The Redemptorists, officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (), abbreviated CSsR, is a
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
clerical
religious congregation
A religious congregation is a type of Religious institute (Catholic), religious institute in the Catholic Church. They are legally distinguished from Religious order (Catholic), religious orders – the other major type of religious institute – i ...
of pontifical right for men (priests and brothers). It was founded by
Alphonsus Liguori
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (27 September 1696 – 1 August 1787) was an Italian Catholic bishop and saint, as well as a spiritual writer, composer, musician, artist, poet, lawyer, scholastic philosopher, and theologian. He founded the Congre ...
at
Scala, Italy, for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people around
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
. It is dedicated to
missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...
work and they minister in more than 100 countries. Members of the congregation are
Catholic priests and
consecrated religious brothers.
The Redemptorists are especially dedicated to
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Mother of Perpetual Succour (), colloquially known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help), is a Catholic Church, Catholic Titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a 15th-century Byzantine art, Byzantine ico ...
and were appointed by
Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...
in 1865 as both custodians and missionaries of the icon of that title, which is enshrined at the Redemptorist
Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. Many Redemptorist churches are dedicated to her under that title.
However, the Patroness of the Congregation is the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title "Immaculate Conception", of which St. Alphonsus was a strong propagator even before Marian Dogma was officially promulgated.
Foundation and development
Alphonsus Liguori
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (27 September 1696 – 1 August 1787) was an Italian Catholic bishop and saint, as well as a spiritual writer, composer, musician, artist, poet, lawyer, scholastic philosopher, and theologian. He founded the Congre ...
was deeply moved by the plight of the poor living in
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
and the surrounding area and established his community with the aim of providing spiritual nourishment. Amongst his companions was
Gerard Majella. In 1748 Alphonsus petitioned
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV (; ; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 17 August 1740 to his death in May 1758. Pope Benedict X (1058–1059) is now con ...
, to allow him to establish a congregation to minister to the poor in the area around Naples. Benedict agreed and the congregation was formed on November 9, 1732.
Within ten years of its foundation, communities had been established at Nocera, Ciorani, Iliceto, and
Caposele. Due to political complications, there was an initial difficulty with the houses in the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
being separated from those in the Kingdom of Naples, but this was overcome in 1793 and the congregation soon opened houses in
Sicily
Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
and other parts of
southern Italy
Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions.
The term "" today mostly refers to the regions that are associated with the people, lands or cultu ...
.
The congregation was soon to move beyond the borders of present-day Italy. In 1785, two Austrians,
Clemens Maria Hofbauer and Thaddeus Hübl, joined the Redemptorists. In 1786 Hofbauer and Hübl went to Warsaw, Poland where the
papal nuncio
An apostolic nuncio (; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international organization. A nuncio is a ...
gave them responsibility for the parish of Saint Benno in the
New Town
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz
* New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** New (Paul McCartney song), "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* New (EP), ''New'' (EP), ...
; their mission thrived until the community was expelled in 1808. In 1793, Hofbauer turned his sights on establishing communities in Germanic lands. Soon houses were opened in the south at
Jestetten,
Triberg im Schwarzwald, and
Babenhausen. In 1818, a house was established in Switzerland at the abandoned
Carthusian monastery in
La Valsainte.
19th century
In 1826, at the request of the government of Austria, the Redemptorists established a community in
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, Portugal, with the purpose of ministering to German speaking Catholics.
[ Other houses quickly followed in German-speaking areas: Mautern an der Donau (1827), ]Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...
(1828), Marburg
Marburg (; ) is a college town, university town in the States of Germany, German federal state () of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf Districts of Germany, district (). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has ...
(1833), Eggenburg (1833), and Leoben
Leoben () is a Styrian city in central Austria, located on the Mur River, Mur river. With a population in 2023 of about 25,140 it is a local industrial centre and hosts the University of Leoben, which specialises in mining. The Peace of Leoben, ...
(1834).
The congregation also rapidly expanded into Belgium with communities at Tournai
Tournai ( , ; ; ; , sometimes Anglicisation (linguistics), anglicised in older sources as "Tournay") is a city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies by ...
(1831), Sint-Truiden (1833), Liège
Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...
(1833), and Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
(1849). A community was even established in the Netherlands, at the time somewhat anti-Catholic
Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics and opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and its adherents. Scholars have identified four categories of anti-Catholicism: constitutional-national, theological, popular and socio-cul ...
, when a house was opened in Wittem in 1836. The revolutions of 1848
The revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the springtime of the peoples or the springtime of nations, were a series of revolutions throughout Europe over the course of more than one year, from 1848 to 1849. It remains the most widespre ...
which swept over Europe caused much upheaval, and the Redemptorists were expelled from Switzerland and Austria and were at risk elsewhere.
