A week before the feast of St. Gerard Majella, more than eighty Redemptorist Brothers gathered online with the Superior General, Fr. Rogério Gomes, to reflect on their vocation as a sign of hope and fraternity in the Church today.
On 9 October, in the context of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, an online meeting took place between the General Council of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and Redemptorist Brothers from around the world. More than eighty participants from the five Conferences — Europe, Africa, Asia-Oceania, North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean — shared an intense moment of communion and fraternal reflection.
After an initial greeting from Br. Larry Lujan, General Consultor, and a brief introduction of the participants, the Superior General, Fr. Rogério Gomes, addressed a message of encouragement and gratitude:
“The presence of each one of you is a sign of your deep love for Redemptorist consecrated life and manifests your desire to live the gift of your vocation with renewed ardour.”
Fr. General placed the meeting in the context of the Jubilee of Hope and the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard Majella, two events which, he emphasised, “illuminate each other, inviting us to renew the joy and hope that arise from our encounter with the Redeemer and from our service to the People of God.”
In his message, Fr. Rogério invited the participants to rediscover the vocation of the Redemptorist Brother as a concrete sign of hope and fraternity, capable of making God’s tenderness visible through simplicity, service and closeness to the people.
‘The Brother,’ he recalled, “is a living witness that the mission is not accomplished only with words, but also with a life given and a faithful presence. No vocation is superior to another: all share in the same Redemptorist charism.”
Dialogue and shared reflections
After Fr. General’s message, there was an opportunity for fraternal dialogue, during which various participants shared their experiences and reflections. There was a desire for a new, more open mentality, capable of valuing the presence and contribution of the Brothers in Redemptorist life and mission.
Brother Larry Lujan echoed the words of the General, reminding us that the Brothers themselves are called to believe more deeply in their vocation and to witness to it with confidence. He also invited them to share their vocational stories, which could be published in Scala News to inspire other young people and promote a culture of vocations.
Fr. Rogério reiterated that the ‘silent’ presence of the Brothers is active and fruitful, and that their daily witness evangelises through concrete service. He emphasised the role of formators in vocational discernment and recalled that the vocation of the Brother is broad and dynamic, open to different areas such as education, social service, communication and youth ministry.
Fr. Nicolas Ayouba recalled that every consecrated person is called to live their vocation with joy and gratitude, asking themselves: ‘Am I happy with my vocation as a Redemptorist Brother?’
Before concluding, Br. Larry Lujan — also president of the General Commission of Brothers — encouraged everyone to participate in formation meetings and to fill out the online form designed to facilitate communication and collaboration among Brothers worldwide.
The meeting ended with a prayer of thanksgiving and a final blessing from Fr. General, in an atmosphere of deep hope and fraternal communion.
Today, there are nearly 300 Redemptorist Brothers in the Congregation, with a particularly strong presence in Latin America and Africa, where the vocation of the Brother continues to be a sign of hope and evangelical witness.
Below we publish the full text of Fr. Rogério Gomes’ message to the Redemptorist Brothers.
MESSAGE TO THE REDEMPTORIST BROTHERS
Dear Redemptorist Brothers and Formandi,
- It is with great joy that I greet each one of you at this fraternal gathering that brings together the Redemptorist Brothers and Formandi from the five Conferences of the Congregation. This meeting is meant to be an expression of the richness and vitality of the Redemptorist Brother’s vocation, a testimony that the Redemptorist charism remains alive and fruitful amid the challenges of our time. It reminds us that we are part of one missionary body (cf. Const. 2), called to continue the Redeemer’s mission with joy, simplicity, and hope. It is also an invitation to rediscover the beauty of our Redemptorist vocation and to renew our commitment to be, together, witnesses of the hope that springs from the love of the Redeemer. The presence of each one of you is a sign of your deep love for Redemptorist consecrated life and expresses your desire to live, with renewed ardor, the gift of your vocation.
- This meeting takes place at a very meaningful moment for our entire Congregation: we are celebrating the Jubilee of Hope, a time of grace that invites us to look to the future with trust in the Lord. At the same time, we are also beginning the Jubilee commemorating the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard Majella. These two Jubilees shed light on one another, calling us to renew the joy and hope that spring from our encounter with the Redeemer, from our missionary consecration, and from our service to the People of God.
- St. Gerard was a man of hope. Even in the midst of trials, slander, and human limitations, he remained steadfast in his absolute trust in God and in the tenderness of the Redeemer. His life, simple and deeply rooted in Christ, shows that Christian hope is not an abstract idea, but a concrete attitude of faith and abandonment into the Lord’s hands. In every circumstance, he believed in God’s providential love, transforming difficulties into opportunities to love more deeply, serve more generously, and surrender completely to the divine will. His life became a radiant witness that hope is born from the cross and flourishes in daily fidelity.
