Evangelization
Christmas 2020 – Letter of the Coordinator (22.12.2020)
„The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9: 1 . Dear confreres, Dear partners in mission, The year 2020 put us all in a completely unexpected situation. The Covid-19 pandemic has given us experiences that were surprising and completely new. Such a massive threat to the health of all people from an infectious disease is unexpected in our societies. We in Europe have seen from a distance that there have been epidemics on other continents. But it...
read moreMeeting of the Redemptorist Youth Ministry of Europe
In this time of pandemic, we are deprived of personal encounter. In all our Redemptorist communities we are suffering the difficulty of not being able to live the faith in community, but there are also many initiatives that help us to continue the path of Hope that Jesus proposes to us in the Gospel. On Saturday, December 5th, delegates of the Redemptorist Youth & Vocational Ministry (RYVM) from the (V)Provinces that are part of the Redemptorist Conference of Europe met. It was an on-line meeting, and perhaps for this reason 37 young...
read more‘Fratelli Tutti’ read from Albania
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to say goodbye to the Apostolic Nuncio in Albania, who has been assigned to the Philippines after three years of service in the so-called ‘Land of Eagles.’ In this farewell meeting, the Nuncio highlighted Albanian society’s values, in comparison with his native society, the United States. It is true that Albania, as a kind of island, still conserves many social values that are disappearing in the more developed West: the strength of family ties and respect for traditions. With a not naïve look, it could...
read moreAssembly of the Conference of Europe (CRE)
The annual Assembly of the Conference of Europe took place from 5th to 8th October 2020. Originally it was planned that the meeting of the representatives of the European CSsR provinces should take place in Albania in order to offer the opportunity to get to know better the common mission of the European Redemptorists there as well as the situation of society and church in one of the poorest countries in Europe. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this could not be realized and the meeting took place as a video conference. This change also meant...
read moreJohn Paul II birth anniversary marked in Bathore, Albania
On April 18, the sculpture of St. John Paul II was introduced to the church in Bathore, Albania, to mark Pope’s 100th birth anniversary. The sculpture of the head of St. John Paul II, made by artist Mumtas Dhrami, was donated by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tirana. At the ceremony of the presentation of the sculpture in the church, there were present Karol Bachura, Ambassador, and Rakip Suli, Mayor of Kamëz. In his commemorative speech, the Ambassador emphasized the great concern of John Paul II for the respect of human dignity in...
read moreChrist is not in quarantine in Albania
On April 27th, there was celebrated the feast day of the Patroness of Albania, Our Lady of Good Counsel whose image was always on the desk of our father St. Alphonsus. There have been no celebrations in the churches since March 12, but the faithful preserve and cultivate their faith, especially the family rosary. Since the beginning of the quarantine, every day of the week the bishop prays the rosary on Radio Maria, in the evening, and many celebrations are broadcasted on the internet. We celebrate in the two main parishes and a cloistered...
read moreRedemptorist Volunteering 2020
Volunteering, especially by young people, has been growing in recent years as an expression of faith and Christian values. In the same way, many Redemptorist laypeople have found in the Volunteer Movement a means to immerse themselves in the Redemptorist charism and to take part in the mission of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Thus, the General Secretariat for Evangelization has seen the need to take steps to coordinate the volunteer work being done in various places of mission within the Congregation. Some NGOs linked to the...
read moreSt. Clement: Jubilee celebrations in Vienna and Rome
The outbreak of coronavirus in Europe has forced changes to the program of the inauguration of the Jubilee Year to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the death of St. Clement Maria Hofbauer. On March 15, in small gatherings, without the participation of previously invited distinguished guests and friends, Redemptorists thanked Christ the Redeemer for the person of St. Clement. On the day of his liturgical commemoration, they asked God for new religious vocations and missionary zeal for the entire Redemptorist Congregation. An important...
read moreJubilee Year in honor of St. Clement – Letter of the Superior General
02 February 2020 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Dear Confreres, Sisters and Partners in Mission, March 15, 2020 marks the bicentenary of the death of St. Clement Maria Hofbauer, often referred to as “the apostle of Warsaw and Vienna” and the “second Founder of the Congregation”. The contribution of St. Clement to the history and development of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer has left a lasting mark on our spirituality and mission. For this reason, the General Government decided to proclaim a Jubilee Year in honor...
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