(Roma) The new issue of “Spicielgium Historicum Congregationis SSmi Redemptoris”, the first volume published this year (Annus LXXIV 2026, Fasc.1), brings as usual several contributions to the history of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
The Redemptorist Historical Institute was established in 1948 during the government of Father Leonardo Buij, in the context of rediscovering and reassessing the history of the Congregation and the Redemptorist missionaries. The Institute was born in the difficult years following World War II, when the world, the Church, and the Congregation were rebuilding and reflecting upon their historical journey.
With the creation of the Institute came the appointment of its first directors and researchers.
For many years, there were two separate teams: one dedicated to the Historical Institute, responsible for research and publications, and another dedicated to the General Archives/Historical Library. Later, the two teams were rightly integrated, since their work involves different aspects but shares the same mission and purpose.
The Historical Institute, the General Archives, and the Historical Library were established with the mission of collecting, preserving, organizing, cataloguing, and safeguarding documents of historical value to the Congregation. These include the writings of the Founder, St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, as well as official documents of the General Government, its various bodies, the (Vice-)Provinces, Regions, and members of the Congregation.
This documentation serves as a valuable source for research, dissertations, and scholarly studies, which are later published in print or digital formats.
Beginning in 1953, the Institute published two journals: Spicilegium Historicum, whose first issue appeared in 1953, and Bibliotheca Historica CSsR, whose first volume was published in 1955.
Many Stories to Tell
The journal Bibliotheca Historica does not follow a regular publication schedule. It is produced whenever there is a significant topic, event, or person of special relevance to the Congregation.
Almost all of the early volumes were published almost entirely in Latin, with only a few texts and studies appearing in other languages. After the Second Vatican Council, Latin was gradually replaced by the use of modern languages.
The first issue of Spicilegium Historicum, published in 1953, contained the decree establishing the Historical Institute, together with documents and studies focused on the figure of St. Alphonsus. The first volume of Bibliotheca Historica was entirely dedicated to Bishop Tommaso Falcoia (1663–1743), presenting an extensive research study by Father Oreste Gregorio.
Contents of the New Edition
During its long history (1953–2026), 128 editions of Spicilegium Historicum have been published, presenting studies that highlight important aspects of the Congregation’s history in different parts of the world.
In the current issue, Brazilian Redemptorist Father Gilberto Paiva opens the volume with a study on the attempt to establish a Redemptorist foundation in the city of Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is followed by Professor and researcher Peter Sedgwick, who examines the historical context of St. Alphonsus’ Moral Theology.
The volume also includes the autobiography of Blessed Vasyl (Basil) Velychkovsky, the Ukrainian Redemptorist who died in Canada.
Polish Redemptorist Maciej Sadowski contributes an article highlighting the assistance offered by Polish Redemptorists to Jews and the preservation of Jewish religious heritage during the Holocaust of the Second World War.
Another contribution comes from Father Bosco José Rodríguez Alvarado, who presents a historical overview of the work of Redemptorist missionaries in Central America.
Finally, one of the most valued collaborators of the Historical Institute and Spicilegium Historicum, the Italian Redemptorist Father Vincenzo Lamendola, offers a spiritual and pastoral profile of Father Davide Oldani.
The work of the Historical Institute continues unabated, and it is with great joy that we present another edition of Spicilegium Historicum—a journal created through the dedication, commitment, and collaboration of many hands, hearts, and minds.
Father Inácio Medeiros, C.Ss.R.
Redemptorist Historical Institute
Rome, 24 August 2026
