From June 10 and 11, 2021, the Committee of Redemptorist Lay Missionary had organized a zoom meeting. Attending this online gathering were Superior General Fr. Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R., Fr. Jovencio Ben Ma C.Ss.R., Coordinator of the Conference of Asia -Oceania, together with the Executive Board of the Redemptorist Lay Missionaries coming from 13 Redemptorist units in the conference which are: Bangalore, Liguori, Cebu, Majella, Colombo, Malaysia-Singapore, Indonesia, Manila, Japan, Oceania, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, an inviting speaker was coming from Toronto-Canada, Mrs. Anne Walsh.
On the first day, after everyone introduced and got to know each other, Mrs. Anne Walsh shared the missionary activities she was conducting. Anne Walsh highlighted the main point that the common mission of all laypeople who commit themselves to the missionary vocation of the Redemptorists is to bring the Gospel to the poor, the most abandoned and those who have not yet known the Lord.
The discussion began with a review of the main features of the rules, regulations and development direction of the Redemptorist Lay Missionary based on the general guidelines issued by the Curia. Although each unit has different operating conditions and circumstances, the lay missionaries effectively collaborate with Redemptorists according to each person’s capacity and conditions, including the following basic forms: Full-time, part-time, collaborator; with or without remuneration. After discussing and sharing ideas related to the post-training program and new perspectives, the participants prayed together and ended the first working day.
Entering the second day, opening the meeting, the participants happily welcomed the presence of Father Michael Brehl, General Superior of the Redemptorist. He shared about the difficulties and challenges of the Church in the face of the current situation of the Covid-19 epidemic. Fr Michael Brehl recalled the apostolic mission of the Redemptorists in the midst of a wounded world and the importance of the lay missionaries in evangelizing the poor and needy. He encouraged the participants to be more courageous, bold and enthusiastic when preaching the Word of God to everyone, thereby making an active contribution to the Redemptorist’s mission of evangelization in the Church.
Then, the 13 Redemption Units of Asia-Oceania participants took turns sharing the current work they are doing. It mostly focuses on a few main activities according to the guidance of Curia, including the process of formation (studying: Bible, Catechism, spirituality, missionary mission… – Vietnamese community); Parish ministry (Minister, choir – Japanese community); Social work, (environmental protection – Indonesian community); taking care of the poor and disadvantaged – (Thai community); teaching native language to foreign workers – (Korean community) and some other activities such as helping to promote spiritual life (Mass, prayer, retreat).
After concluding this presentation, the participants together selected three members of the Laity Missionaries who will attend the XXVI General Assembly of the Curia to be held in mid-2022 in Rome. In addition, according to the proposal of Father Jovencio Ben Ma, in the coming time, many online meetings will be held to strengthen the cohesion between the members of the Asia-Oceania Conference and after the Covid-19 pandemic will host a face-to-face meeting of the Redemptorist Lay Missionaries of Asia-Oceania.
The meeting has ended, and the participants have come together to give thanks to God. Under God’s providence and through the intercession of the Mother of Perpetual Help, it is hoped that in the coming time, the Redemptorist Lay Missionary communities in Asia-Oceania, in general, will harvest many good results in their work of evangelization.
Media Team of Redemptorist Lay Mission in the North of Vietnam
Translated by Duc Trung Vu, C.Ss.R.