The congregation thrived throughout the remainder of the 19th century; in 1852 there were four provinces, and by 1890 this had increased to twelve with communities having been established in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Scotland, Spain, and Suriname. The 20th century saw the continuation of expansion to where the congregation created new provinces, vice provinces, and missions in every decade, and established a network of lay associates and volunteers who work with the Redemptorists to bring the Gospel to the poor.
Apostolate
Redemptorists are essentially a missionary society although their ministry is not confined to developing nations. According to their rule they are "to strive to imitate the virtues and examples of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer consecrating themselves especially to the preaching of the word of God to the poor". Their labors consist principally in missions, retreats, and similar exercises.[ In 2019, there were approximately 5,500 Redemptorists in 82 countries throughout the world.]
Preaching and parochial missions
Alphonsus Liguori wanted his companions to be itinerant preachers of the Word of God. Traditionally, this has been the mainstay of the Redemptorists as they are well known for conducting parochial missions. The purpose of these parochial missions and the homilies preached by the Redemptorists is to "... invite people to a deeper love for God and a fuller practice of the Christian life." In accordance with the instructions of Liguori, preaching is to be down-to-earth and understandable to all who are listening.
Shrines, sanctuaries and retreat houses
In order to advance their mission and provide places of pilgrimage, the Redemptorists administer several shrines, which draw hundreds of thousands of people, the best-known being in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Philippines, Rome, and Singapore. The congregation operates many retreat houses where people of all walks of life, Catholic or otherwise, can spend some time in reflection, either individually or in a group.
Redemptorists are caretakers of the Byzantine icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, depicting the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus and the instruments of the Passion. The icon was entrusted to them by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...
. It is now enshrined in the Redemptorist Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, and Redemptorists propagate devotion to Mary under this title.
Other ministry
As with most religious congregations, the Redemptorists are also involved in other forms of ministry such as parishes, education, youth and social communication. In recent years the congregation has increasingly become concerned with matters of social justice
Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...
; as the Generalate website states "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". The Redemptorist religious province of Cebu
Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
in the Philippines have made a specific commitment in this regard: "Moved by the poverty and dehumanised condition of our people, and encouraged by their faith and desire for justice ... We, the Redemptorists of the Province of Cebu, as an apostolic community dedicated through our vows, are called to respond to the urgent needs of our people, especially the most abandoned and the poor ..."
Religious formation
After an initial period of contact and discernment, the person seeking to enter the Redemptorists becomes a "candidate" and goes to live in one of the communities so that both sides might become better acquainted. This lasts about two years during which they learn about Redemptorist prayer, life, and ministry.[
Assuming that all goes well, the candidate then begins the ]novitiate
The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...
, lasting a year. The novitiate year is crucial, for it is then "... that the novices better understand their divine vocation, and indeed one which is proper to the institute, experience the manner of living of the institute, and form their mind and heart in its spirit, and so that their intention and suitability are tested." Thus, the novices are given the opportunity for longer periods of prayer and spiritual reading as well as silence in order to reflect on the vocation God is offering and nature of their response. The spiritual development of the novice is of particular focus, especially through spiritual direction. During the novitiate the history and constitutions of the congregation are studied in depth.
A simple profession is made at the end of the novitiate, and the person officially becomes a member of the Redemptorists for "By religious profession, members assume the observance of the three evangelical counsels by public vow, are consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church, and are incorporated into the institute with the rights and duties defined by law." At this point it is normal to begin studying philosophy
Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
and theology
Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
at university level. During this time there is ample opportunity to experience a variety of ministries in which the Redemptorists are engaged, both in the member's home country and internationally. Temporary vows are renewed annually.
At the end of this period of formation, which lasts for a minimum of three years perpetual profession (final vows) is made and ordination to the diaconate
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions.
Major Christian denominations, such as the Catholi ...
and presbyterate follows for those called to holy orders
In certain Christian denominations, holy orders are the ordination, ordained ministries of bishop, priest (presbyter), and deacon, and the sacrament or rite by which candidates are ordained to those orders. Churches recognizing these orders inclu ...
(i.e. to become a priest).
As the academic programs come to an end, all Redemptorists in temporary vows are required to participate in a pastoral experience for a minimum of six months to a year, outside of a brother's home province.[
]
Religious vows
As members of a religious congregation, Redemptorists embrace the evangelical counsels
In Christianity, the three evangelical counsels, or counsels of perfection, are chastity, poverty (or perfect charity), and obedience. As stated by Jesus in the canonical gospels, they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect" (, ).
...
, taking the three traditional religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices, and views.
In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, many different kinds of r ...
of poverty, chastity and obedience.[ Poverty means that all possessions are held in common and that no member may accumulate wealth. Chastity means more than abstaining from sexual activity and its purpose is to make the religious totally available for service; it is also a sign that only God can completely fill the human heart. For a member of a religious congregation, obedience is not slavishly doing what one is told by the superior but being attentive to God's will by prayerfully listening to the voice of the person in charge. For the Redemptorist, the three vows challenge those values presented as being important by modern-day society. Recognising that the living out of the three traditional vows can be truly challenging, each Redemptorist takes a fourth vow and oath, that of perseverance.
