The Congregation
of the Most Holy Redeemer
Saint Alphonsus Maria
Liguori founded the Congregation of the Most
Holy Redeemer, popularly known as “Redemptorists”,
in southern Italy
in 1732. Redemptorists strive to follow the
example of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer by preaching
the Gospel to the poor (cf. Luke 4,14-21).
The Congregation began as a response to the
spiritual needs of the abandoned, poor people
living in the rural, mountainous areas outside
the city of Naples. Now present in seventy-seven countries,
Redemptorists number 5,500 priests, brothers
and students who have professed the vows of
poverty, chastity and obedience.
At first, only a handful of men followed the inspiration of Saint Alphonsus
Liguori. Yet within the lifetime of its founder
the Congregation expanded beyond the Kingdom
of Naples, first in central Italy
and then in Poland.
During the first decades of the nineteenth century
Redemptorist communities were established in
the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany,
Belgium
and Holland. In 1832, the centennial year of the foundation
of the Congregation, six Redemptorist missionaries
(three priests and three brothers) traveled
to the United States of America and began the first missionary
work outside of Europe.
Foundations followed in Latin America, Australia,
and eventually Africa
and Asia.
C.Ss.R.
Redemptorists use the
initials “C.Ss.R.”after their names. These
four letters are an abbreviation for Congregatio
Sanctissimi Redemptoris,
Latin for “Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer".
The Congregation has a motto taken from verse 7 of Psalm 130, in Latin:
Copiosa apud eum redemptio (With him there is plentiful redemption).
This portion of the psalm is a succinct declaration
of the spirit that motivates Redemptorists because
in it God shows himself to be absolutely generous
in love, mercy and forgiveness for men and women,
loving the world so much as to give his only
Son, Jesus Christ (cf. John 3,16). Redemptorists have been touched by this love and therefore
seek to carry such Good News to the world but
with a special preference for those who live
on the margin of Church and society.
The Work of Redemptorists:
Bringing Good News to the Abandoned
Poor
All Christians are called
to be missionaries insofar as the love of God
is something that is meant to be shared. Redemptorists,
as a fuller expression of their baptismal consecration,
fulfill this most basic vocation of all Christians
by responding with zeal and creativity to the
pressing pastoral needs of the most abandoned,
especially the poor, and by devoting themselves
entirely to evangelization. In order to carry
out their mission, Redemptorists try to live
like the apostles of Jesus and dedicate their
entire lives to God and missionary work. In
a rapidly changing world, Redemptorists constantly
seek new ways to preach the Good News of God’s
love.
Like the apostles, moved
and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, Redemptorists
spare no effort to make a total gift of themselves
to God “who first loved them" (1 John 4,10).
This response of love finds expression in the
profession of the vows of chastity, poverty
and obedience. Redemptorists live in communities
of priests, brothers and students. Besides working
together, the members share prayer, their material
goods and, really, their very lives. More than
simply a convenient way to live, the lifestyle
of a Redemptorist community is itself a proclamation
of the Gospel to the poor.
In order to fulfill their primary calling, Redemptorists serve in a number
of types of ministry, which are described below.
Each section contains a link which will lead
you to more information.
N.B. This part of our site is still being developed.
The links will be added as the texts and new
pages become available.
Preaching
St. Alphonsus wanted his
companions to be itinerant preachers of the
Word of God. In many countries today this original
inspiration is carried out by missionaries who
visit a parish for a week or longer and offer
a special series of sermons that invite people
to a deeper love for God and a fuller practice
of the Christian life. Beyond preaching, the
parish mission may include special devotions;
visits to people’s homes, especially the sick;
counseling and spiritual direction, all with
an emphasis on the sacrament of reconciliation.
Redemptorist preachers also conduct triduums (three
days) and novenas (nine days), which are periods
of prayer and preparation prior to special feasts,
as well as retreats to lay people, priests,
religious sisters and brothers. St. Alphonsus
insisted that Redemptorist preaching be simple
and down-to-earth in order to make the profound
mysteries of faith accessible to all people,
regardless of social, cultural or educational
background.
Moral Theology
Because of his extraordinary contribution to helping ordinary people follow
Jesus, Saint Alphonsus was named the patron
of moral theologians and confessors. The Congregation
maintains a long-standing interest in and commitment
to moral theology by giving this theological
discipline a strong emphasis in the initial
formation of its seminarians and in the life-long
study of its members. Redemptorists serve as
advisors to associations of Catholic hospitals
and use modern media to help people form their
conscience. They place a high value on being
good confessors and accessible spiritual directors.
The Congregation maintains Institutes for graduate
studies that offer specialized education in
moral theology to priests, religious and lay
people: the
Alphonsian Academy in Rome, Italy
and the
Institute for Moral Sciences (Instituto Superior
de Ciencias Morales) in Madrid, Spain.
Shrines and Sanctuaries
Redemptorists are blessed with an extraordinary opportunity to minister
in shrines, sanctuaries and traditional sites
of pilgrimage. Some of these sites attract more
than a million pilgrims each year, like centers
in the Philippines,
Singapore,
Colombia,
Brazil,
Canada,
Materdomini
and Rome,
Italy. Even in countries where religious practice
has decreased dramatically, shrines where Redemptorists
serve still retain a strong connection with
people. This form of missionary work allows
Redemptorists to specially touch the lives of
thousands of people, particularly through preaching
and the celebration of the sacraments of Reconciliation
and the Eucharist. Often other services are
offered, such as catechetical instruction, counseling
and social assistance. Redemptorists work in
effective teamwork with many lay ministers in
welcoming pilgrims.
