January, 2026

Blessed New Year to You and Your Family!

Fr. John Schmidt, C.Ss.R.

Dear Co-Redemptorist,

Blessed New Year to you and your families. I hope that you will grow in your faith and be strong in hope as we begin this new year.

The days after Christmas are filled with wonderful images of a loving God who cares for all people. Light guides the Magi to discover the true God. We too are guided to Christ by the faith and example of others. As we enter 2026, the year is filled with possibility and opportunity for strong witness to the gospel of Jesus. It is a year of hope.

In January we celebrate Saint John Neumann and Blessed Peter Donders both revered for their missionary zeal and love for people.

Saint John Neumann came to the United States to serve immigrants in places like Pittsburgh, New York and Philadelphia. As a Redemptorist he gave his time and energy to the people in his care. As bishop he built a sound structure for prayer, adoration, immigrant support and education for Catholic children.

Blessed Peter was a missionary to Surinam and lived among slaves and those living with leprosy. He spent more than 28 years serving their needs spiritually and bodily. He was an apostle of hope.

These men were exemplary and possessed a willingness to be available to serve others. They left home and family to bring the gospel to others and they are known for their prayerfulness and zeal. They help us understand the mission to which Jesus calls us. Our seminarians are inspired by their lives and seek to follow that same zeal and care for people.

You are instrumental in helping them along this journey and I’m grateful for your assistance. Keep praying for all our seminarians—for Deacon Steven Urban who will be ordained in April and for Frater Scott Partin who is in his pastoral year. These men represent the future of the Redemptorists. Thank you for being part of their vocation stories.

God Bless,

Father John K. Schmidt, C.Ss.R.
Director, Co-Redemptorist Association

P.S.: Have you considered including the Redemptorists in your estate plans? Through your stewardship, you share in our many Redemptorists ministries. Will you join us on this final journey of Faith? Fr. Thomas Pham, C.Ss.R., Office of Financial Services, is available to discuss a special legacy gift that can continue the Redemptorists’ work beyond your lifetime. Send him an email, or call at 312-248-8894.