Introduction to the life of St Alphonsus...

Our two Freed Ukrainian Confreres with Secretary of State...

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, recently met with two Redemptorist priests Frs. Bohdan Galeta and Ivan Levitsky, who were previously held in Russian captivity. During the meeting, the Cardinal conveyed Pope Francis’s deep concern and solidarity with those affected by the conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized the Pope’s continuous prayers and attention to the ongoing situation, expressing hope for a peaceful resolution. The encounter was a poignant moment, highlighting the suffering endured and the resilience of the Ukrainian people. Find below the article published on the Vatican website originally in the Ukrainian language.

On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, State Secretary of the Holy See, who was in Ukraine as a special envoy of the Holy Father on the occasion of the final services of the pilgrimage in Berdychiv, ended. Before leaving the country, he met in Lviv with two Greek Catholic priests who were recently released from Russian captivity. This is stated in the official summary of the visit, published in the Vatican magazine “L’Osservatore Romano”.

After lunch, on July 23, Cardinal Parolin left Kyiv and on the way to Poland stopped in Lviv, where he met with the Redemptorist Fathers Bohdan Galeta and Ivan Levitsky, who were released from Russian captivity on June 28, 2024. In a fraternal conversation, the Messenger of the Holy Father inquired about the conditions of their imprisonment and their current condition, particularly their health. Both priests expressed gratitude for the prayers and tireless concern of the Holy Father and the Holy See for their fate.

Therefore, on Wednesday, July 24, after spending the night in the Apostolic Nunciature in Warsaw, the Secretary of State of the Holy See returned to the Vatican. The program of his visit, which lasted from July 19 to 24, included a short stop at the Curia of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Lviv, a visit to Odesa, a Holy Mass in Berdychiv on the occasion of the end of the pilgrimage of Ukrainian Catholics, a visit to the Greek Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv, a meeting with Supreme Archbishop of Kyiv-Halytskyi His Beatitude Svyatoslav Shevchuk, visit to the “Okhmatdit” pediatric hospital, meetings with government officials and religious leaders.

(www.vaticannews.va/uk)

Triduum in honour of our Holy Founder and Father Alphonsus Maria de'Liguori...

During these three days, we will reflect each day one aspect of his life

First, St. Alphonsus talented genius of his time
Second, St. Alphonsus, the Doctor of Prayer
Third, St. Alphonsus Patron of Confessors and Moral Theologians

And on his feast day, we will reflect on 

the very essence of the Spirituality of St. Alphonsus.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Redeemer on 21st of July... 

Every year, the Redemptorists celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer on the third Sunday of July. Redemptorists have celebrated this feast on the third Sunday of July since 1749. The solemnity has its great importance with the beginning of the Religious Order.

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, founded by Saint Alphonsus on 9^thNovember 1732, is a clerical missionary religious Institute of pontifical right, enjoying the privilege of exemption and having members belonging to various rites. Its purpose is to “follow the example of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, by preaching the word of God to the poor, as he declared of himself: ‘He sent me to preach the Good News to the poor’.” In this way, the Congregation shares the mandate given to the Church, which, since it is the universal sacrament of salvation, is a missionary of its very nature. It does so by responding with missionary thrust to the pressing pastoral needs of the most abandoned, especially the poor, and by devoting itself entirely to evangelization. The Redemptorist Congregation truly follows the example of Christ in the apostolic life,    which comprises at one and the same time a life specially dedicated to God and a life of missionary work. (Consti.1)

Link to download the supplement pages to the sacramentary and lectionary in EN

Who are Redemptorists? The Redemptorist Missionaries are Strong in faith, rejoicing in hope, burning with charity, on fire with zeal, in humility of heart and persevering in prayer; Redemptorists as apostolic men and genuine disciples of Saint Alphonsus follow Christ the Redeemer with hearts full of joy; denying themselves and always ready to undertake what is demanding, they share in the mystery of Christ and proclaim it in Gospel simplicity of life and language, that they may bring to people plentiful redemption. (Consti. 20)

The Redemptorists filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk. 4:18-19) are called to announce the good news of salvation and the “favourable time” (2 Cor. 6:2), so that people be converted, believe in the Gospel (cf. Mark 1:15), really live their baptism and put on the new self (cf. Eph. 4:24). They are the apostles of conversion”, in so far as the chief object of their preaching is to lead people to a radical choice regarding their life – a decision for Christ – and draw them firmly and gently to a continuing and total conversion (Const. 11).

