Itinerary of the First Founders of the Passionists in the United States: 1852
- Sun., Oct. 10: Bishop Michael O’Connor of Pittsburgh left Rome by stage, accompanied by the four Passionists who were to found the Order in the United States: Fathers Anthony Calandri, age 35, Superior; Albinus Magno, age 34; Stanislaus Parzyk, age 37; Brother Lawrence di Giacomo, age 26 Their first major stop was at Civitavecchia, northwest of Rome.
- Mon., Oct. 11: At Civitavecchia they boarded a ship for Toulon, France.
- Tues., Oct. 12: Arrived in Toulon; spent the night in Marseilles.
- Wed., Oct. 13 to Sun., Oct. 17: Avignon, Lyons and Paris They were in Paris on Sunday, Oct. 17th when Louis Napoleon Bonaparte entered the city in triumph to the acclamations of “Vive l’Empereur”. (He proclaimed himself Emperor in December). Both in Lyons and in Paris Bishop O’Connor tried unsuccessfully to obtain funds from the Propagation of Faith. He was refused because the Passionists enroute to Pittsburgh did not qualify as “foreign missionaries”. Also at Paris, Bishop O’Connor proposed that the Passionists continue their trip to the “new world” without him as he was pressed for time: in England he wished to interest Fr. Ignatius Spencer to accompany him to Pittsburgh and in Dublin he was scheduled to confer the pallium on his friend, the Bishop of Dublin, Paul Cullen. Then too, the Passionists were delayed in Paris awaiting the arrival of the superior of Tournay, Serafino Giammaria, for whom they had a packet of letters from the General and some relics of Blessed Paul of the Cross. Calandri was upset at, this sudden change of plans, so Bishop O’Connor agreed to meet them in Liverpool before the entire group would sail for Philadelphia , Wednesday Oct. 27th.
- Sun., Oct. 24: The four Passionists arrived in London from Calais close to midnight and were taken care of by Fr. Ignatius Spencer.
- Mon., Oct. 25: Fr. Ignatius Spencer then took the four Passionists by train to Birmingham and from there to Liverpool.
- Tues., Oct. 26: Fr. Ignatius Spencer arranged a trip by coach to St. Anne’s, Sutton, taking Frs. Anthony Calandri and Albinus Magno with him. He wanted them to meet the Provincial of the new Angle-Belgium Province, Eugene Martorelli. The latter was away at the time, but they were welcomed by the Rector, Honorius Maggini.
- Wed., Oct. 27: Departure time for the “City of Glasgow” from Liverpool to Philadelphia was scheduled for 10:30 A. M. The four Passionists were on board at ten awaiting the arrival of Bishop O’ Connor from Dublin. Fr. Ignatius Spencer had the Captain delay the departure time and O’Connor finally arrived ten minutes later to join the four Passionists enroute to Philadelphia.
- Sat. Nov. 13: Bishop O’Connor and the four Passionists arrived in Philadelphia port but had to stay on board ship until Monday.
- Mon., Nov. 15: Bishop O’Connor introduced the Passionists to the Bishop of Philadelphia, John Nepomucene Neumann (canonized June 19, 1977) and also to the future and first Bishop of Scranton, William O’Hara, who at that time was the Rector of St. Charles Seminary in Logan Square near the Cathedral. The Passionists were housed at the Seminary.
- Wed. or Thurs., Nov. 16 or 17: Bishop O’Connor took Fr. Anthony Calandri to Baltimore with him: O’ Connor, who had been Archbishop Francis P. Kenrick’s spokesman in Rome, where Propaganda reviewed the Acta of the First Plenary Council of Baltimore, wished to make his report to the Archbishop. Frs. Albinus Magno and Stanislaus Parzyk and Brother Lawrence di Giacomo remained in Philadelphia until December 7th. Bishop Neumann at once appointed Fr. Stanislaus Parzyk, who was fluent in German, to attend to the needs of Holy Trinity Parish, which up until that time had been under interdict. In fact, he hoped that Parzyk could stay much longer, at least until the Passionists were settled in Pittsburgh. Parzyk was also assigned by the Bishop to attend a Polish prisoner who was hanged.
- Sat., Nov. 19: Early that morning Bishop O’Connor and Fr. Anthony Calandri arrived by train in Pittsburgh. Calandri was taken to the Episcopal residence on Grant Street to await the arrival of the other Passionists from Philadelphia.
- Tues. Dec. 7: Bishop O’Connor who journeyed back to Philadelphia now brought the other Passionists, Frs. Albinus Magno, Stanislaus Parzyk and Brother Lawrence di Giacomo to Pittsburgh.