The Unification Commission and members of the Commission Committees gathered in person for the first time at Santísimo Redentor Church in Mexico City, Mexico, a week ago. Approximately 25 Redemptorists from the Provinces of Baltimore, Denver, and the Extra-Patriam Vice Province participated in the three-day event, which began on Tuesday, February 11, and ended on Thursday, February 13. Each day began with morning prayer, and the meetings concluded with evening prayer and a celebration of the Eucharist.
The brotherhood, openness, and respectful atmosphere provided a valuable opportunity for members from different Provinces to build and strengthen relationships with members of other Provinces. The purpose of the meeting was twofold: first, to hear reports from the five Committees – Mission, Apostolic Life, Formation, Governance and Finance − regarding the unification process; and second, to respond to each report and offer suggestions for advancing the work of each Committee.
Throughout the week, the members of the Commission and various Committees met to discuss their work. Each Committee has been meeting for about a year, yet the greater emphasis of the gathering was not on what has been accomplished, but rather on small and large group discussions to prayerfully discern where the Spirit is currently working and where the Spirit is moving us forward. By Thursday, each Committee had developed a vision and a variety of concrete steps to help realize the vision they had identified. These visions and steps will be shared with all Redemptorist confreres in the weeks to come.
During the final plenary session, several of those gathered expressed their sense of a new community and a ‘new creation’ being formed among those who gathered. Members reflected on the importance of finding ways to encounter each other, and to be open to the enrichment of our diversity as we work together toward unity. As the meeting came to a close, everyone expressed satisfaction with the results and gratitude for the skillful facilitation using the timely principles of synodality of listening and dialogue provided by Fr. John Olenick, Vicar of the Baltimore Province, and Fr. Thomas Florek, S.J.
During the closing celebration of the Eucharist, novices and postulants from the Province of Mexico joined members of the Unification Commission and Committees. The homily delivered by Fr. Anthony Nguyen focused on God’s gift to humanity and the gift the Redemptorist family offers to each confrere. During the offertory, one member from each Committee brought forward a lit candle as a symbol of their work during the week, and as a sign of hope as we follow in the footsteps of the Redeemer to bring about this new creation. In this spirit, those gathered sent forth three Redemptorist missionaries − Fr. Patrick Keyes, Fr. Roberto Morales and Fr. Aaron Moreno − to their mission in the Diocese of Toledo.
Submitted by Fr. Anthony Nguyen & Fr. Aaron Meszaros
Courtesy Denverlink, 21 Feb. 2025