The Redemptorist Hymn by Fr. Eric Paul Soliven Sevencruz, CSsR.

All Redemptorists are called to be humble and courageous servants among people of the Gospel of Christ, the Redeemer and Lord. They preach the message of plentiful redemption that proclaims the love of God the Father, which affects the entire person. It brings to perfection and transforms all human values, so as to unite all things in Christ and thus lead them to their completion in a new earth and a new heaven. (Consti.6)

Why the name ‘Redemptorists’? The full title in Latin is 

‘Congregatio Santissimi Redemptoris’ 

– a congregation of priests and brothers under the title of ‘The Most Holy Redeemer’.

In Italy, we are known as the Missionari Redentoristi. We call ourselves ‘Redemptorist Missionaries’. 

Our middle name is SENT – just like Jesus! Everything about us is meant to reflect that -the way we live, the way we work, the way we pray, the joy in us, our community life together around the person of Jesus, the Redeemer.

Dear Redemptorist confreres, Redemptoristine Sisters, Sisters associated with the Redemptorist Charism, Redemptorist partners in mission, lay missionaries and associates, formandi, and benefactors wish you all grace-filled abundant blessings as we collaborate and continue to bring plentiful redemption to the whole humanity, especially to the poor and abandoned.

Scala News

Solemnity of the Most Holy Redeemer 2024…

My dear Confreres CSsR and dear Sisters OSsR,

My dear Lay Associates and Lay Missionaries, 

To all our Families, Friends and Benefactors,

Let us be united in prayer and praise 

As we celebrate our 

Most Holy Redeemer.

Let us never forget that we are called to be 

Missionaries of Hope in the footsteps of the Redeemer.

Have a happy, holy and peace-filled Solemnity.

Richard Reid CSsR

Provincial Superior

Provincial's Letter 2nd July 2024...

To read the full letter click here

CSsR Final Vows in Zimbabwe...

On the 13th of July - 2024 - we have two confreres,

Br Simbarashe CSsR and Br Ngonidzashe CSsR

who will make their Final Profession of Vows.

Poverty, Chastity, Obedience and their

Vow and Oath of Perseverance.

As they make their preparations please keep them in your prayers!

The Apostolic Nuncio welcomes our two Ukranian confreres home...

Welcome home confreres,

Fr Ivan Levytskyi CSsR and Fr Bohdan Geleta CSsR!

Taken into captivity 16 November 2022.

-

Freed 28th June 2024

Feast of our CSsR Ukrainian Martyrs

Frs Ivan Levytskyi & Bohdan Geleta CSsR, released from Russian prison...

The official portal of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church released information stating that two Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priests, members of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, Fr. Ivan Levytskyi and Fr. Bohdan Geleta, were released from Russian detention on 28 June 2024. They had been arrested in occupied Berdiansk on 16 November 2022.

                        Fr. Ivan Levytsky CSsR                               and                        Fr. Bohdan Geleta CSsR

On behalf of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy, and Father Oleksa Petriv, Head of the Department of External Relations of the UGCC in Ukraine, met Fathers Ivan and Bohdan in prison and conveyed them the words of great joy of the Head of the Church and all the faithful who constantly prayed for this day to come.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Apostolic See for the rescue of the UGCC priests. He sent special words of gratitude to Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the entire Vatican diplomatic corps. Special thanks for their mediation were expressed to Cardinal Mateo Zuppa and Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine. Each of them made an invaluable personal contribution to making this event a reality.

Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, priests Ivan Levytskyi and Bohdan Geleta have chosen to remain with their people in the temporarily occupied territories. They served both the Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic communities, giving a light of hope to people under occupation. They were arrested, then some military items were planted in the church and accused of illegal possession of weapons. There were reports that they were being tortured mercilessly to extract a confession to a crime they had not committed.

For some time, there was no information about the prisoners. Only in May, His Beatitude Sviatoslav received the news that Fathers Ivan and Bohdan were alive and there was hope for their release. On 28 June, this day came.

(www.ugcc.ua)

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour...

June 27th - Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

Warmest greetings and prayers to all who are reading this now.

Our Mother of Perpertual Succour - Pray for us!