
S C A L A	Giving our lives for plentiful redemption
Redemptorist Newsletter	Number 30

Rome, Italy
Feast of St. Gerard, October 16, 2007

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FROM THE EDITOR
Father General launches year dedicated to Religious Life

NEWS FROM THE PROVINCES
Espino, Spain launches 25th anniversary of Youth mission
Centenery of Redemptorists in Piura, Peru
Limerick Ireland hosts Redemptorist European Youth Congress
Poland: A Perspective on Radio Maryja

REDEMPTORISTS IN THE NEWS
Polish-Jewish School opens in Bangkok
Redemptorists celebrate 50 years in Indonesia
Bishop Dowling visits Zimbabwe

REPORTS FROM THE SECRETARIATS AND COMMISSIONS
Secretariat for the Laity meets in South Africa

THE VATICAN AND THE REDEMPTORISTS
Cardinal Rode addresses American Conference of Major Superiors of Men

ALPHONSIANUM
A new President for the Academy

PHOTO GALLERY (on-line only)
Photos from around the Redemptorist World

FEATURED WEBSITES/VIDEOS
Fire heavily damages the Rock Church in St. Louis Missouri, USA

TRANSITIONS
Professions, Ordinations, Anniversaries, Deaths

From the Editor:

Father General, Joseph W. Tobin, has written the Congregation to announce the beginning of a year dedicated to reflection on the Consecrated Life. He begins his letter (which by now should be available in all communities, but can also be found on our website, www.cssr.com at http://www.cssr.com/english/whoarewe/DocsAndComms/2007-2TobinLetter-EN.shtml) by saying:

"The General Council would like to invite all the members of the Congregation to join in a year of intense reflection on the apostolic life of Redemptorists. Constitution 1 reminds us that this life comprises at one and the same time a life specially dedicated to God and a life of missionary work. Our invitation is that Redemptorists make a particular effort to consider the first element in this essential formula, that is, a life specially dedicated to God, one that begins with our religious profession, which is the definitive act of the whole missionary life of Redemptorists (Constitution 54).”

The impetus for the year dedicated to the Consecrated Life began with an initiative by the Brothers' Secretariat to the General Council, which warmly received the suggestion. The year will begin on November 9, 2007, which is the 275th anniversary of the founding of the Congregation and the little band of St. Alphonsus professing their vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, later adding a vow and oath of perseverance. This dedication will also flow into the forthcoming centenary of St. Clement's canonization being planned for 2008-2009.

The General Council, the Secretariat and Office for Spirituality and the Office of Communications will work together to provide information, resources, and celebratory material for the year. Father General is preparing a Communicanda. We hope to provide information and resources through the Secretariat webpages, through SCALA, and celebrate this 275th anniversary year and Year dedicated to the Consecrated Life with a special edition of ORBIS 2007, which this coming year will be an entirely photographic edition, with the hope that every unit will be represented. To this aim, I invite all units to begin to send me 4 or 5 significant photographs (in high resolution and in .jpg form) to choose from with a one sentence explanation of what is pictured for inclusion in this special edition. The photos should portray a significant community event or pastoral work happening in your unit during this anniversary year. You may begin sending them to me now at garyz@cssr.com .(once again, remember to send them in .jpg form and high resolution!) It is important that I receive your photo contribution by December 31st. I will be sending out requests to the provincials, and, as I check off what I have received, reminders to the rest. It is important that we represent all units. This edition will not only be an anniversary edition, but an instrument for vocation recruitment and furthering the mission and message of the Congregation to our friends and benefactors.

May I say one more thing about this. Some units have asked why they have received so many copies of ORBIS. As I mentioned in my Foreword in ORBIS, it can be a very nice gift to anyone expressing interest in our life and work. If you believe you have too many copies, then please give it away to vocation prospects and people interested in our life and ministry. They always enjoy and are appreciative of receiving something in return for their interest and participation in our life and ministry. It is produced with this intent in mind also. Thank you.