]
Organization
The Generalate is in Rome. The most fundamental unit of the Redemptorists is the local community in which members live together, combining their prayers, experiences, successes and failures, as well as any possessions for the service of the Gospel. Each community has a local superior who is chosen to exercise the ministry of leadership and the service of authority for the common good. The superior is assisted by a vicar and a group of advisors.
Local communities are organized into larger groups: Missions, regions, vice-provinces, provinces. A province is led by a provincial and his council, composed of elected members. In terms of governance, the members of each province elect representatives who gather in a Provincial Chapter. Vice-provinces usually look to a founding province to provide support in terms of personnel and finances until it is able to become self-sufficient. Otherwise, it enjoys the freedom and authority necessary to adjust matters to the particular needs of its mission. Regions and Missions are normally communities established in new missionary areas and they depend on the founding province or vice-province.
The Superior General convokes the General Chapter every six years. The General Chapter is the primary governing and representative body of the Redemptorists, carefully examining the mission of the congregation in accordance with the spirit of Alphonsus Liguori and its traditions. The day-to-day international affairs of the congregation are handled by the General Council, which is composed of a superior general and six consultors. The General Council is both a directive and executive body.
Regions and provinces
* South Europe: 6 provinces and 2 regions
* North Europe: 8 provinces, 2 vice-provinces, 2 regions and 1 mission,
* North America: 4 provinces (Baltimore, Denver, Canada (founded in 2019 and composed of the former Provinces of Edmonton-Toronto, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, and Yorkton), and Mexico) and one vice-province (Extra-Patriam, for the Vietnamese Catholics).
* Latin America: 13 provinces, 11 vice-provinces, 4 regions and 2 missions.
* Africa: 1 province, 5 vice-provinces, 2 regions and 5 missions.
* Asia-Oceania: 6 provinces, 5 vice-provinces, 4 regions and 2 missions.
Regional development
Africa
In 1899 the Belgian fathers were requested by their government to take charge of a number of missions in the Congo State,[ at that time a Belgian colony: Kinkanda, Kionzo, Kimpese, Matadi, Sonagongo and Lake Tumba.
In 1987 the Denver Province established a mission in ]Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
which was so fruitful that it soon became a vice-province. The members of the vice-province have made concerted efforts to involve the laity in their work. The Redemptorists also minister in Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
(1967); Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
; Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
; Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
(1993); Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
(1967); Niger
Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...
; Zimbabwe
file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map
Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
(established by the British Redemptorists in 1960 and revitalized in 1989)
In 1990 the Indian Redemptorists began a mission in Kenya where there are several professed members.
In South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
Redemptorists administer parishes in Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
, Rustenburg
Rustenburg (; , Afrikaans and Dutch language, Dutch: ''City of Rest'') is a town at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West (South African province), North West province, South Africa (549 ...
and Howick. There is also a convent of Redemptoristines sisters in Merrivale, KwaZulu-Natal. For the Redemptorists of Southern Africa "... Justice and Peace is part and parcel of everything we are and do. In the South African context ... we are called by the poor to a simple life-style and we cannot avoid the struggle of the outcasts and oppressed of the townships and the desperate plight of the poor."
In May 2011 a number of allegations of child sexual abuse by a member of the institute in South Africa were revealed on the RTÉ
(; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...
programme '' Prime Time Investigates''.
Alan Shatter
Alan Joseph Shatter (born 14 February 1951) is an Irish lawyer, author and former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Defence from 2011 to 2014. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin S ...
, the Minister for Justice and Equality, stated:
Australia and New Zealand
The first house established was in Singleton, New South Wales
Singleton is a town on the banks of the Hunter River (New South Wales), Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. Singleton is 202km (126 mi) north-north-west of Sydney, and 70 km (43 mi) north-west of Newcastle, New South Wales ...
, but during the summer heat missions were conducted in the cooler climate of New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
's diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
s. As Singleton was an unsuitable base, the community oversaw the building of a new monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
at Mount St Alphonsus, Waratah, New South Wales. It was opened on the founder's feast, 1887, just five years after the Redemptorists' arrival. In the first year at Waratah the community conducted 45 missions through New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
. A new house in Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) () is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australia and the third-largest city in Victoria.
Within mo ...
followed in 1888 and work began on a new monastery in the suburb of Wendouree. It was officially opened in September 1893.
With the south now being cared for by the Ballarat community, those in Waratah looked north to Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
and the first missions were preached there in 1889. Missions began in Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
and its surrounds, with their success convincing the Archbishop to extend the programme to the far flung country parishes.
The first structure that was purpose-built for the Redemptorists in New Zealand was St Gerard's Church in Wellington in 1908.
