Last August, thirty-five alumni of the Baltimore Province gathered at San Alfonso Retreat House in West End, New Jersey, for a weekend of reflection, prayer, and fraternal renewal. The account of that gathering, written by Jack Breslin, a member of the Alumni Team, is published below.
These reunions bring together those who attended Baltimore Province formation houses and who, though no longer bound by vows or resident in those houses, maintain a living bond with Redemptorist spirituality and the charism of St. Alphonsus. That bond is now recognized on a global scale: at the First World Meeting of Former Redemptorist Seminarians held online last April, Superior General Father Rogério Gomes, CSsR, affirmed that “the Redemptorist spirit, once lived, remains forever, strengthening our mission and our fraternity,” and encouraged alumni worldwide to stay connected and continue their mutual journey. The Baltimore Province alumni are doing just that — and on May 30, thye are planning an online meeting to reflect on their August gathering and discern how they might continue to grow as part of the wider Redemptorist Family.
By Jack Breslin, Alumni Team Member
Continuing a tradition of Redemptorist alumni gatherings dating back to 1981, thirty-five sons of St. Alphonsus from ten states gathered at San Alfonso Retreat House, West End, NJ, from August 22-24, 2025, for a weekend of reconnecting, reflection, sharing, prayer and soirees.
Hosted by Baltimore Provincial Superior John Collins and four alumni team members, the gathering celebrated the alumni’s formation and life together as Redemptorists seminarians, priests and brothers.
“The gathering was an opportunity for present and former Redemptorist priests, brothers, and seminarians to come together to reflect on how the experience being part of the Redemptorist Community continues to impact us wherever our life story has taken us,” Father Collins explained.
“The gathering was planned as a reunion of people that have shared a common experience of being part of the Redemptorists. We were invited to share stories and memories of our experience with the community and to celebrate the blessings of our time in the community.
“The hope for the weekend was to celebrate the fraternal bond among us and the enduring impact of the spirit of Alphonsus and the Redemptorist charism that still speaks to our hearts and lives today.”
The Redemptorist alumni had previously gathered for celebrations sponsored by the Baltimore Province or organized by alumni at three formation houses. The 1981 centennial of St. Mary’s Seminary in North East, PA, and the 1988 25thanniversary of Saint Alphonsus College in Suffield, CT, attracted some 200 alumni from around the United States.
The province hosted three retreat weekends the following year at Suffield. In the mid-90s, three reunions were held at Mount Saint Alphonsus, then a retreat house. Beginning in 1998, Mercyhurst University North East welcomed the St. Mary’s alumni for five reunion weekends, including the former seminary’s 125th anniversary in 2006.
In addition to the spiritual renewal, the alumni shared their memories from some four decades of Redemptorist formation, especially how that training has influenced their life journeys.
“We gathered to acknowledge and share the tremendous impact that the Redemptorists had on our lives,” explained team chair Jim Connelly, a Maryland attorney. “Throughout the weekend, we told stories about our years of formation and after changed our lives. People listened attentively to one another as they told their stories.”
“I was amazed at how much commonality there was in our stories and perspectives despite our different life paths,” added committee member Robert Graf, a Virginia Latin and Spanish teacher.
“And I have not only intellectually learned, but also deeply felt, that the vowed Redemptorists have expanded their vision of the Redemptorists family to include us.”
“It’s in our bones,” said committee member Peter Smith, a Maryland college professor, in describing the impact of CSSR formation on alumni lives.
Saturday and Sunday liturgies were celebrated by Father Collins and Father Francis Gargani, who also assisted with moderating the group discussions. An alumni choir, instrumental ensemble, additional liturgical prayers and selected hymns were organized by Jim Connelly.
The weekend featured four sessions of small-group discussions, which were shared with the entire gathering. Organized by Peter Smith, the alumni sharing focused their Redemptorist experience, its impact on their life experiences, their personal experience of the abundance of God’s love, their relationships with God and their alumni brothers, a “keeper moment” in their Redemptorist experience, and what would they be taking home from the gathering.
The response from the alumni attendees confirmed that the weekend achieved its purpose.
“The weekend confirmed for me that the impact of the CSSR had on my life cannot be overestimated,” said Mark Doorley, a philosophy professor at Villanova University. “I am who I am today because of my 21 years living in community with the sons of Alphonsus. It was, is and will always be a blessing in my life.”
“This year’s reunion was heartwarming experience with some in-depth sharing among the many men who were present,” said Father Leon Mozeliak, an Episcopal priest in Chittenango, NY. “The ambiance was on a more spiritual level than the past reunions within a retreat atmosphere, then the day ended with the blessing of a fellowship soiree.”
Retired New Jersey accountant Jerry Varley best summed up the weekend saying, “You can take the man out of the Redemptorists, but you can’t take the Redemptorists out of the man.”