Grace and Redemption for all!
Gary Ziuraitis, C.Ss.R.

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NEWS FROM THE PROVINCES

Burgos, Spain.
25th anniversary of the 'Youth Mission' of El Espino.
Fr. Laureano Del Otero, C.Ss.R.

The celebration of the 25th anniversary year of the 'Youth Mission' of RYVM in the Redemptorist Monastery of Our Lady of El Espino was inaugurated on the night of July 21 2007, by opening a symbolic holy door.

In 1983, El Espino, an old Benedictine Monastery north of Burgos, converted today into a conference and retreat center, was host to a group of young people and Redemptorists aiming at a greater commitment to Jesus Christ. They were attracted by the person of Jesus and his way of life and determined to try to lead a life similar to his. For a whole week they embarked on a form of mission, listening together to the Word of God, sharing experiences and projects and making a commitment to become missionaries of the Gospel among young people.

This proved to be such a positive experience that each year afterwards on the third week of July, the week of the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer, they decided to celebrate the 'Youth Mission' of El Espino'. Many arrived without really knowing why and became firmly committed to their Christian community. For some all doubts vanished as a result of the intense prayer life they lived there. Others who knew young people in their community decided to become catechists, to take charge of groups during free time, to accompany them in youth ministry, to be missionaries in the Redemptorist Missionary Team, CESPLAM, and to be volunteers in the Third World as married people, religious, priests or Redemptorists. Each one had found the way forward, that is, Christ, the Redeemer who is the way, the truth and the life.

In 2008 we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first celebration of the 'Youth Mission' of El Espino and also the silver jubilee of RYVM in our Province of Madrid. Anniversaries are always an occasion to look back and to recall how good life has been. They are also special moments to look forward and to consider new problems and challenges.

The Redemptorist Youth and Vocation Ministry wishes to use this jubilee celebration as an occasion to promote its mission in the Spanish Church. The Redemptorist missionaries opt for a young Church full of life in which faith in Jesus makes young people become evangelizers and missionaries of the Kingdom of God. The 'Youth Mission' of El Espino 2008 will be a great part of the celebration of the silver jubilee of Espino. We hope that it will be a reunion among the different generations who have passed through this place and a mighty stimulus to follow the ways of the Spirit.

Index

Peru
Redemptorist Missionaries in Piura.
Centenary of the Mission.
Ericsson Cardoza.

The Missionaries of the Redemptorist Congregation celebrated with pride and joy the centenary of their presence in the city of Piura in northeast Peru. The Catholic community of Piura assembled to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help who is much loved and venerated in these areas.

Piura. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help: This year recalls a century of history, of good and bad experiences, of work and mission. On July 5 the Redemptorist missionaries 'men of strong faith, joyful hope and ardent charity' remembered with humility and joy their arrival in 'the city of eternal heat', Piura. To take part in the celebrations other members of the Congregation arrived. They included Fr. José Luis Bartolomé, Provincial Superior of Madrid, Spain; Fr. José Juan Jañez, also from Spain; Fr. Pablo Vega, Viceprovincial Superior of North Peru; Mgr. José Ignacio Alemany Grau; Fr. Francisco Arias, Viceprovincial Superior of South Peru and others.
The same day the Redemptorists celebrated the event with various activities that were enthusiastically appreciated by the people of Piura. The next day began with a pilgrimage to the Redemptorist cemetery plot of St. Teodoro where they prayed at the tombs of those deceased Redemptorists who had committed themselves to the missionary work of the Congregation in this city of north Peru. That evening the Piura Town Council in solemn session paid tribute in its Assembly hall, presided over by the Governor, José Aguilar. The occasion was also marked by the presence of a distinguished poetess of the area, Señora Elvira Castro Quiroz, who composed an ode in homage to the Missionaries.
At 8 o'clock in the evening the Fathers celebrated a Mass in thanksgiving in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The people of Piura were present as well as representatives of the various religious congregations in Piura. On Saturday, July 7, there was a program of Christian music in the Church square of San Sebastian. Among those performing were two celebrated artists, Luis Enrique Ascoy, accompanied by 'La Banda sin Futuro' and Pepe Enciso. Both sang reflective ballads and shared with the people of Piura their own personal affection for the Missionaries.

