God comes to meet us in order to send us forth on mission
The Superior General’s Christmas letter invites the Redemptorist Family to contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation as the supreme sign of God’s closeness, tenderness, and unfailing hope. Set within the Jubilee of Hope, the Year of Mission, and the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard, the birth of Christ is presented as the vital impulse of faith and mission: God comes among us in order to send us forth. Inspired by Jesus’ own mission to the poor and the oppressed, Redemptorists are called to live as true disciples—embracing evangelical poverty, itinerancy, prayer, and trust in providence—while witnessing to abundant Redemption through compassionate presence, simple living, and bold proclamation rooted in the charism of St. Alphonsus.
The letter also expresses profound gratitude to all who sustain and embody this mission: the General Council, curial collaborators, Major Superiors, confreres in diverse and often difficult contexts, sick and suffering members, bishops, formandi, lay partners, contemplative sisters, and the wider Redemptorist Family. Their fidelity, service, and witness—especially amid war, poverty, and personal trials—are recognized as concrete signs of hope and mercy. Entrusting the Congregation to Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, and inspired by Redemptorist saints and martyrs, the Superior General encourages all to persevere in communion and mission, continuing to be “missionaries of hope in the footsteps of the Redeemer.”
Read the complete letter from the Superior General below…
Prot. N.: 0000 258/2025
Rome, December 25th, 2025
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Missionaries of Hope in the Footsteps of the Redeemer
YEAR DEDICATED TO MISSION
The Lord who sends us as Missionaries and Pilgrims of Hope in a Wounded World
Lk 4:16-19, Mk 6:7-12, Lk 9:2-6, Ps 130:7 Const. 1-20, St. 01-020
Dear Confreres, Bishops, Formandi, and the Redemptorist Family:
- As we celebrate the luminous mystery of Christmas, we are invited to contemplate, with reverent hearts, the God who, out of love, became one of us. The Child of Bethlehem reveals to us the closeness of God, the tenderness of Redemption, and the hope that never disappoints (cf. Jn 1:14; Lk 2:10–12; Is 9:5–6; Rom 5:5).
- In the context of the Jubilee of Hope, the Year of Mission, and the commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard, the mystery of Christ’s birth resounds with renewed force as the vital impulse of our faith: God comes to meet us in order to send us forth on mission. Just as Jesus “came to bring Good News to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, to give sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free” (Lk 4:16–19), so too are we called to continue his mission, living in a spirit of poverty, itinerancy, and trust in providence (cf. Mk 6:7–12; Lk 9:2–6), as true disciples sent into the world.
- In this way, the life of each confrere, marked by evangelical simplicity and pastoral dedication, expresses the ideal of our Constitutions, which exhort us to be “firm in faith, joyful in hope, fervent in charity, zealous in apostolic zeal, humble, and always devoted to prayer” (Const. 20). Through preaching, attentive listening, communion of life, and a presence among the most forgotten, we bear authentic witness to Christ the Redeemer, the reason for our consecration and the model of our mission. As a missionary body, we are called to proclaim the abundant Redemption with accessible language, a compassionate heart, and the evangelical boldness inherited from St. Alphonsus.
- On this special occasion, I wish to express my deep gratitude to all those who, with generosity and a spirit of service, have collaborated throughout this year in support of our Redemptorist mission in the various places where we are present.
- I am particularly grateful to the General Council for its tireless teamwork, as well as for the trust, availability, and spirit of collaboration it has shown. To the office bearers and collaborators of the General Curia, as well as to the various secretariats and commissions, I likewise express my gratitude for their competent, generous, and discreet service, carried out with constancy and dedication in support of the animation of the apostolic life of our Congregation.
- With sincere esteem, I extend my gratitude to the Major Superiors and the Coordinators of the Conferences, who, with wisdom, discernment, and pastoral zeal, have been signs of communion and dynamism in the animation of our confreres in the most diverse of contexts. In a special way, I am grateful for their commitment to leading the process of restructuring for mission, seeking to respond with creative fidelity to the signs of the times and courageously facing the challenges that this historical moment presents to us.
- To each Redemptorist confrere, in the various pastoral works in which they serve, I express my sincere gratitude for the fidelity, dedication, and enthusiasm with which they keep alive the ardor of our charism, proclaiming the Good News to the poorest and most abandoned, especially in contexts of war, suffering, and extreme poverty. Through their witness of life, they become the merciful presence of Christ, a concrete sign of hope and a true refuge for those who suffer most, generously fulfilling the mission of making known the blessing of abundant Redemption.
- I remember in a special way our sick confreres who, through the gift of their suffering, continue, amid pain and silence, to offer their lives dies impendere pro redemptis (Const. 55). Their silent presence is a source of grace and an eloquent sign of fidelity. I also remember, with tenderness and solidarity, those who are going through times of trial in their personal lives, in their mission, or along their vocational journey. May they feel sustained by the prayers of the Congregation and strengthened by the tenderness of the Redeemer.
- To my confrere bishops, who exercise their episcopal ministry in a Redemptorist spirit, I express my sincere gratitude for their generous dedication in animating the People of God in the most diverse pastoral contexts. May the tenderness of the Redeemer continue to enlighten and strengthen the ministry of each one of them, in the light of our missionary charism.
- I address a special word to the formandi, who, with enthusiasm and joy, are moving forward with determination along the path of consecration to the Redeemer. Their presence among us is an eloquent sign of renewal and hope for the entire Congregation. May the Lord strengthen them each day in perseverance and fidelity to his call!
- To the lay partners in our mission, to the Redemptoristine Sisters for accompanying us with their prayers, and to the entire Redemptorist Family, I express our gratitude for the fraternal communion and shared commitment to the evangelizing mission. Together, we are a living, fruitful, and contemporary expressions of the charism of St. Alphonsus in today’s world.
- This Christmas, may Mary, Mother of the Redeemer and Star of the Mission, accompany us with her tender and constant intercession. May our Redemptorist Saints, Martyrs, and Blessed inspire us with the witness of their fidelity and total dedication to the Gospel, so that, guided by their example, we may continue to be truly “missionaries of hope in the footsteps of the Redeemer.”
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR!
Fraternally,
Fr. Rogério Gomes, C.Ss.R
Superior General
Original: Spanish