In 1927, the province of Australasia, which included Australia and New Zealand, was created. New Zealand became an independent province in 1970 and from New Zealand, the Redemptorists went to Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...
in 1972.
The years after World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
were a time of rapid expansion. As well as ongoing participation in the development of the vice-provinces in the Philippines and in Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
, further houses were opened in New Town
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz
* New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** New (Paul McCartney song), "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* New (EP), ''New'' (EP), ...
in Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
and Townsville
The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...
and Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
in Queensland. There were also communities established in New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
: Campbell's Hill, Concord, Fairfield West, Penrith and Yagoona. In Victoria, there were communities at Balwyn, Box Hill, Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
, Wongarra and Yarraville. In Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, the order also conducted a psychotherapy clinic and Training Institute, Hofbauer Centre, from 1977 until 1998.
Missionary activity continues to flourish across Australia. Through parochial missions, preaching, retreats, adult education
Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained educating activities in order to gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralph G. ''The Pr ...
, teaching in universities, social justice
Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...
work, counselling, accompaniment of indigenous communities, chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...
cies, devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, working with people on the margins of society and promoting the family through the Majellan magazine, Redemptorists have sought to highlight that people matter greatly to God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
. For the Australian Redemptorists, the issue of social justice "... matters to the Redemptorists for it is at the core of our mission in the world."
India
Three Irish Redemptorists Mathew Hickey, Gerard McDonell and Leo O'Halloran from the province of Dublin with great zeal and missionary dynamism set on a task to proclaim the Good News and arrived in the Island country of Sri Lanka in the year 1938. The long cherished dream of the Redemptorists to establish a foundation in India was actualized in the year 1940 when the first community was established in Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
in 1940.
It was Hugo Kerr, the Provincial Superior of the province of Dublin who obtained permission from Maurice Bernard Departures, the Bishop of Mysore, to establish a foundation in Bangalore. In the Lent of 1941 St. Gerard's House at John Armstrong Road became the First Permanent residence of the Redemptorists. On 1 October 1945 the Indian Redemptorist mission became a Vice-Province and Mathew Hickey was the first Vice-Provincial. And the next ten years (from 1945 to 1955) saw great structural developments with Mt. St. Alphonsus (MSA) being built which would be the permanent house of the Studentate (7 June 1951) and the much awaited Holy Ghost Parish was opened for public worship on 24 May 1953. It was during this time St. Alphonsus School with the help of Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes, began in the Students’ wing of MSA. The school was later moved to Davis Road which stands till today catering to the education of the poor children who come from the vicinity of the area. In July 1964 Sadupadesa College on Hennur Road was built to house students who would study philosophy. It is now turned into a Juvenate which is the first stage of formation (as of 2015). In July, 2010 Holy Redeemer Parish was erected in Sadupadesa.
The Vice-Province of Bangalore grew steadily facing all odds and overcoming all obstacles to become the province of Bangalore on 15 August 1972 and also took a momentous initiative in the year 1990 by establishing a Redemptorist community in Kenya, Africa. Now the mission has 7 indigenous priests along with the members of the province serving in the mission. The Province of Bangalore has also given birth to two other units, the Liguori Province of Kerala and the Vice-province of Majella along the western coast of India.
As of 2011 there were some 260 Redemptorists in India, belonging to two Provinces, one Vice-Province, one Region and one Mission. The Region of Alwaye was established in 1992 and became a Province (Province of Liguori) in 2008. The Region of Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
was established in 1999 and was raised to the status of a Vice-Province in 2011. The Mission of Kenya began in 1990 and there are several perpetually professed Kenyan members.
The Philippines
The first Redemptorists, belonging to the Irish province, arrived in Opon, Cebu
Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
, on 30 June 1906, setting up missions in Compostela, San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
and on the Camotes Islands. From 1914 to 1928 further communities were established, the most prominent being: Luzon
Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
(where the Redemptorists preached the first mission completely in Tagalog), Lipa, Iloilo
Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...
, Tacloban
Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city on Leyte island in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, Tacloban has a popu ...
and Cagayan de Oro
Cagayan de Oro (abbreviated CDO and officially the City of Cagayan de Oro; ; Bukid language, Binukid: ''Ciudad ta Cagayan de Oro''; ; ) is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Regions of the Philippi ...
on Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
.
In 1928, the Philippines was divided into two vice provinces, each under a different province—the Cebu vice-province responsible for the Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...
and Mindanao under the Irish province; and the Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
vice-province responsible for Luzon under the Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n province, now headquartered at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran.
The Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
(1962–1965) had a profound impact on the Redemptorist Congregation and this resulted in them pledging themselves more strongly to the poor and disadvantaged in imitation of Alphonsus Liguori. When the political and social upheavals came in the 1960s and 1970s the Filipino Redemptorists stood in solidarity with those seeking justice and equality for they were to "... embrace the mission to proclaim by word and action, the Gospel of justice so that the poor's aspirations can be fully realised in Christ
Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...
, the source of liberation."
