Catherine Duggan. He graduated from St. Thomas College, Scranton, Pennsylvania. In August 1907 he entered the Passionists. In 1908 because of an epidemic that was sweeping the country his novitiate was extended to one and one half years. He was professed on January 24, 1909 and ordained on May 26, 1915. He had a year of sacred eloquence under the guidance of Father Stanislaus Grennan, C.P. After that Father Sweeney was a preacher of missions and renewals. In 1940 he was asked to go to Australia as a preacher where he worked for eighteen months. He returned to the United States due to World War II. In Scranton he gave retreats to women of the diocese at the Passionist Nuns Monastery. He was an early riser and wrote Whisperings to God.