Perpetual Help: As well as celebrating the centenary of the arrival of the Redemptorists in Piura, there was also the festival of Our Lady of Perpetual Help held from June 22 to 30. As happens every year it was a whole week of fervor and faith for the Piurian people. The program included three processions, June 20 and 21 and July 1. On July 1, the main celebration was held. The 'Virgen Morena' was carried through the streets crowded with thousands of people who acclaimed her with hymns and songs of praise. On the way the Virgin was venerated by several little local acts of devotion until she arrived at the Church of San Sebastian which she entered amid more singing to remain there until next year. On the evening of June 30 in front of the same Church there was open-air dancing in her honor. The people of Piura enjoyed themselves with dances and songs typical of the area and were joined by many artists and performers.

A little history: The Redemptorists arrived in this city in 1907 coming from Riobamba in Ecuador after having been expelled by President Leonidas Plaza. After many difficulties they finally found refuge in the old Church of San Sebastian of the Indies, the present sanctuary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Since then, French Redemptorists, then Italian, Spanish and now Piurian confreres have carried on an impressive work of evangelisation.

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'Pazzo Per Amore – Being Young and Christian in Europe Today'
European Redemptorist Youth Congress
Limerick (Province of Dublin), Ireland
August 8 - 13, 2007

Recently, the 8th European Redemptorist Youth Congress brought almost 650 young people and Redemptorists to Limerick, Ireland, to be nourished in body and spirit for nearly a week. Its theme was Pazzo Per Amore, a phrase used by St. Alphonsus to explain God's crazy love for us. The sub-theme was 'Being Young and Christian in Europe Today.'

This was the eighth such congress, usually held every three years and the twentieth anniversary of the first gathering at Pagani in 1987. The location was the Limerick University campus which easily accommodated the young people and Redemptorists. The location was not the first choice of the Organizing Team but was necessitated by the very strict Irish Health and Safety laws. However, the on-site availability of meals, sports facilities, concert hall and chapel made the location ideal. Fr. Joseph Tobin, Fr Serafino Fiore, Fr Con Casey, the Provincial of the Dublin Province and his Council, were present throughout. Fr. Juan Lasso, C.Ss.R., from Spain and Bishop Kevin Dowling, C.Ss.R. from South Africa (who initiated these Congresses twenty years ago) were both present for part of the event.

Confrères and lay people from the Dublin and London Provinces worked together for almost three years in preparation for the event. They received great help from the organisers of the Bonn Congress (2004) and from the European members of the General Secretariat for Youth and Vocations Ministry. Many others were generous in their help just before and during the Congress. Deserving of special mention among these were the members of the Preparation Community. For ten days beforehand more than thirty delegates from most of the participating countries were in Limerick to make immediate preparations. They were accommodated in the Redemptorist Community at Mount Saint Alphonsus and in the nearby Reparation Convent Retreat House. They were energetic, generous, creative and committed companions on the journey towards and during Limerick 2007!

From within Europe, groups came from the Dublin Province, from the London Province, from the St. Clement's Province (the largest delegation), from Munich, Vienna, Warsaw, Lviv, Russia, Rome, Naples, Copenhagen, Madrid, Lisbon, Bratislava, Michalovce, Prague, Strasbourg-Paris-Lyon. There were others from outside of Europe who travelled to be with us: confrères and young people came from Baltimore, Edmonton-Toronto, Yorkton, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, South Africa and Manila (apologies if we left anybody out!).

Opening Event: The opening on the Wednesday night (August 8) was very creative. Alongside some brief words of welcome there was a video presentation dealing with Limerick, Ireland and previous youth congresses. This was followed by a mime on each of the four themes – prepared by the Preparation Community.