In 1996, the Cebu vice-province became an independent province, known as the Cebu Province.
Vietnam
Redemptorists arrived to Vietnam in 1925, with 66 missionary members from the Canadian Redemptorist Missionaries of the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine. The Province of Vietnam was officially established in 1964, with apostles in major cities such as Ha Noi, Sai Gon, Da Nang, Da Lat, and more. Their activities briefly stopped by 1975, likely due to the fact that the Vietnam War resumed and the South was defeated.
Redemptorist missionaries are still active in Vietnam to this day, and have sent members to other countries such as Australia, Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Angola, France, the US and Canada.
United Kingdom and Irish provinces
Redemptorists arrived from Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
in 1843, and the new province owed its great progress to Robert Aston Coffin, one of the band of converts associated with Cardinal John Henry Newman
John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English Catholic theologian, academic, philosopher, historian, writer, and poet. He was previously an Anglican priest and after his conversion became a cardinal. He was an ...
, Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, and William Faber in the Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a theological movement of high-church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the Un ...
. Coffin was engaged in missions until he was appointed first provincial in 1865. During his administration new houses were founded in various parts of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, St Mary's Monastery at Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
being the first Scottish monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
opened since the Reformation. By 1910, the province had eight houses: Clapham
Clapham () is a district in south London, south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (including Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth.
History
Ea ...
in London, Bishop Eton in Liverpool, St Benet's Church, Monkwearmouth, Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is in the London metropolitan area, London commuter belt, near the border with Essex, just west of the ...
, Kingswood, Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
and a total membership of one hundred and twenty-three.[
Today the Redemptorists of Britain are engaged in a variety of ministries: the mission amongst the poor of ]Zimbabwe
file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map
Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
, a renewal centre in Kinnoull, Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
where people can spend time in prayer and reflection as well as parishes in Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, Bishop Eton in Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
and London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. Their goal is "to defend our joy in Jesus Christ and to bring to others Plentiful Redemption"
In 1898 the houses in Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
were constituted a separate province with the provincial house at Limerick
Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
. On 25 March 1901, the foundation of the juvenate house at Limerick was laid. The province of Ireland then comprised four houses: Limerick, Dundalk
Dundalk ( ; ) is the county town of County Louth, Ireland. The town is situated on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the north-east coast of Ireland, and is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to and south of the bor ...
, Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
, and Esker, Co. Galway.[ In 1904, John Creagh orchestrated the antisemitic " Limerick pogrom" by giving two antisemitic sermons that invoked the ]blood libel
Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation) is an antisemitic canardTurvey, Brent E. ''Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis'', Academic Press, 2008, p. 3. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual mu ...
, blamed Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and called for a de facto boycott; under Creagh's watch, a number of Jews were violently beaten, and the majority of the Jewish population was driven out of Limerick after two years of near-total economic boycott. Today, the provincial house is located in Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
with other communities being found in Belfast ( Clonard Monastery and the parish of Saint Gerard), Cork, Dundalk, Athenry in Galway
Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
, Limerick and four houses are established. The Irish Redemporists are involved in parish ministry, youth work, Redemptorist publications and retreats. They also help staff the missions in Cebu
Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
in the Philippines Alec Reid, of Clonard Monastery, were instrumental in cross community initiatives, and helped facilitate the Irish Peace Process. Reid also helped promote talks for peace in the Basque country.
North American Province
United States
In 1828 Frederick Rese, Vicar-General of Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
, visited Europe in search of priests. While at Vienna he secured three priests and three lay brothers; they arrived in New York on 20 June 1832 and began working amongst the people of northern Michigan. In 1839 they were called to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
to assume charge of the German congregation and from this time the care of German congregations became a prominent element of the Redemptorists in North America.[
The US province was erected in 1850 and one of the first tasks was the establishment of a ]seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
and the selection of a suitable place for a novitiate
The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...
. Cumberland in Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
, was chosen for the seminary and Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
for the novitiate. In 1868 the students were transferred to the new house of studies at Ilchester, Maryland and in 1907 the faculty and the students moved to Esopus, New York
Esopus ( ) is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Ulster County, New York, Ulster County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 9,548 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The town was named afte ...
, on the Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
where a more spacious building had been erected.[
In 1882, the congregation sent priests to the Archdiocese of Washington and eventually established five parishes. In 1861 they opened a community in ]Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. Soon after, due to the many successful missions they had given in the Archdiocese of St. Louis a house was opened at St. Louis. In 1871 an important mission house was opened at Roxbury, Boston and was dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. When, in 1883, a new parish was formed, the fathers of the mission church took charge. (In 2009, its later basilica, of the same name, hosted the nationally televised funeral of Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
Senator Edward Kennedy, attended by President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
, three former US presidents and first ladies, among other dignitaries.)
From 1883 onward, the Redemptorists spread throughout most of North America and are present in a variety of states such as California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
in the west, Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
and Illinois in the midwest, Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
, and Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
in the northeast and Louisiana
Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, Mississippi
Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
and Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
in the south.
