Celebrating Freedom

St. Alphonsus “Rock” Parish in St. Louis celebrated Juneteenth, commemorating the official ending of slavery in the United States, with the liturgy and an ice cream social in the rectory yard. Fr. Rodney Olive of the Baltimore Province, associate pastor, presided at a joyful Mass celebration. “We celebrate Juneteenth as a critical moment in the African-American struggle for freedom from slavery as well as the enduring structures of racism,” said Fr. Steve Benden, pastor.

Novena to Good St. Anne: Redemptorists Fr. Aaron Meszaros, Fr. Patrick Keyes, Fr. Maurice Nutt and Fr. Kevin Zubel maintained a long-standing tradition and preached the Novena to Good St. Anne at St. Anne of the Sunset Church in the Inner Sunset District of San Francisco last month. Despite lingering concerns about the pandemic, the Redemptorists were warmly welcomed by the parish community.

Manaus Celebrates Feast Day Ordinations: The Vice Province of Manaus commemorated a double feast on August 1 –the celebration of our founder St. Alphonsus, and the priestly ordination of Deacon Davi Miguel da Silva Plácido and Deacon Robson Bezerra de Souza. Archbishop Leonardo Steiner of Manaus presided at both celebrations, which took place at Our Lady of Aparecida Shrine Church in Manaus.

Young Adult Retreat: The Young Adult Ministry at St. Alphonsus Parish in Minneapolis seized the opportunity to attend the Young Adult Retreat, “Faith, Hope and Love in Pandemic Times,” hosted by some of the confreres and lay ministers of the Baltimore Province in West End, NJ. This was the beginning of the revitalization of the Young Adult Ministry at St. Al’s after months of quarantine and COVID restrictions. Fr. Quy Duong, C.Ss.R., accompanied Maribel Garcia and Carlos Flores, two leaders of the Young Adult Ministry, on this retreat. The retreat featured several talks presented by young adults from Immaculate Conception Parish in The Bronx and young adult ministers of the Baltimore Province. Topics included “loneliness to solitude,” “hostility to hospitality,” and “illusion to prayer.” It was a good experience to see where young adults connected in their experiences of life and faith, especially during this time of pandemic.

Br. Dan Hall Visits Elmcroft of Lima Senior Living Center: Br. Dan Hall (seated, at right) recently shared some encouraging words with those who gathered for a celebration of life at Elmcroft of Lima Senior Living Center in Lima, Ohio. Families and friends joined residents to honor the lives of 14 people who have died at the facility since the pandemic began. Br. Dan was happy to be back in Seattle to preach a Foreign Mission Appeal earlier this month. He enjoyed sharing a few of his experiences as a founding member of the Redemptorist foundation in Nigeria at Sacred Heart, where he professed perpetual vows as a Redemptorist missionary in 1980. He will be returning to Nigeria in October to represent the Denver Province at the Vice Province of Nigeria Chapter.

Novena in Time of Pandemic: St. Mary’s of the Assumption Parish in Whittier celebrated a novena in preparation for the Feast of the Assumption. The novena was dedicated in prayer and petition for all those who have been affected by the coronavirus. Parishioners were given two paper face masks and directions on how to make the masks into Guardian Angels – those who have died during the pandemic; those who were sick but recovered; and our essential workers. Each night of the novena two people gave witness talks remembering members from those groups. We also had a procession of Angels, and the Angels were pinned to a board that was prepared to display them in the Church. We hope to make a permanent memorial with the Angels.

Thirtieth Anniversary of the Founding of Casa San Alfonso: This year marked the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of a Redemptorist youth initiative in Denver. The goal of the initiative was to enter the world of young people in an inner-city barrio who suffered from poverty, gang activity, the lure of drugs and a lack of opportunity; and to help them to see their goodness and dignity, while also learning the traditions of their Catholic faith. Fr. Mike McAndrew, Fr. Patrick Keyes, Br. Andy Miklusicak began Casa San Alfonso. The Casa, which was in operation from 1991 to 19916, was a house of welcome for Hispanic youth in Denver. Most young people coming to the house were men between the ages 16 to 25. The 30th anniversary was celebrated with a reunion on Sunday, August 1 at St. Joseph’s Church in Denver. After the Mass at S. Joseph, there was a picnic at a small park near the church.

Collaboration with Mexico: The Province of Mexico officially joined the North American Conference at the beginning of this year. Fr. Jack Kingsbury, North American Conference Coordinator, the Baltimore Province and the Extra-Patriam Vice Province are now joining the Denver Province and the Province of Mexico nearly every month in online meetings. A committee composed of confreres from the Denver Province and the Province of Mexico also is strategizing ways to further develop the relationship, gain a greater understanding of their respective apostolic lives, and create a new shared identity. Fr. John, Br. Larry Luján and Fr. Quy Duong represent the Denver Province. Fr. Aaron Moreno, Fr. Carlos Flores and Fr. Joaquin Frausto represent the Province of Mexico.

Renew My Church: A revival by our own Fr. Maurice Nutt brought together parishioners of three Chicago parishes to worship as one community for the first time. The Renew My Church unification process consolidated St. Columbanus, St. Dorothy and St. Clotilde parishes into St. Moses the Black Parish. A patron saint of Africa and the patron saint of nonviolence, St. Moses the Black is meant to serve as a guide and inspire the parish’s mission going forward. “As we dreamed about what our ministries would be in the Greater Grand Crossing and the Chatham communities, and recognizing the amount of violence that continues to affect the Black community in Chicago, Moses the Black is a great patron for us and a great witness for how we can be living our lives of faith,” said Fr. Matthew O’Donnell, pastor.