Development of the Theme: The preparation meeting in 2006 had decided that the Limerick Congress would have more catechesis than previous congresses. So presentations and liturgies were arranged each day on one of the four great themes of St. Alphonsus: Crib, Cross, Mary and Eucharist. Catechesis and discussion was done in the various language groups. Liturgy was almost always in common; being held just once in the language groups.

On Thursday and Friday the participants took part in prayer, catechesis, discussion groups and workshops on various topics associated with the overall theme. Thursday evening was left free for the young people and Redemptorists to socialise. On Friday afternoon, there was time for sport.

The Céilí: On Friday evening, buses took the participants to St. John's Cathedral in Limerick for a Reconciliation Service. This was followed by supper, some 'Christian magic' and a Céilí (Irish dancing) in a nearby hall. Afterwards buses took participants back to their quarters at the college.

The Pilgrimage Walk: Saturday dawned wet and miserable (unfortunately like most days in Ireland this summer). As the theme for the day was 'Mary, Disciple of Justice and Service', a 'Justice Walk' was planned for this day. In answer to prayer, the rain lifted in time and the 650 participants set out for the Redemptorist Church at Mount Saint Alphonsus. En route, they called to the City Hall where they were greeted and welcomed by the Deputy Mayor of Limerick, Councillor Byrne (a niece of a local Redemptorist) and the local Bishop Donal Murray. Then, led by a local band, the young people and Redemptorists marched up the center of the city making their presence heard and boldly displaying placards naming their place of origin. Alongside the Bishop and the Deputy Mayor, the procession through the city was led by Fr. General, Bishop Kevin Dowling and some Good Shepherd sisters, who have been good friends of the Redemptorists since the first confrères arrived in Limerick in 1851. Many Limerick people lined the route and gave the marchers a rousing, enthusiastic welcome.

In Mount Saint Alphonsus Church there was a presentation of the work of SERVE, which sends young people out 'in solidarity and service' to learn from and contribute to some mission work in developing countries at their own expense every summer. Then Bishop Dowling celebrated Mass for the participants. Once more, Limerick people showed their enthusiastic support and filed into the church to fill any empty seats. After Mass, the local bell-ringers chimed in with their encouragement for the event and the participants made their way over to the college where a Fair Trade Exhibition was taking place and they got something to eat.

The afternoon itself was free to visit the city or to go back to the college to prepare for the "Eurovision Song Contest" scheduled for later in the day. Buses were provided to collect people at various times and at various locations throughout the afternoon.

'The Eurovision Song Contest': Saturday evening was given over to a new event in the entertainment calendar! Preparations had been made many months in advance. All the songs were ABBA songs. Each delegation had been assigned a particular song and given its sound track. The song could be sung, mimed, danced or presented in any way the delegation decided. Everyone was invited to come dressed in '70's costume if possible. And many people came in '70's costume, including Fr. Provincial and Fr. General!

After the first few votes were declared it was pretty evident that Lviv (Ukraine) would win. Their presentation was brilliant and their costumes exotic. They won hands down.

Meeting with Father General: On Sunday morning Fr. General met all the Redemptorists who were present and in the afternoon he met with the Delegation Leaders.

During the meetings with Fr. General some questions were asked:
(i) 'Should these congresses continue'? The answer was a very clear 'Yes'.
(ii) 'Should there be a closer link between Redemptorist Youth Ministry and Vocations Ministry'? The answer was 'Yes' but that the details of this relationship should be left up to each Province.
(iii) 'Where should the next Congress be?' Lviv and some other Provinces were suggested as possible next locations.

It was also suggested at the meeting with Fr. General that a fund should be set up to help finance these congresses. The funding for the Limerick Congress came one third from the young people; one third from Redemptorist sources and one third from sponsorship.