North American Redemptorists are involved in giving parochial missions, social justice
Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...
, retreats, youth ministry, ministry to adults with special needs, bioethics
Bioethics is both a field of study and professional practice, interested in ethical issues related to health (primarily focused on the human, but also increasingly includes animal ethics), including those emerging from advances in biology, me ...
, publication of religious materials and chaplaincy work as well as outreach to the Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
community, ministry amongst the poor, and helping to staff missions in the Caribbean
The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
The Denver Province owns Liguori Publications, which publishes books and ''Liguorian'' magazine.
Canada and Caribbean
In 1874 the Redemptorists were called to St. Patrick's Church, Montreal, Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, Canada, the only church in that city for English-speaking Catholics. In 1878 they became the custodians of the shrine of Ste-Anne de Beaupré, near Quebec and then of St. Anne
According to apocrypha, as well as Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary, the wife of Joachim and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the Bible's canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's na ...
's, Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, a large parish in a very poor district of the city.[ Two other foundations were quickly established in Canada: ]Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...
's, Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
and Saint Peter
Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...
's, New Brunswick
New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
in 1881 and 1884 respectively.
The Redemptorist presence in Canada was made a vice-province in 1894, where four more houses were opened. This province was initially dependent on the Belgian province. The West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
were made a vice-province in 1904. There is also a house at Mayagüez in Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
. Spanish Redemptorists settled at San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to:
* San Juan, Puerto Rico
* San Juan, Argentina
* San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines
San Juan may also refer to:
Places Arge ...
. A parish with a population of 30,000 is confided to their care. On 26 July 1911, the Belgian houses of Canada were erected into a new province called Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.[ On May 19, 1918, the English-speaking houses in Canada, with 83 Canadian members and nine foundations, were erected into a new province called Toronto Province. The dawn of the new province also heralded the expansion of the order in parishes across the country. This included parishes in Vancouver (1923), Edmonton (1924), Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (1927), Calgary (1929; 1931), Charlottetown (1929), Corner Brook, Newfoundland (1931), Grande Prairie, Alberta (1931), Saskatoon (1934), Dawson Creek, BC (1936), Nelson, BC (1938), Williams Lake, BC (1938), Athabasca, Alberta (1940), Wells, BC (1941), Claresholm, Alberta (1941), Winnipeg (1942) and Peterborough (1945).
The rising number of Redemptorists foundations in Western Canada led to the creation of the Edmonton Vice-Province in July 1945, which would be responsible for any foundations that were located west of the Ontario-Manitoba border. In July 1961, Edmonton achieved provincial status and took responsibility of 14 foundations and 80 members.
The Redemptorists continued to expand following the creation of the Edmonton Vice-Province and served in parishes in St. George’s, Newfoundland (1947), Edson, Alberta (1949), Sudbury, Ontario (1949), Whitbourne, Newfoundland (1950), Toronto (1950), Windsor (1952), St. John’s, Newfoundland (1956), and Hinton, Alberta (1958).
In 1996, due to declining numbers in both provinces, the Edmonton and Toronto Provinces were merged to become the Edmonton-Toronto Province.
The newly combined province continued to see the number of parishes administered by the Redemptorists shrink. They withdrew from Quebec City and Edmonton in 1999, Moose Jaw in 2002, Kelowna in 1999, 2002, and 2005 respectively, Saint John in 2006 and Sudbury in 2012.
On 12 August 2014 a court in Quebec approved a settlement by which the Redemptorists of the Province of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré will pay $20 million in compensation to people who had been sexually assaulted by members of the order while school students in their care.
The Yorkton Province is an Eastern church branch of the worldwide Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, serving the ]Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a Major archiepiscopal church, major archiepiscopal ''sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Cathol ...
in North America and is based in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
and Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
, Canada.
On August 1, 2019, the Redemptorist Provinces of Edmonton-Toronto, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, and Yorkton merged to become a new province called "The Redemptorist Province of Canada". The provincial offices of the new province are located in the Bedford Park neighborhood of Toronto.
Saints, Blesseds, and other holy people
Saints
* Alfonso Maria de Liguori (27 September 1696 – 1 August 1787), founder, bishop and Doctor of the Church
Doctor of the Church (Latin: ''doctor'' "teacher"), also referred to as Doctor of the Universal Church (Latin: ''Doctor Ecclesiae Universalis''), is a title given by the Catholic Church to saints recognized as having made a significant contribut ...