- Thus, to celebrate the Jubilee of the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard, within the context of the Jubilee of Hope, is to rediscover the power of his example. He reminds us that hope, rooted in Christ the Redeemer, is the driving force of our Redemptorist vocation, the power that sustains us in mission and impels us to look to the future with confidence, becoming leaven and living witnesses in this world (cf. Rom 5:5; Const. 20, 43). Therefore, dear Brothers and Formandi, as we celebrate this Jubilee season, let us ask for the intercession of St. Gerard Majella, that he may inspire us to live our vocation with renewed ardor and hope. May his witness continue to illuminate the path of every Redemptorist Brother, making us living signs of the hope that is born from the heart of the Redeemer (cf. 1 Pt 3:15).
- Dear Brothers and Formandi, we are living in a time of profound social transformation, the fruit of a world that changes each day. Our Congregation, too, is undergoing a period of change through the process of restructuring for mission, being called to be “the light of the world” (cf. Mt 5:14) and to “cross over to the other side” (cf. Mk 4:35), so as to live missionary hope and discernment amid these transformations (cf. Communicanda 1/2024; Communicanda 2/2025).In this context, we are invited to reflect: what does it mean to be a Redemptorist Brother today, to be Missionaries of Hope in the Footsteps of the Redeemer? (cf. Const. 2; 20).
- To be a Redemptorist Brother today, in a world of rapid and profound transformation, is to bear witness that hope continues to have a human face. In an age marked by cultural shifts, crises of meaning, inequality, and new forms of poverty, the Redemptorist Brother, together with his ordained confreres, is called to be a prophetic and fraternal presence: a sign of God’s tenderness and a concrete expression of redemptive love that takes the form of service, welcome, and solidarity. St. Gerard, in his own time, embodied this reality in an exemplary way, making his life a living witness to the love of the Redeemer present in the midst of the people.
- The vocation of the Redemptorist Brother reminds the entire Congregation that the mission is carried out not only through words, but also through a life of dedication, silent service, closeness, and faithful presence among the people. At the heart of the Apostolic community, the Brother is a living witness that community life itself is a place of evangelization. In the world, he is a sign that the Gospel can be lived in simplicity, service, and joy, revealing the tender and compassionate face of the Redeemer. His vocation is a living memorial of consecration, both ad intra and ad extra.
- To be a Redemptorist Brother in a world of constant change is to walk in hope, trusting that the Holy Spirit continues to renew all things (cf. Rev 21:5). It is to remain steadfast in faith, even when everything seems uncertain (cf. Heb 10:23); to believe in the power of goodness, even when fear and indifference toward others prevail; and to build communion in a time of fragmentation and individualism (cf. Const. 21).
- Following in the footsteps of the Redeemer, and as a Missionary of Hope, the Redemptorist Brother proclaims, ad intra and ad extra, through his very life, that God is present in the history of the world and of every human being, and that redemption is possible here and now. Through his discreet, faithful, and joyful witness, he continues to echo the message of St. Gerard Majella: “To do the will of God is the greatest treasure.” In this sense, to be a Redemptorist Brother today is to keep the flame of hope burning (cf. Rom 12:12), to be a companion on the journey of the poor and the abandoned (cf. Const. 4), and to be a collaborator of the Redeemer in building a more human and fraternal world, filled with new life.
- As I have said on other occasions, within the Congregation, there is a place for all who wish to be Brothers. Yes, within the Congregation there is room for all who feel called to be Brothers. There are three fundamental criteria for vocational discernment: a genuine vocation and spiritual life; psychological balance and maturity; and good health. The (Vice)Provinces must be creative in the formation of these candidates, offering paths that foster their human, spiritual, and pastoral growth. There is room for the Redemptorist Brother who wishes to work in the garden, in the sacristy, in the university, or in any other field of mission. No vocation is greater than another; each is to be lived fully within the Redemptorist project, placing personal gifts at the service of the mission. It is essential that the Formandi—especially the candidates to be Brothers—participate fully in formation activities together with the clerical students, so that formation may be truly communal and integrated.
- In recent decades, a significant decrease in the number of Redemptorist Brothers has been observed in almost all Conferences. In many places, the model of religious vocation has become increasingly clericalized, and new generations tend to identify the Redemptorist mission almost exclusively with priestly ministry—a great impoverishment for our Congregation. At the same time, today’s culture—marked by individualism and the pursuit of immediate gratification—often hinders the growth of vocations rooted in silent service, fraternity, and daily dedication. However, a decline in numbers does not mean a loss of meaning. On the contrary, it invites us to rethink how we in the present, accompany, and value the vocation of the Redemptorist Brother within the Congregation. Wherever Brothers are well integrated and have a genuine share in co-responsibility, they remain a sign of hope and continue to inspire new vocations.