The Mural: Sunday was also the day of the great mural painting. A very artistic Dutch confrere, Jan Haen, worked with confreres and young people to prepare a massive mural. A large painted cross divided the mural into four equal squares or sections. Each of these was made up of 144 small tiles. During the preparations for the Congress, four of the delegations were asked to propose designs for the four themes of the congress, one for each section of the mural. These designs were worked on further and then painted during the Congress by many of the young people. The tiles were all numbered on the back and distributed to each of the participants who added some paint or memento of their own to their tile. Then all the tiles were replaced and glued together into their original position on the mural. These personalised additions did not destroy the original etchings but added significantly to an extraordinary and beautiful piece of art which will remain on in Limerick as a final memento of Limerick 2007 (probably in the new St. Clement's Redemptorist College).

Final Eucharist: Fr. General celebrated the closing Eucharist at 5.00 pm on Sunday night which was followed by a BBQ supper (the weather was fine once again!). This was followed by entertainment provided by a local DJ.

Monday´s Morning Prayer: During the Monday Morning Prayer which reflected on the life of Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky and which was led by the Lviv delegation, Brs. Tony Rice and Seán Duggan, two Irish Redemptorist students renewed their vows. All of the participants were then sent out, like Sean and Tony, to be witnesses to God's crazy love. At the end of the Prayer, having received their Provincial's approval, the Ukrainian delegation agreed to host the next Congress in 2010.

The End: And then it was all over. Three years of preparation had paid off. After Morning Prayer, one by one the delegations left and the campus was more or less cleared by midday.

Thank You: The Organising Team would like to thank all the delegations who attended the Congress. In a special way, we would like to thank Delegation Leaders and members of the Preparation Community for their generous service. Thank you also to the Redemptorist and other benefactors and to the Provincial and General Leadership for their continued support and solidarity throughout. We look forward to celebrating God's Crazy Love together once again in Ukraine in 2010.

Please visit the Limerick 2007 Website: www.limerick2007.info

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Poland
A perspective on Radio Maryja

Editor's note: In Warsaw, in the courtyard of our church of St. Clement, stands a memorial to 30 slain Redemptorists, the victims of a Nazi atrocity on August 6, 1944. In the same neighborhood, not far away, stands an extensive, interactive museum, the Warsaw Rising Museum, recalling the Warsaw uprising of 1944 and the suffering of all Polish people during WWII. After WWII another forty years of suffering was endured during the Communist era. Poland, now moving forward as a democratic country, has a complex sociological, political, religious and cultural context that defies easy labeling. Radio Maryja, the Polish province media apostolate, has had a major role in continuing the religious, political and sociological dialogue in this culture. These past few months there has been much unfavorable, worldwide publicity about Radio Maryja of Poland. Much of it is due to unverified and unsubstantiated labeling originating with Polish media and uncritically passed along and repeated by media outside of Poland. I invited the Redemptorists of Radio Maryja to give their viewpoint on the frequent labeling of it as too politically involved and of being anti-Semitic in the carrying out of their media ministry. Here are their responses. The first is from Father Ryszard Hajduk, C.Ss.R., an extraordinary consultor of the Polish province and a professor of practical theology and ecumenism at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. He offers some perspective to the political side of the question. In the second article, Father Jacek Cydzik, C.Ss.R,.a member of the staff at Radio Maryja, responds to the allegations of anti-Semitism.

Ryszard Hajduk, C.Ss.R.
Extraordinary Provincial Consultor

Regular listeners to Radio Maryja know that the radio station does not identify itself with any political party. People from various political backgrounds and perspectives call in and speak on the air; of course you will hear words of critique irrespective of political persuasion. This critique is delivered in the spirit of the Gospel and as an evaluation of human attitudes.

It is not Radio Maryja that identifies with a specific political party; instead, it is the competing mass media that tries to identify Radio Maryja with political groups! It is worth noting that various media have identified Radio Maryja with different political parties at different times to discredit the radio station by linking its name to a particular political party. This is how competing mass media attempt to contrive an identity for the station and to persuade the public of the Catholic station's supposed political outlook.

