The General Fraternal Visitation to the London Province concluded on September 25 in Clapham, London, bringing to a close ten days of visits that began on September 15 in Perth, Scotland. The visitation was conducted by Br. Laurence Lujan C.Ss.R., General Consultor, and Fr. Piotr Chyła C.Ss.R., Coordinator of the Redemptorist Conference of Europe, and concluded with a gathering of the province’s members together with Superior General Fr. Rogério Gomes C.Ss.R.
At the closing meeting in Clapham, Fr. Gomes addressed the confreres of the London Province with words of encouragement:
“I want to encourage you not to lose confidence. Do not allow difficulties to weaken your fraternity, for uncertainty to extinguish the joy of your vocation, or nostalgia for the past to prevent new missionary possibilities from emerging. Perhaps we no longer have the strength we once had, but we have a history that inspires us, confreres willing to continue the mission and, above all, a God who remains faithful. Our hope does not consist in believing that everything will continue as before, but in trusting that God will continue to accomplish His work, even through our frailty.”
About the London Province
The Redemptorist presence in England dates back to 1843, when three missionaries — two priests and a brother arrived from Belgium to establish a mission in Cornwall. The community’s work later expanded to South London, where a lasting foundation was built, and subsequently to Limerick (Ireland) and Liverpool. As it was growing, the Province sent missionaries to Australia and South Africa.
Today, the London Province counts about 40 confreres across five communities in England and Scotland, along with a mission region in Zimbabwe comprising three communities and a growing number of Redemptorist students. The confreres continue to maintain a variety of ministries such as parishes, pastoral centres, a publication house, the ministries of retreats and mission preaching as well as the work of formation and vocations. They work for the abandoned poor through the Ace of Clubs project in London. The renewal centre in Kinnoull (Perth, Scottland) serves a ministry of formation for lay people, clergy, and religious.
(source: www.redemptorists.co.uk)
