Aparecida, 2 February 2018.
To the Redemptorist family
The Redemptorist Missionary Congress was held, from January 28 to February 2, in Aparecida (Brazil), and the theme of the Congress was: “Holy Missions: Redemptorist Identity in an Outgoing Church”. Fr. Rogério Gomes, General Consultor from Rome, some (vice) provincial superiors, confreres of all the Redemptorist units in Brazil and some units of URNALC and URSAL, religious working in missions, Redemptorist and Redemptorist lay missionaries and Redemptorist students participated in the Congress.
We know that we are called to “continue the example of Jesus Christ the Saviour by preaching the Word of God to the poor” (C. 1) and we believe that this continuity will be authentic only if in our missionary body we will have among other commitments, this itinerancy of Jesus through the preaching of the Redemptorist Popular Missions (SMPR): proclaim the Good News to the poor (cf. Lk 4:18) and help them to come out of the deep abyss into which they were thrown (see Psalm 130).
Grateful for the call, that we believe, was made by God through the Church to the Congregation to collaborate in building the Kingdom of peace, justice and love, we affirm the recognition of the validity of the Popular Missions as a method of evangelization always appropriate in the history of the Church, especially Right now. Its value lies in being an outgoing Church towards the countryside, towards small and large cities, on the existential peripheries, not to create or expand structures, but to promote life through the meeting of brothers. “The Redemptorists proclaim, above all, the sublime vocation of man and humanity … They strive to meet Christ where He is already present and act in His mysterious way. “(C.7)
We recognize the need for constant updating, to preach the Gospel so ever new; that stimulates the laity, our students and all those who have gathered, so that this ideal of Alphonsus continues to live in the new generations; greater investments in material resources that will enable greater effectiveness in missionary work; to supply more confreres for the exclusive service to popular missions; availability of other confreres for this type of extraordinary activity.
Being aware of the need to adapt to the special conditions of every situation, we commit ourselves to constantly seek new ways, attentive to the needs of the People of God, in harmony with the Church, in a constant exchange of experiences and collaboration, so that the culture of the mission be revitalized in some units and recreated in others.
May St. Alphonsus and the Mother of Perpetual Help intercede with the Most Holy Redeemer so that, through His Spirit poured into our hearts, may arouse greater missionary zeal in our Congregation to do the will of the Father: the Mission!
Participants in the 2018 Redemptorist Missionary Congress