Retreat Houses
Since the founding of the Congregation Redemptorists have opened their houses
to people who seek time to “retreat” a bit from
the worries and cares of their ordinary lives
and look for a deeper relationship with God
in an environment of silence and prayer. Various
kinds of retreats are offered for all types
of Christians: priests, religious women or men,
married couples, engaged couples, single people
and the young, who might spend a week or a weekend
in a special time of communion with God. Redemptorist
missionaries who work in this ministry always
seek new ways to help people experience God’s
loving presence in their lives.
Parishes
Redemptorist missionaries also serve in parishes or other parochial structures.
Parishes staffed by Redemptorists can be found
in big cities, small towns and across vast expanses
of rural areas. Redemptorists generally accept
parishes in areas where the local diocese is
unable to provide adequate pastoral care. Parish
ministry includes preaching, teaching, counseling,
liturgical and sacramental celebrations, visits
to the sick and social assistance. Beyond doing
ordinary parish ministry, Redemptorist priests
and brothers always have an anxious zeal for
the unchurched and
alienated.
The Perpetual Novena in Honor of
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
In 1866, Pope Pius IX entrusted to the Congregation the original icon of
Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, commissioning
Redemptorists to “make her known.” As a result,
this image of Mary is the most recognizable
image of the Mother of God in the world. Across
the globe, hundreds of thousand of people gather
for the weekly novena in honor of our Mother
Perpetual Help in a Redemptorist church or diocesan
parish. The Redemptorists value this devotion
as a great opportunity to fulfill their mission
of evangelization.
Overseas Missions
At the request of the Holy Father or in response to requests from local
bishops, Redemptorist missionaries are sent
to countries and cultures distant and different
from their own, in difficult places and situations.
In a real way Redemptorists continue to fulfill
a dream of Saint Alphonsus: that Redemptorist missionaries would preach the Gospel throughout
the whole world.
Social Communications and Media
Saint Alphonsus was a
great communicator. Besides his preaching, he
also wrote more than 100 books that have now
been reproduced in 20,000 editions and translated
into over 70 languages. Some of his writings,
such as the Glories of Mary, his Way
of the Cross or Visits to the Blessed
Sacrament are universally appreciated in
the patrimony of Christian spirituality. Today
Redemptorists use all means of social communication
to preach the Word of God: publication centers,
radio and television stations and programs,
audio-visual materials, and the Internet.
Work for Peace and Justice
Redemptorists believe that the saving love of God touches the whole person
and calls for the transformation of social injustice
into respect for the dignity of all men and
women. Hence Redemptorists around the world
are involved in a wide variety of social problems
and justice issues such as: immigration, refugees,
homelessness, poverty, unemployment, workers’
rights, women’s issues, exploitation of child
labor, racism, genocide, indigenous peoples,
the environment, war and violence, weapons of
war and trafficking in people.
Youth and Vocation Ministry
While Redemptorists have
always enjoyed working with young people, in
1985 the world-wide government of the Congregation
made youth
ministry a pastoral priority. Young people
must be numbered among the most abandoned, since
they frequently find themselves on the margin
of Church and society. So it is only natural
that Redemptorists feel the call to be with
them. A part of this ministry is aimed at helping
young people discern their own vocation in life.
For more information, go to the pages of the
General Secretariat for Redemptorist Youth and
Vocation Ministry.
If you are interested in more
information on a Redemptorist vocation,
please contact the nearest Redemptorist community
or the Secretary General of the Congregation,
Fr. Joseph P. Dorcey, C.Ss.R., (seg.gen@cssr.com).
Formation of Candidates
Ongoing Formation of Redemptorists
Some Redemptorists work specifically in the initial formation
of future Redemptorist missionaries, helping
young men to understand and to embrace the charism, identity, spirituality and mission of the Congregation.
Continuing spiritual, intellectual, and cultural
formation is imperative for all Redemptorists
in order that they might continue their challenging
mission in a diverse and rapidly changing world.
Working with the Laity
Redemptorists have always believed that God calls all people to holiness,
each according to his or her own vocation in
life. Many lay people appreciate the Redemptorist
charism and seek Alphonsian
spirituality. In recent years Redemptorists
and lay people have intensified their efforts
in doing missionary work together. As a result,
there is a joining of energies and a sharing
of the joys and burdens of missionary work,
which mutually enhances and enriches the lives
of lay people and Redemptorists.
In Communion with our Sisters, the Redemptoristines
The Redemptorist family is larger than the 5,500 professed members of the
Congregation. There are many orders and congregations
of religious women who share a common history
and spirituality with Redemptorists. The Congregation
is especially blessed to have the prayerful
support of the Order of Redemptoristine Nuns, founded by Venerable Maria Celeste Crostarosa, a contemporary of St. Alphonsus and instrumental
in the foundation of our Congregation. The Redemptoristines
are especially dedicated to a life of prayer
and contemplation. There are 477 Redemptoristines in 46 monasteries located around the world.
For more information about the Redemptoristines,
please visit the following web sites:
www.redemptor.pl/redemptorystki (Poland)
www.rednuns.faithweb.com
(Ireland)
www.catholic.org/macc/redemptoristines.html
(USA)
www.redemptoristky.sk
(Slovakia)
www.redemptoristinnen.at
(Austria)
www.redentoristasmonasterio.org
(Spain)
www.kloster-heiligenborn.de/puettl.htm (Germany)
www.multimedia.com/depairon/moniales/redemptoristines.html
(Canada)
