The Redemptorist Missionaries celebrate their 94th anniversary in Mato Grosso do Sul!
Starting in the 1920s, the letters to the Holy See and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, solicited the arrival of the Redemptorist Missionaries in its territory, which then included a large part of the current area of Mato Grosso do Sul in the Diocese of Corumbá. From March to June 1924, two Austrian Redemptorist Missionaries attempted to start a foundation of the Congregation in the Parish of Santo Antônio de Pádua in Campo Grande, but they had to return to their home country.
Once again the Diocese asked for help from the sons of Saint Alphonsus, until the then Bishop of Corumbá, Monsignor Antônio de Almeida Lustosa, always trusting in the intercession of the Virgin Mary to obtain this grace, received a positive response: the Redemptorist Province of Baltimore, in the United States, were to send the Redemptorist missionaries Fr. Francis Mohr and Fr. Alphonse Hild to southern Mato Grosso. On November 23, 1929, they left New York and after twelve days of travel they arrived in Rio de Janeiro, then they embarked towards Santos, towards Aparecida to have their first contact with the Portuguese language.
Finally, they continued their journey along the Brazilian Northwest Railway, arriving on January 20, 1930, in Aquidauana to begin their apostolate, which also extended to Bela Vista, Miranda, Nioaque and Porto Murtinho. From the foundation of the Aquidauana Mission, the Vice-Province of Campo Grande was created in 1942, in 1971 the headquarters became Curitiba, elevated to a Province in 1989. In 2023 the Province of Campo Grande was abolished, leaving its religious incorporated into the new Province of Curitiba. There are currently two Redemptorist Provinces with their religious in the State: the Province of Curitiba in Aquidauana, Campo Grande, Nova Andradina and Ponta Porã; and the province of Pedro Donders in Bela Vista.
Let us pray for the religious vocation of the Redemptorist Missionaries so that it always inspires courageous men to announce the Plentiful Redemption and the glories of Mary, under the invocation of Our Lady of Perpetual Help!
(perpetuosocorroms.com.br)
You can read more about the history of the Redemptorists in this area of Brazil:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help declared Patroness of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil)
Brazil: Pope Francis recognizes Our Lady of Perpetual Help as the patroness of Mato Grosso