The criticism of Radio Maryja in the media usually comes down to repeatedly labeling it as "xenophobic radio"or "a voice of hatred". The truth is that the radio station sometimes airs pointed criticism of the actions of some groups operating in Poland and outside. Those that speak in studio, call in, or are quoted on the air are people from different perspectives, but Radio Maryja never calls for hatred towards anybody, especially any nations. Allegations that we spread hatred surprise us. We ask: When will someone finally present proof to support the allegations that Radio Maryja calls for hatred towards other nations? Perhaps someone will have to face the truth and apologize for disseminating slander against it.

One of the most serious, and at the same time, strangest allegations against Radio Maryja is that it is harming the unity of the Church. Radio Maryja's contribution to uniting believers in Poland and around the world is extremely valuable. This "unity of the Church"is not a static value but a reality requiring constant attention. The Gospel and the word of God, the dissemination of the teachings of the Church, participation in prayer, caring for the underprivileged, and giving witness to Christianity -- not only from members of the clergy, but also from the laity -- are services that Radio Maryja offers to build up that unity. Is there any other Polish media that spreads the Gospel, the Pope's teachings, the lectures and speeches of the bishops, catechizes according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and offers commentaries and biblical meditations daily? How much more can you contribute to the strengthening of the unity of the Church?

When speaking of strengthening the unity of the Church, it is often forgotten that those who promote the Church over the airwaves often have to do it on secular media outlets that regularly offer opposing points of view that compete for the hearts and minds of people. Members of the clergy come on and speak. These clergy act with good intentions when they try to use any possible newspaper, magazine, radio or television station to promote Catholicism, without paying any attention to the other anti-religious content aired by these same media. But can it not be argued that those members of the clergy that appear in secular magazines, newspapers, and radio and television stations alongside anti-Christian content can also unwittingly cause confusion among believers and disrupt unity as is claimed of Radio Maryja? Could it not also be said that they are endorsing those communication outlets and values that are indifferent or opposed to the Church and the truth of the Gospel? Also, why is such little attention paid to the dangers that result from the activities of antagonistic mass media, which distorts the image of the Church and tries to divide believers?

Radio Maryja is a public broadcasting station, whose operation is possible thanks to donations from its listening audience. It is a platform that allows Catholics to participate in discussion and evangelization, and at the same time – in unifying the Church. Thanks to this radio station, people have a voice and a way to influence the public, political, cultural, and educational activities of Poles in Poland and around the world. Is there a better means of public communication to encourage Catholics to follow the teachings of the Church and assume responsibility for the political and public spheres of life in the name of justice and Christian love?

Radio Maryja is singled out, not because someone speaks inappropriate words on the air, lies to the listeners or disrespects someone (a standard practice in secular mass media) but because the radio station is instrumental in spreading the Gospel in Poland and across the world. If it wasn't for Radio Maryja, the Polish Church would be far less visible and vocal.

Whose interests lie in weakening or silencing Radio Maryja?

Father Jacek Cydzik, C.Ss.R.
Radio Maryja

Reverend Tadeusz Rydzyk, C.Ss.R. (Director of Radio Maryja) and Radio Maryja are perceived in Europe and elsewhere as symbols of a poisonous and increasingly aggressive anti-Semitism.

I express my belief that these claims are based on various reports from the European press that falsely attribute a pattern of anti-Semitism to Radio Maryja and its founder. It should not be forgotten we are Polish. During the tragic war of 1939-1945, we were not only witnesses to Nazi barbarity but also its victims. Not only did Poles help in informing the world about the Nazi crime of the Holocaust, appealing to the world to recognize it and end the atrocities, but many Poles laid down their lives to save the lives of many Jews. This valor is commemorated by the so many trees in Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.

The Redemptorists assigned to Radio Maryja are priests of the Catholic Church. We try, maybe inadequately at times, to walk in the footsteps of those Polish clergy who, during the tragic days of the war, gave evidence of faith, bravery, humanity and solidarity with all those oppressed, regardless of their social status, nationality or faith.

