Last Monday, 18 July, saw the beginning of a three-week course in Redemptorist Spirituality in Spanish. Twenty confreres from the Latin American countries – the Provinces of São Paulo, Campo Grande, Colombia, America Central, Buenos Aires, Bolivia, Paraguay, the Vice-Province of Peru Sur, Bahia and Fortaleza, as well as a confrere from Slovakia, from the Vice-Province of Michalovce – are taking part.
The first week of the course, the participants spent in Rome. They celebrated the Eucharist in the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. The liturgy was presided over by Superior General Fr Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R., who also gave the homily. In addition to attending daily lectures, participants visited Rome and learned about Redemptorist monuments in and around the eternal city.
The next two weeks of the course took place in Ciorani, a town about 50 km from Naples. The local monastery was home to the novitiate at the time of St Alphonsus and is now the seat of the government of the Neapolitan province of the Redemptorists. From there, the course participants will visit places connected with the life of St Alphonsus de Liguori, St Gerard Majella and the beginnings of the Redemptorist Congregation, such as Marianella, Naples, Muro Lucano, Materdomini, Scala, Deliceto, Sant’Agata de’ Goti.
The course is organised by the Centre of Redemptorist Spirituality in Rome. It is guided by Fr Peter Chyla, C.Ss.R., in cooperation with invited redemptorist confreres working at Alphonsian Academy and other institutions. As they enter into direct contact with places related to the life of the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and the first generations of Redemptorists, course participants have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the charism and spiritual heritage of the Congregation and to renew their missionary zeal.
Here is what the participants themselves said about their expectations from this formation course (video in Spanish and Portugues):
