April 28, 1930, is imprinted in the history of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in Paraguay as a luminous date. On that day, Father Francisco Mohr, C.Ss.R., moved by missionary zeal and the desire to proclaim the Gospel, crossed the waters of the Apa River from Bella Vista, Brazil, to reach the small Church of Mary Help of Christians in Bella Vista, Paraguay.
That chapel, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Mary Help of Christians, was pastorally served by Salesian priests who came from Concepción. In that humble Marian temple, providentially, a new chapter in the ecclesial history of Paraguay began to be written.
What seemed like a simple and quiet visit became the beginning of a great evangelizing work. With that humble step on Paraguayan soil, the Redemptorist presence was born in our country. Therefore, with profound gratitude and emotion, we recognize Bella Vista as the Cradle of Abundant Redemption in Paraguay.
From this corner blessed by God, the charism bequeathed by Saint Alphonsus Liguori began to be sown: to announce abundant Redemption, to bring hope to the poor, to console wounded hearts, and to ignite in the people the certainty of Christ’s merciful love.
Over the years, the memory of that event was also enshrined on the banks of the Apa River, where a grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help was erected as a sign of protection and maternal presence between the two sister communities. There, the Virgin is affectionately venerated as the “Virgin of the Apa, guardian of the border and star of the Redemptorist mission.”
Bella Vista is not merely a geographical location in our memory; it is sacred ground for the Redemptorist mission. There began a story of dedication, of vibrant communities, of generous missionaries, and of countless people who found a home in the Church and a close Savior in Christ.
Today, as we remember so many years of Redemptorist presence, we offer our thanksgiving to God for the fruits sown and harvested. We also renew our commitment to continue walking with the same missionary spirit of the early days: with courage, simplicity, and apostolic zeal.
May Bella Vista continue to be a beacon of faith, a source of grateful memory, and a wellspring of new vocations, so that the abundant Redemption may continue to reach every corner of Paraguay.
Fr. Antonio Morel, C.Ss.R.