, canonized on 26 May 1839
* Gerard Majella (6 April 1726 – 16 October 1755), professed religious, canonized on 11 December 1904
* Klemens Maria Hofbauer (26 December 1751 – 15 March 1820), patron saint of Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
and Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, canonized on 20 May 1909
* John Nepomucene Neumann (March 28, 1811 – January 5, 1860), Bishop of Philadelphia, canonized on 19 June 1977
Blesseds
* Gennaro Maria Sarnelli (12 September 1702 – 30 June 1744), priest, beatified on 12 May 1996
* Francis Xavier Seelos (11 January 1819 – 4 October 1867), missionary to the United States, beatified on 9 April 2000
* Petrus Norbertus Donders (27 October 1809 – 14 January 1887), missionary to lepers in Batavia, Suriname, beatified on 23 May 1982
* Kaspar Stanggassinger (12 January 1871 - 26 September 1899), priest, beatified on 24 April 1988
* Vicente Nicasio Renuncio Toribio and 11 Companions (died between July to November 1936), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, (Madrid) beatified on 22 October 2022
* José Xavier Gorosterratzu Jaunarena and 5 Companions (died between August 1936 - July 1938), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, (Cuenca) beatified on 13 October 2013
* Zynoviy Kovalyk (18 August 1903 – end of June 1941), priest and martyr, beatified on 27 June 2001
* Ivan Ziatyk (26 December 1899 – 17 May 1952), priest and martyr, beatified on 27 June 2001
* Metod Dominik Trčka (6 July 1886 – 23 March 1959), priest and martyr, beatified on 4 November 2001
* Nicholas Charnetsky (14 December 1884 – 2 April 1959), bishop and martyr, beatified on 27 June 2001
* Vasyl Velychkovsky (1 June 1903 – 30 June 1973), bishop and martyr, beatified on 27 June 2001
Venerables
* Domenico Blasucci (5 March 1732 - 2 November 1752), cleric, declared Venerable on 23 May 1906
* Vito Michele di Netta (26 February 1787 - 3 December 1849), priest, declared Venerable on 7 July 1935
* Joseph-Amand Passerat (30 April 1772 - 30 October 1858), priest, declared Venerable on 29 April 1980
* Alfred Pampalon
Alfred Pampalon (24 November 1867 – 30 September 1896) was a Canadian Redemptorist priest known for having a deep faith in God and a deep love of Mary. He is the patron for people with addictions.
Early life
Alfred Pampalon was born 24 ...
(24 November 1867 - 30 September 1896), priest, declared Venerable on 14 May 1991
* Giuseppe Maria Leone (23 May 1829 - 9 August 1902), priest, declared Venerable on 18 December 2024
* Antonio Filomeno Maria Losito (16 December 1838 - 18 July 1917), priest, declared Venerable on 30 September 2015
* Wilhelm Janauschek (19 October 1859 - 30 June 1926), priest, declared Venerable on 15 April 2014
* Bernard Alojzy Łubieński (9 December 1846 - 10 September 1933), priest, declared Venerable on 6 March 2018
* Francisco Barrecheguren Montagut (8 August 1881 - 7 October 1957), widow and father of Blessed María Concepcion Barrecheguren García and priest, declared Venerable on 5 May 2020
* Pelágio Sauter (9 November 1878 - 23 November 1961), priest, declared Venerable on 7 November 2014
* Vítor Coelho de Almeida (22 September 1899 - 21 July 1987), priest, declared Venerable on 5 August 2022
Servants of God
* Cesare Sportelli (19 June 1701 - 19 April 1750), lawyer and priest
* Paolo Cafaro (5 July 1707 - 13 August 1753), priest
* Emmanuele Ribera (2 March 1811 - 8 November 1874), priest
* Johann Baptist Stöger (4 October 1810 - 3 November 1883), professed religious
* Vittorio Lojodice (25 July 1834 - 10 January 1916), priest
* Francesco Pitocchi (21 September 1852 - 13 June 1922), priest
* Celso Alonso Rodríguez (28 July 1896 – 29 September 1936), Martyr of the Spanish Civil War, declared as Servant of God on 8 May 2008
* Ángel Vesga Fernández (1 October 1886 – 1 October 1936), Martyr of the Spanish Civil War, declared as Servant of God on 8 May 2008
* Friedrich Grote (16 July 1853 - 30 April 1940), priest
* Antonio Solari (27 January 1861 - 14 July 1945), oblate, declared as Servant of God on 18 October 1995
* Marian Halan (28 September 1927 - 5 June 1952), professed religious and Martyr of Ukraine, declared as Servant of God on 6 July 2002
* Isidoro Fiorini (23 May 1867 - 24 July 1956), priest, declared as Servant of God on 24 September 2002
* Gioakim (Marcel) Nguyen Tân Văn (15 March 1928 - 10 July 1959), Vietnamese professed religious and martyr, declared as Servant of God on 7 January 1995
* Danylo (Roman) Bakhtalovs’kyi (21 October 1897 - 6 October 1985), Ukrainian priest and founder of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Fatima, declared as Servant of God on 30 September 2005
* Ján Ivan Mastiliak (5 November 1911 - 18 September 1989), priest, declared as Servant of God in 2014
* Jorge Gottau (23 May 1917 - 24 April 1994), Bishop of Añatuya, declared as Servant of God in 2016
Famous Redemptorists
* Bernard Łubieński (1846-1933) priest
* Alfred Pampalon
Alfred Pampalon (24 November 1867 – 30 September 1896) was a Canadian Redemptorist priest known for having a deep faith in God and a deep love of Mary. He is the patron for people with addictions.
