The 26th General Chapter elected six confreres who will assist the Superior General, Fr. Rogério Gomes, in his ministry of leadership for the whole Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer for the next six years. We present the names and brief biographies of the newly elected Vicar General and General Consultors:
Fr. Zdzisław Francois Stanula, C.Ss.R., was born 1964 in Szerzyny, Poland. He was professed a Redemptorist in 1987 and ordained a priest in 1992, and is a member of the Province of France.
He worked for years as a missionary in Burkina Faso (1996-2006). There he was chair of the Secretariat of the Formation and Consultor of the Vice-Province. He worked as a diocesan chaplain for Spanish ministry in the diocese of Metuchen, USA (2006-2008). From 2011-2014 he was a secretary of the Conference of Redemptorists of Europe. Since 2015 he has been a Provincial Superior of the Province of France. The XXVI General Chapter elected him Vicar General of the Congregation as General Consultor, from the Conference of the Redemptorists of Europea. He speaks Polish, French, Spanish, and Italian.
Fr. Nicolas Issifi Ayouba Martin, C.Ss.R., was born 1966 in Borobon – Téra, Niger. He was professed a Redemptorist in 1993 and ordained a priest in 1998. He belongs to the Vice-province of Afrique de L’Ouest.
After his ordination, he worked in parish ministry, Youth ministry, interreligious dialogue, and in the north of Niger at Tchirozerine (1998 – 2011). During this time, he assumed many other responsibilities. He was elected the Vice Provincial of Afrique de L’Ouest in 2011 and continued until 2016, later, he was elected as General Consultor from the Conference of Africa (COREAM), by the XXV General Chapter at Pattaya, Thailand. In 2022, the XXVI General Chapter renewed his mandate as General Consultor. He speaks French, English, and Italian.
Fr. Jairo Díaz Rodríguez, C.Ss.R., was born in Bogotá in Colombia in 1972. He was professed a Redemptorist in 1993, and ordained a priest in 1999. He is a member of the Province of Bogotá.
He worked in popular missions during 1998 – 2000. He also worked as a formator for about five years, and as a Parish priest for about nine years in Colombia. He was vice-rector of the Fundación Universitaria San Alfonso and the principal of Colegio San Clemente Hofbauer in Manizales City. In recent years, he was an extraordinary Provincial Consultor and a director of the Secretariat for Formation in his Province. The XXVI General Chapter elected him as a General Consultor from the Conference of the Redemptorists of Latin America and the Caribbean. He speaks Spanish and understands Italian too.
Br. Laurence John Lujan Angel, C.Ss.R., was born in 1964. Br. Larry joined the Redemptorists in 1999 and professed perpetual vows as a Brother in 2002. He is a member of the Province of Denver.
His first ministerial assignment was at St. Joseph Parish in Denver, his hometown. He joined the Hispanic Missionary Project in the Diocese of Dodge City in 2004 and was assigned at St. Anthony Parish in Liberal until 2008. He served as Co-Director of Vocation Recruitment in 2008-2015 and was stationed at Redemptorist communities in Whitestone and the Bronx, NY, as well as in Denver.
Br. Larry was elected to the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Denver Province in 2015 and appointed Co-Director of Formation at the PreNovitiate level of formation. He served in that capacity until 2017 when he was appointed Provincial (Second) Consultor of the Denver Province.
He was a member of various General Government Secretariats and Commissions. He participated in the XXV Chapter in Pattaya as a vocal. The XXVI General Chapter elected him General Consultor, from the Conference of the Redemptorists of North America. He speaks English and Spanish.
Fr. Joseph Ivel Mendanha, C.Ss.R., was born 1965 in Mapuca, Goa, India. He was professed a Redemptorist in 1983 and ordained a priest in 1991, and is a member of the Vice-province of Majella in India.
He exercised his ministry as a missionary and retreat director, preacher of parish missions, as well as retreats for specialized groups, including bishops, clergy and religious. From 2001 – 2010, he worked as Assistant Director of the Redemptorist Spirituality Centre in Rome. Having returned to India, he worked as a professor of systematic theology in the Redemptorist Major Seminary in Bangalore and as a professor in the Pilar Missionary Seminary in Goa. He was an extraordinary Consultor and bursar from 2011 to 2105 and from 2015 has been the Vice Provincial Superior of the Vice-Province of Majella. The XXVI General Chapter elected him General Consultor from the Conference of the Redemptorists of Asia and Oceania.
Fr. Paul Lu’u Quang Bào Vinh, C.Ss.R., was born 1972 in Long An, Vietnam. He was professed a Redemptorist in 1996 and ordained a priest in 2001, and is a member of the Province of Vietnam.
He has been working as a professor of theology. From 2011-2018 was a dean of studies. He did preach ministry. From 2014 he was a provincial consultor. In 2022, the XXVI General Chapter elected him General Consultor.
