From 27 July to 1 August 2025, the Redemptorists of the Region of Zimbabwe gathered at Alphonsus House, Harare, for their annual regional retreat, a week of prayerful silence, honest reflection, and community renewal. This year’s retreat was led by Fr. Michael Emerue, C.Ss.R., Vice Provincial of the Vice Province of Nigeria, whose input offered both challenge and encouragement as the Region continues to grow in numbers, mission, and maturity.
The retreat was framed under the theme: “Return to the Heart of the Mission” — a phrase that called the confreres to revisit the core of Redemptorist life. Yet as the retreat unfolded, it became clear that the heart of the mission is the heart of the community. At the centre of this year’s retreat was a deep and urgent call: to renew community life and break down what Fr. Emerue described as “second communities”.
Breaking the Silence Around “Second Communities”
With clarity and courage, Fr Michael addressed a reality often left unspoken: the subtle divisions that sometimes grow within religious houses, small alliances, unspoken camps, and silent tensions. These “second communities,” though unofficial, can quietly erode fraternity, weaken apostolic energy, and damage trust.
Drawing from scripture, the Redemptorist Constitutions, and his own pastoral experience, Fr. Michael reminded the brothers:
“Our first mission is to love one another. If we cannot sit at the same table, if we cannot pray with one voice, how will we preach the Gospel of Plentiful Redemption to others?”
He challenged the Region to create spaces of truthful dialogue, intentional reconciliation, and a renewed commitment to shared life, insisting that our missionary vitality flows from the authenticity of our communion.
Days of Grace and Conversion
Held in the peaceful and prayerful environment of Alphonsus House, the retreat gave the confreres time and space to reflect, pray, and listen deeply, both to the Lord and to one another. Each day included a spiritual conference, common prayer, the Eucharist, and generous silence.
Themes such as forgiveness, vulnerability, listening, authority, service, and fraternal correction emerged organically as Fr. Michael led the community on a path of honest introspection. Many confreres expressed a deep sense of grace in being able to name wounds, admit weaknesses, and renew their commitment to building genuine Redemptorist brotherhood.
The Alphonsian Heartbeat: Culminating in the Feast
The retreat concluded joyfully on 1 August, the Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Macharaga and the homilist being Fr. Emerue. In his homily, he recalled Alphonsus not only as a theologian and founder but as a man who built community with compassion and conviction, even amid conflict. “St. Alphonsus didn’t run from tension; he worked through it. He believed deeply in community as the place where mission begins, not with uniformity, but with love that endures difference.”
The Mass was followed by a festive fraternal meal, where the community shared laughter, memories, and a renewed sense of unity, not perfect, but hopeful.
Moving Forward, Together
As the Region of Zimbabwe continues to grow, welcoming new vocations, expanding mission outreach, and nurturing local leadership, this retreat has served as a pivotal moment. It reminded the confreres that mission cannot thrive without communion, and that the quality of their shared life is itself a proclamation of the Gospel.
With hearts renewed and community life re-centred, the Redemptorists of Zimbabwe move forward together, not in “second” communities, but as one missionary body, ready to witness to the Redeemer with joy and unity.
With Him, there is Plentiful Redemption.
The Media Office,
Redemptorists Region of Zimbabwe | For Scala News
