“The Redemptorist spirit, once lived, remains forever, strengthening our mission and our fraternity,” said Father Rogério Gomes, CSsR, greeting the participants in the online meeting between the General Council and former seminarians, held last Saturday, April 5.
Addressing nearly 150 participants connected from different countries around the world, Father General added:
“This event marks a historic moment, as it represents the first initiative of the General Government aimed at reuniting all the former Redemptorist seminarians, reaffirming our commitment to animate the various groups that make up the life of the Congregation.”
Below is the full text of the speech given by Father Rogério Gomes, Superior General of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (click here to read the text ).
Here is the account of one of the participants of the meeting, which he shared with Scala News:
A milestone of reconciliation and hope
“What we experienced at the World Meeting of Former Redemptorist Seminarians — with the presence of wives and guests — was not just an event. It was a return to our spiritual origins, an embrace between paths that have intertwined over time and that still resonate in our hearts.
Under the serene and inspiring guidance of Father Rogério Gomes, Superior General of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (CSsR), the dialogue began with a rare and profound gesture: a request for forgiveness for the lack of understanding towards the pain and struggles faced by so many young people during their formation. A gesture not only to repair, but to heal, welcome and reconnect.
There were men who, once seminarians, are now fathers, grandfathers, professionals, public officials, artists, educators… but who never stopped carrying with them the spark of the Redemptorist charism. Alongside them were their wives — companions on many journeys — and friends who lived closely the profound meaning of that founding experience.
It was not a nostalgic look back, but a mature introspection. It was the beginning of something new. A commitment to keep the dialogue alive, to re-establish bonds and to build bridges between the Congregation and all those who, even outside the walls of the seminary, remain inspired by the Redemptorist mission.
May there be future encounters. May this network of affection, faith and sharing become ever stronger. And may the voice of Saint Alphonsus continue to inspire us: ‘God loves us and wants to be loved.’”
Peter Louis Dias
ONLINE MEETING WITH FORMER REDENTORIST SEMINARISTS
Message
‘The Lord who sends us as Missionaries and Pilgrims of Hope in a Wounded World’
Dear Former Redemptorist Seminarians,
- We are deeply grateful to each of you for your participation in this special gathering of Redemptorist Former Seminarians. The Redemptorist spirit, once lived, remains forever, strengthening our mission and fraternity. This event marks a historic moment, as it is the first initiative of the General Government to bring together all former Redemptorist seminarians, reaffirming our commitment to animate the diverse groups that make up the life of the Congregation. The invitation was sent to the five Conferences of the Congregation with the aim of strengthening our bonds as one big Redemptorist family and as a missionary body, driven by the same evangelising ardour that has always guided us. We would also like to acknowledge the valuable work that you do in so many areas, be it in parishes, NGOs, universities and other places of service. May this meeting be a milestone of communion, fraternity and renewal of our spirit of service!
- Before turning to the central theme of this meeting, I would like to express to you a sincere request for forgiveness. We recognise that, at various times, our formation process may not have been able to listen to you fully, nor to foster more attentive discernment, and in some situations may even have interrupted the dreams of some of you. Reflecting on these aspects is fundamental if we want to build a Redemptorist formation that is ever more human, welcoming and committed to the integral development of each young person. Our hope is that this formative journey will continue to be a genuine space of discernment, where each person can live his or her vocation according to the Redeemer’s plan, with freedom, fullness and joy. At the same time, we believe that, in many cases, formation has been a valuable help for people to discern and choose their future path with clarity.
- Each year, the General Government of the Congregation proposes a specific theme to animate our missionary journey, always beginning on the 15th March, the feast of St. Clement. In 2023, our reflection focused on community life; in 2024, we delved into the importance of formation for mission; and now, in 2025, we are invited to meditate on Mission itself. In the following years, we will address different fundamental aspects of our vocation: in 2026, we will reflect on Leadership for Mission; in 2027, on Redemptorist Spirituality; and in 2028, we will review our life in preparation for the 27th General Chapter.
- In this Year of Mission, I want to reflect with you on the theme: ‘The Lord who sends us as Missionaries and Pilgrims of Hope in this Wounded World’. May this reflection help us to renew our missionary commitment, to encourage one another and to be living signs of hope and redemption in the midst of the wounds of humanity. You are Missionaries and Pilgrims of hope in this wounded world, where joys and sorrows coexist. It is worth recalling the words of Gaudium et Spes (1): “The joys and hopes, the sorrows and anxieties of the people of our time, especially the poor and those who suffer, are at the same time the joys and hopes, the sorrows and anxieties of Christ’s disciples. There is nothing truly human that does not find an echo in his heart”.
- The Lord sends us as Missionaries and Pilgrims of hope, calling us to bring the light of the Gospel to a world deeply marked by pain, injustice and loneliness. We are called to walk alongside those who suffer, offering words of encouragement and remembering that, even in adversity, divine mercy never abandons us. The Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han, in his book Against the Society of Anguish: Hope and Revolution, notes: “Hope opens the horizon of wisdom, renews courage and gives wings to life. It offers us a future. I believe that, in addition to giving us wings, hope is the torch we carry in our hand, lighting our way and helping us to emerge from the darkness in those moments when the world seems bleak.”
