Dear Brothers, Sisters, and Members of the Redemptorist Family,
We welcome you to this Triduum in preparation for the Feast of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, Founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, which we celebrate on 1 August 2026. This year, as our Congregation reflects on the theme “Leadership at the Service of our Mission,” Fr. Ivel Mendanha, CSsR, the General Consultor through his reflections invites us to deepen our understanding of authentic Christian leadership through the example of Jesus Christ and the witness of St Alphonsus.
Throughout these three days of prayer and reflection, we will consider the qualities that characterise a true servant leader. Looking to Jesus, our Redeemer and Servant Leader, we discover that genuine leadership is not about power or prestige, but about faithful service. It is leadership rooted in prayer, inspired by love, and dedicated to the mission entrusted to us.
Introduction
Day 1: St Alphonsus as a leader who guided and cared for
On this first day of the triduum, Fr. Ivel reflects on the servant leadership of Jesus, who guided and cared for his disciples, and on how these same qualities were lived by St Alphonsus. Through his wisdom, compassion, and dedication to the poor and to his confreres, Alphonsus led others with humility, strengthened them in their vocation, and kept the Congregation focused on Christ and its mission. May his example inspire us to guide and care for others with the heart of the Good Shepherd.
Day 2: St Alphonsus as a leader who encouraged and reconciled
On the second day of the triduum, we reflect on Jesus as the one who encourages the broken and reconciles those divided, and on how St Alphonsus lived these same qualities in his leadership. He strengthened discouraged confreres, affirmed their gifts, and gently helped them rediscover their vocation and mission. At the same time, he worked to heal divisions, restore trust, and build unity through patience, dialogue, and charity, never avoiding conflict but addressing it with truth and compassion. His life shows that true servant leadership both lifts others up and becomes an instrument of reconciliation and communion in Christ.
Day 3: St Alphonsus as a humble and selfless leader
On the third day of the triduum, we reflect on Jesus who humbled himself in service and gave his life for others, and on how St Alphonsus embodied these same virtues. Rooted in deep humility before God and simplicity toward others, he lived not for honour or power but for the Gospel and the care of the poor and abandoned. His entire life was marked by selfless dedication, offering his talents and energy for the mission of the Church and the Congregation without seeking personal gain. His example reminds us that true servant leadership is grounded in humility before God and expressed in generous, selfless service to others.
Feast Day: St Alphonsus: A Leader after the heart of Jesus the Eternal Shepherd
On the feast of St Alphonsus, we celebrate a great servant of the Church whose life was shaped by compassion, the key mark of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Moved by the needs of the poor and abandoned, he responded through concrete action—founding the Congregation, preaching simply, forming others for mission, and later as bishop, serving the suffering and giving generously to those in need. His life shows that true leadership flows from a compassionate heart that seeks and serves the least, following the example of Christ.
Each day of the triduum will focus on two essential qualities of servant leadership. Together, these qualities present a vision of leadership that is needed not only within our Congregation but also in the Church, our families, our communities, and society. A leader formed in the spirit of Jesus is one who remains constantly centred on Christ; one who guides with wisdom, cares with compassion, encourages with hope, reconciles with mercy, lives with humility and selflessness, and above all seeks to become a shepherd after the heart of Jesus, the Eternal Shepherd.
As we reflect on these virtues, we will also see how they were embodied in the life and ministry of St Alphonsus. His unwavering commitment to the Gospel, his pastoral charity, his concern for the most abandoned, and his fidelity to God’s will continue to inspire Redemptorists and all who share in our mission today.
Therefore, we invite you to enter wholeheartedly into this triduum. May these days renew our appreciation of our Christian vocation to lead through service and strengthen our commitment as Missionaries of Hope in the footsteps of Jesus, our Servant Leader. May St Alphonsus teach us how to exercise leadership that is humble, courageous, compassionate, and always at the service of the mission of the Congregation and of the Church.
May this time of prayer prepare our hearts to celebrate his feast with renewed faith, hope, and missionary zeal. We request you to pass on to your friends, family, near and dear ones to benefit much.
Scala News, Rome
Follow the links below for daily reflections:
Website: www.cssr.news
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalanews8920 (Scala News)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CSsR.en/ (C.Ss.R. – Redemptorists English)