Early life
Alfred Pampalon was born 24 ...
(1867–1896) priest
* Pelágio Sauter (1878-1961) priest
* Antonio Maria Losito (1838-1917) priest
* Willem Marinus van Rossum (1854–1932) Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples
* Varkey Vithayathil (1927–2011) Cardinal & Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly for Syro-Malabars (India)
* Julio Terrazas Sandoval
Julio Terrazas Sandoval (March 7, 1936 – December 9, 2015) was a Cardinal Priest and Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Born in Vallegrande, Bolivia, he was ...
(1936-2015) Archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia)
* Joseph William Tobin (born 1952) former Superior General (1997–2009), Secretary of , former Archbishop of Indianapolis, Archbishop of Newark
* William Hickley Gross (1837–1898) Archbishop of Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
, US
* Patrick Clune (1864–1935) first Archbishop of Perth, Australia
* Hugh MacDonald, (1841–1898) Bishop of Aberdeen
The Bishop of Aberdeen (originally Bishop of Mortlach, in Latin Murthlacum) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Nech ...
* Willem Duynstee, priest, jurist, moralist, and professor, Netherlands
* Aloysius Joseph Willinger (1886–1973) Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, US
* William Tibertus McCarty (1889–1972) Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...
, US
* Ralph Heskett (born 1953) Bishop of Gibraltar
* Ireneo Amantillo (1934–2018) Bishop of Tandag
* Emmanuel Cabajar (born 1942) Bishop of Pagadian
Pagadian, officially the City of Pagadian, is a Component city of the Philippines, component city and the capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. It is the regional center of Zamboanga Peninsula ...
* Charles Fehrenbach (1909–2006) author of the book ''Mary Day by Day''
* Bernard Häring (1912–1998), priest and influential theologian at the Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
* Francis Connell (1888–1967), priest, theologian, and advisor at the Second Vatican Council
* Tadeusz Rydzyk (born 1945) founder and head of the Radio Maryja Family.
* Alec Reid (1931–2013), facilitator in the Northern Ireland peace process
* John Creagh (1870–1947) priest who delivered anti-Semitic sermons in Limerick in 1904.
* Joseph Owens (1908–2005)
* Liam Pilkington (1894–1977)
* Seán McManus (born 1944)
* Leo James English (1907–1997) compiler and editor of an English- Tagalog dictionary (1965) and a Tagalog-English dictionary (1986)
* Juan Campos Rodríguez (1907-1995) missionary, writer, founder of Anglo-Chinese School of Perpetual Help
* Joe Maier (born 1939) co-founder of the HDF Mercy Centre in Bangkok.
* Raymond Brennan (1932–2003) founder of the Father Ray Foundation in Pattaya, Thailand
* Teofilo Vinteres (1932-2001) liturgical composer and former rector of the Baclaran Church
* Amado Picardal (1954-2024) CBCP-BEC Executive Secretary, web blogger and "biking priest"
* Marreddy Vatti (1956-2015).
* Tony Flannery (born 1947) Irish religious writer and dissident
* Michael Müller (1825-1899), author of devotional books
* Clement Campos (1946-2018) well-known Indian moral theologian
* Joseph Ivel Mendanha (1922-2019) first Indian Redemptorist priest
* Joseph Nguyễn Tiến Lộc (1943-2022)
Educational institutions (partial list)
;Schools
* Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School (Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
)
*St Alphonsus School, Bangalore, India
*Ruamrudee International School
Ruamrudee International School (RIS, , ) is an international school in Min Buri District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is an international school for students in pre-school - grade 12 incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Thailand as a non-profi ...
(Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
)
* Saint Alphonsus Catholic School (Cebu
Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
, Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
) – now under the Benedictine Sisters
;Tertiary and other
* Alphonsian Academy
* Holy Redeemer College of The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is one of two pontifical universities of the Catholic Church in the United States – the only one that is not primarily ...
* St. Mary's College, Brockville (Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
) — closed
See also
* Radio Maryja is a radio station owned and run by the congregation
*The teen magazine, '' Face Up''
* Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, formerly the Transalpine Redemptorists
* Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer
* Spanish Redemptorist missions in Sichuan
Notes
References
External links
*
Pope John Paul II. "Address to the Members of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer", December 15, 1997
* ttp://www.odis.be/lnk/en/OR_9398 Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemeri
ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists)
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ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
Archives of Redemptorists (Cssr) - North Belgian Province
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ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
Image Archive of Redemptorists (Cssr) - North Belgian Province - 1834-2010
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ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
{{Authority control
1732 establishments in Italy
Catholic missionary orders
Institutes of consecrated life