- We live in a world marked by deep wounds that cry out for healing. These wounds are reflected in the multiple difficulties humanity faces in different spheres – social, political, economic and spiritual – aggravating inequality, injustice, suffering, lack of empathy and hopelessness. They manifest themselves in social disparities, in selfishness that fosters conflict and division, in exclusion and marginalisation caused by poverty, racial discrimination, violence and barriers that restrict access to fundamental rights. Added to this is an even deeper wound: the loss of meaning and purpose in a society that too often forgets the value of solidarity, care for others and respect for nature.
- In this context, Redemptorist Former Seminarians, formed in spirituality and committed to those most in need, can become transforming forces in this mission. Thanks to your faith experience, your knowledge of the Scriptures and your missionary experience, you have the capacity to touch wounded hearts, offering comfort and spiritual renewal. Your missionary zeal goes beyond words: it becomes visible in concrete actions of service and solidarity, capable of transforming realities.
- The healing of this wounded world depends on each one’s willingness to give of himself or herself to others, and you are prepared for this mission, wherever you are. As messengers of hope, you contribute to restoring human dignity and opening paths to true peace. On this journey, you and your families are living witnesses to God’s unconditional love for those who need it most. I firmly believe that all of us, as a Redemptorist Family, are called today, more than ever, to be true Good Samaritans, ready to heal the wounds of those who have fallen by the wayside, reaching out to them with compassion and love. There are also those who have followed other paths and today are diocesan priests or belong to other congregations. Many of them carry the Redemptorist charism in their hearts and continue to be nourished by its spirituality, keeping alive this transforming mission.
- As Missionaries and Pilgrims of hope, I believe that together we have a mission to heal these wounds, promoting actions that foster social, spiritual and human transformation. Our work is to carry the message of compassion, respect and inclusion, seeking to restore the human fabric that binds people together and reconnect human beings with their deepest essence, filled with love, empathy and purpose. From a broader perspective, this is a call to heal human relationships, nature and our spiritual connection to something greater, promoting a more just, balanced and fraternal world.
- It is not an easy task. We often feel like David against the giant Goliath (cf. 1 Sam 17), but it is hope that gives us the strength to fight against greater forces. What we cannot do is remain passive in the face of reality. The story is told of a great forest fire. In the face of the calamity, all the animals were perplexed and frightened. In the midst of the fire, a small hummingbird carried drops of water in its beak and threw them on the fire. Some of the animals, watching, said to him: “What are you doing that for? You won’t be able to put out the fire. The hummingbird replied calmly: ‘I’m doing my bit’. I believe that hope is like that little hummingbird, carrying drops of water to calm the raging fire that threatens to destroy values, the common good and humanity.
- I would like to encourage you to keep alive your activities in the five Conferences of the Congregation. I invite you to exchange experiences with groups of other nationalities, as this is deeply enriching. In Brazil, there is a large group, UNESER, which has been persevering and dialoguing with other realities in Latin America. There are also other groups that are carrying out valuable initiatives, and this experience needs to be broadened and made known. Telematic tools, such as Zoom, Google Meet and others, can be powerful allies in this process of interaction and mutual learning. It is essential to encourage those who, although no longer in their houses of formation or no longer linked to the Congregation by their vows, continue to maintain an affective and spiritual bond. Among them, we find people who have definitively left religious and priestly life, as well as diocesan priests and other religious. In a world that increasingly tends to homogenise thinking and exclude what is different, our witness must be one of openness, welcome and teamwork, as a sign of diversity and unity. ‘We are Missionaries of Hope in the Footsteps of the Redeemer.’
- I would like to conclude this message with a quote from the German theologian Jürgen Moltmann (1926-2024), who wrote extensively on the theology of hope. His personal experience as a prisoner of war during the Second World War led him to reflect deeply on suffering, redemption and Christian hope. In today’s context, his words remain highly relevant and deserve to be read and reflected upon. He says: “The vital force of hope directs our senses towards life that is realised. We look forward to hitherto unknown experiences of life. We open our senses to what is coming for us. Thanks to hope, we do not abandon ourselves to the powers of death, disappointment or humiliation. Hope is the fullness of life that awakens our senses every morning.”[1]
- I would like to thank each of you for taking the time to be present at this very simple gathering, but which is meant to remind us that we can live our Redemptorist life in other ways, being light to the world. As Pope Francis reminds us in Evangelii Gaudium, n. 169: “In this world, ordained ministers and other pastoral workers can make present the fragrance of Jesus’ close presence and personal gaze. The Church should initiate her brothers and sisters – priests, religious and laity – in this “art of accompaniment”, so that all may always learn to remove their sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Ex 3:5). We have to give our journey the healing rhythm of proximity, with a respectful and compassionate gaze, but at the same time healing, liberating and encouraging us to mature in the Christian life”. I believe that this meeting is going in that direction and I hope that the new leaders to come will be able to go deeper and deeper into this process.
- May Mary, the Mother of Hope, encourage each of you in your daily mission and urge you to be flames of hope wherever you are. May St. Alphonsus and our Saints, Martyrs and Blesseds, be an inspiration to us as a Redemptorist family.
Rogério Gomes, C.Ss.R
Superior General
Redemptorist Community, Montparnasse, Paris,
5th April 2025.
[1] MOLTMANN, Jürgen.Hope in These Troubled Times. Translated by Margaret Kohl and Brian McNeil. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 2019, p. 118.
