St.Alphonsus Ligouri - Patron Saint of the Redemptorist Order.

At the mass to celebrate the feast day of their patron saint St. Alphonsus Liguori on 1^st August Fr Paul Kee extolled the work that Redemptorist missions around the world were doing to alleviate the plight of the marginalized.

Held at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church, Fr Paul Kee who concelebrated the mass related the events some 200 years before of what transpired before St. Alphonsus started the order.

It was in 1749 St Alphonsus and his friends went up the beautiful hills of Italy for a break. There they were met by shepherds hungry for faith and pastoral care. It was from that holiday adventure with friends that turned into a missionary passion and vocation.

Thus some 269 years ago the Redemptorist Order was founded. Adopting the motto “Copioso Apud Eum Redemptio” taken from Psalm 130 which means “With HIM (God) there is Plentiful Redemption” the order had its headquarters in Naples, Italy.

In present times Fr Paul Kee shared that 6000 Redemptorist from all over the world serve in 80 countries. He singled out 3 countries, Thailand, Phillippines and South Africa because of the varied apostolate work done there.

In Thailand there are 47 priests, 7 brothers, 2 Bishops and 100 seminarians in various stages of formation, from novices till final year seminarians.

The Redemptorist here catered to slum dwellers, leprosy patients, they ran a hospital for AIDS patients in Bangkok, an orphanage , evangelize hill tribe and a computer school for the blind in Pattaya. The Redemptorist also ran a parish, the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer.

In the Phillippines there are 2 large Filipino communities, the Province of Cebu founded by the Irish Fathers and after a split in 1938 started in Manila started by Australian Fathers.

The order in Phillippines comprise of 82 priests, 9 brothers, 15 students and 11 foundations. There is National Shrine of The Mother of Perpetual Help or Baclaran Church in Metro Manila which is open 24 hours each day.

Novena’s are held every Wednesday throughout the day and can accommodate 2000 people seated and another 9000 more standing.

To serve the abandoned they minister to the street children, indigenous people and run a fairly large youth ministry, prisoners, a leprosarium or leper colony and the urban poor in the cities.

They are also involved in inter-faith dialogue and discussions with other religions and conducting missions.  

The South Africa foundation was started by the London Redemptorist in 1912 with 5 large communities. It has 26 priests today.

Their initiatives today include the tin sheds which are homes for workers in the platinum mines, a hospice for AIDS patients and prisons.

Fr Robin Lomongkok shared his experience being there before he was ordained.

He was with the travelling mission team where they would conduct a two week mission. Additionally he visited a hospice for AIDS patients where he gained firsthand experience of who are the abandoned among society and helped him to understand and journey with the abandoned people.

It seems these Redemptorist priests are very proactive in assisting the abandoned true to their calling.

In January 2010 the Redemptorist community of Ste-Anne-De-Beaupre and Port-Au-Prince Region, Haiti was devastated by an earthquake destroy their chaping their monastery, chapel and school.

 

2010 at KLPAC. Fr Massang thanking guests for their support

Scenes from 'The Reluctant Saint'

Fr Patrict Massang, then the Vice Provincial of Malaysia / Singapore participated in raising funds for the Haitians by organizing a play entitled ‘The Reluctant Saint’ based on the life of St Alphonsus Liguori.

It was performed both is Singapore and at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Kl. Beside helping in the organizing Fr Massang also acted playing the part of the father of St.Alphonsus.

Copioso Apud Eum Redemptio. It is interesting to note the Redemptorist were living up to their motto and doing it with gusto.

JAG