- The Redemptorist Brother is a living reminder that mission is born of consecration and not only of ordained ministry. He reminds us all that redemption is proclaimed not only through words, but also through the silent and transforming witness of love lived in daily life. Within the community, he bears witness to the fundamental equality of all consecrated persons (cf. Const. 55), expresses the fraternal, simple, welcoming, and missionary face of the Congregation, and embodies the Redeemer who becomes a servant—an artisan of communion and solidarity with the poorest. For this reason, the vocation of the Redemptorist Brother does not hold a peripheral place; rather, it is essential to preserving the balance and integrity of the Redemptorist charism, showing the Church and the world that the strength of the mission flows from communion, service, and love lived in fraternity.
- We can hope that Redemptorist Brothers will continue to flourish in the coming decades, provided that the Congregation remains committed to the theological reaffirmation of the Redemptorist Brother’s identity and mission—grounded in the Constitutions, integrated into the formation and apostolic plans of the Conferences, and reflected in formation programs and vocation ministry—recognizing their vital place at the heart of the Redemptorist charism. It is essential to value and give greater visibility to the witness of the Redemptroist Brothers within our communities, in publications, through social media, and through pastoral initiatives. We must also promote specific formation paths that integrate faith, fraternal life, work, mission, and spirituality. Moreover, it is necessary to present this vocation in a way that is attractive to new generations, showing that following Christ the Redeemer as a Redemptorist Brother is a path of fullness, service, and evangelical joy. Finally, ensuring real spaces for leadership and co-responsibility will enable our Redemptorist Brothers to fully exercise their gifts, contributing to a Congregation that is ever more synodal, fraternal, and faithful to the Gospel of the Redeemer
- The future of our Redemptorist Brothers in the Congregation will depend less on numbers and more on fidelity to the Redemptorist charism. If we are able to cultivate communities where every vocation is fully recognized, welcomed, and integrated, the Spirit will continue to raise up Redemptorist Brothers—perhaps few in number, but profound in quality and evangelical witness. It is not the number of workers, but their holiness and zeal, that make God’s work flourish. Thus, hope remains alive—not because of a logic of institutional survival, but because the vocation of the Redemptorist Brother is, and will continue to be, a concrete and enduring expression of the Redeemer’s tenderness in the midst of humanity: a humble and fruitful sign of a love that becomes service and fraternity.
- During this sexennium, we have continually emphasized throughout the Congregation the profound meaning of being a missionary body— “walking together” as a way of living communion in a synodal key. This is a spiritual and pastoral journey that invites the entire Congregation to return to its origins and to renew its understanding of apostolic fraternity. This synodal dynamic leads us to rediscover fraternity as the first and most eloquent sign of mission (cf. Const. 21–23). In it, we are all missionary disciples—diverse in ministries, yet equal in dignity and co-responsibility. Thus, the rediscovery of synodality becomes a call to conversion of heart and to the renewal of our missionary life in communion with one another and with the Redeemer himself.
- The future of the Redemptorist Brothers is closely linked to our capacity for pastoral creativity and openness to the new frontiers of mission. New areas of missionary presence can flourish—such as digital evangelization, institutional communication, the accompaniment of communities and young people, the animation of lay associates, social and ecological missions inspired by Laudato Si’, and the commitment to solidarity-based management and an economy of the common good, in harmony with Fratelli Tutti. New fields of action are also emerging: intercultural formation, community mediation, the guidance of spiritual retreats, social service, and other forms of evangelizing presence. On these frontiers, the Redemptorist Brothers are called to live their vocation with renewed missionary zeal, as witnesses of the tenderness and closeness of the Redeemer.
- The General Government has been committed to promoting the vocation animation of the Redemptorist Brother, yet this represents only one part of the process. The General Government cannot do everything, nor can it replace the responsibility of the Major Superiors and of the Brothers themselves. They too are called to create and foster spaces for listening, dialogue, and mutual encounter—within and among the different Conferences—through online meetings, assemblies, and thematic study groups. It is equally essential to include reflections on the role of the Redemptorist Brothers in the meetings of formators and superiors, in order to promote a deeper spiritual and pastoral appreciation of this vocation—a vocation that stands as a living witness of communion, service, and fraternity at the heart of the Congregation.
- Considering the current reality, with its rapid transformations and the specific challenges surrounding the vocation of the Redemptorist Brother, the Congregation is called to maintain an open mind and creative discernment, favoring dialogue, listening and the revision of formation and community structures. It is indispensable to overcome prejudices and to fully integrate the Redemptorist Brothers in decision-making and missionary processes, offering them adequate formation, fraternal accompaniment and greater visibility. Only in this way will we be able to live to the fullest the Redemptorist vocation as an outgoing missionary fraternity, where every gift is recognized, loved and put at the service of Copiosa Redemptio.
- May our Mother of Perpetual Help, through the intercession of St. Alphonsus, St. Gerard, and all the Redemptorist Saints, Blesseds, and Martyrs, sustain and inspire the Congregation, so that each confrere may live our consecrated life with fidelity, joy, and hope, becoming truly Missionaries of Hope in the footsteps Redeemer.
Fraternally,
Fr. Rogério Gomes, C.Ss.R.
Superior General
Rome, October 09, 2025
Original: Spanish
