PARTNERS IN MISSION & THE
CO-REDEMPTORIST ASSOCIATION
“Redemptorists are aware that their mission for the church cannot be realized without the laity who support them. They are our Partners In Mission.”
The Redemptorists throughout the world are appreciative of all the laity who help us in preaching the good news through our ministry. One of the directives from the last general chapter was for each conference and unit to look at new ways to engage people in the way that Christ needs to be felt in the world today. The documents emphasized that our Partners In Mission (PIM), should be recognized for their indispensable participation in the work of Jesus the Redeemer and the gifts they bring to the endeavors of the Denver Province. We are grateful for all those who participate in our mission especially Co-Redemptorists (CRA) who pray for vocations, encourage men to consider religious life and support our students in formation. They are a very important part of our mission. There are also other groups of laity that are connected to our mission.
The Co-Redemptorists were singled out because without vocations our ministry would be diminished in the future. However, the more laity that engage in the Redemptorist Family, the mission of Jesus the Redeemer will continue in North America. Here are some of the notable groups that make the mission possible. Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer and Redemptorist Associates are those who have embraced Redemptorist Spirituality as their own and seek to share that faith in the world. Religious Collaborators are those religious orders and congregations that share our charism and bring the Good News to the poor and abandoned. Lay Collaborators is the title that encompasses all those who make the mission possible. These are the men and women that work with us at our parishes, retreat houses, Liguori Publication, and the Seelos Shrine. They are also attached to our Confraternity of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Lay Collaborators support us with their prayers and give of their time, talent, and treasure. Without them, the Redemptorists would be less effective in our proclaiming of the gospel.
The North American Conference which is made up of the Denver Province, and other units have recently formed plans to work together in our outreach to those who are in most need of the redemptive love of God on this continent. This call by the church has been a guiding principle for what we have done throughout our history. Working with the laity has always been a part of the plan. St. Alphonsus and St. Clement saw the laity as essential for the way the mission was accomplished in other centuries. The plan realizes that the priests, brothers, and deacons cannot do this alone. We are thankful for the laity who already help us, but we are seeking new ways to engage them in different aspects of the mission and a relationship to the Redemptorist Family. This relationship is not a short-term project that can be accomplished in a given amount of time but an ongoing relationship that is a foundational reality that makes the Redemptorist mission in the church possible. This is the reason why our conference has defined PIM as a fundamental priority that is necessary for our missionary outreach. Without the laity, the Redemptorists would not be able to do the work that the church has asked us to do.
If you would like more information on Partners in Mission, please contact Fr. Greg May, C.Ss.R., at [email protected].