For anyone with even a minimal knowledge of the tragic events of the Second World War, an attitude of anti-Semitism, racism, or xenophobia is unthinkable. Sixty years after the defeat of the Nazi ideology of 'ubermensch', to accuse Radio Maryja of propagating ideas, which in practice were realized in gas chambers and crematories, while marginalizing whole nations and bringing them to the brink of destruction, in valuing or de-valuing people because of their ethnic affiliation... to accuse Radio Maryja of these things is absurd.

I do not want to quote 'proofs of our innocence' in response to unsubstantiated allegations. In all these months, nobody has stepped forward with proof of the alleged 'anti-Semitism' by Radio Maryja, except by way of repeating allegations and manipulating words and events taken out of context.

On the other hand, what goes unnoticed in these media are the positive efforts we make towards peace and justice. We do not see reported, for example, the approval of Radio Maryja among surviving prisoners of Auschwitz still living in Poland, many of whom regularly listen to Radio Maryja broadcasts. I wish to assure you that these people, as every victim of the tragic events of World War II, are held in highest respect, which is expressed by organizing eyewitness television programs as well as broadcasts and scientific symposia aired on Radio Maryja. Can these programs, some of them call-in programs, become controversial at times? Of course. The various listeners call in and lobby for different positions. But it is done in the open arena of ideas, not against any community of people. We do not run away from controversy and difficult events of our history in our programs. To do so would be one-sided and incomplete journalism.

Another example comes to mind from 2003. The listeners of Radio Maryja wrote a book entitled Faithful Sons of Our Motherland, to document abundant testimony regarding Jews who were saved during the Second World War. The then Ambassador of Israel in Poland, Prof. Shevah Weiss, presented this book to the Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem.

These examples are only the tip of the iceberg of the activity of Radio Maryja, TV TRWAM and the University of Social and Media Culture to evangelize, according to Gospel principles, the Polish people in language that by no means stirs up hatred but rather invites all to ask questions about love, to shape the consciences of those who accept Gospel principles and to influence those who do not.

This is the true face of Radio Maryja. Radio Maryja is not anti-Semitic, but in its efforts to disseminate the truth about the Nazi barbarity during World War II, it helps to prevent that history from repeating itself by preserving the memory of those events as a warning for future generations.

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REDEMPTORISTS IN THE NEWS

Bangkok, Thailand
Polish-Jewish school opens in Bangkok slum
Earthtimes.org

The Janusz Korzack School - inspired by a Polish-Jewish Holocaust hero - on Tuesday officially opened its first Southeast Asian outlet in Bangkok's notorious Klong Toey slum. The school's launch at Klong Toey's Mercy Centre was presided over by Redemptorist Father Joe Maier, the Israeli and Polish ambassadors to Thailand and the centre's Thai classical dance troupe. Korzack was a Holocaust-era orphanage director in Warsaw, Poland, remembered for accompanying his 200 children on their march to the Treblinka death camp.

"I am happy to celebrate someone who is a hero in Poland and Israel and has now become a hero in part of Thailand," said Polish Ambassador Bodgan Goraicyk.

The Mercy Centre, co-founded by Catholic priest Maier, has provided education, an AIDS hospice, and community support to the poorest people living in Klong Toey, Bangkok's largest slum. It was founded in 1974.

Klong Toey's Janusz Korzack school currently has 17 pupils including an autistic boy who possesses a genius with maps and Latin-termed wildlife words, a blind child that was born and raised in a municipal garbage dump and a handful of other children that have fallen behind in public education, directors said.

Maier said students at the school consider "Uncle Janusz" one of their greatest heroes and know him by his balding image on photographs displayed at the school and for his dedication to poor and disadvantaged children.

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Indonesia
Redemptorists Celebrate 50 Years Of People's Mission
Union of Catholic Asian News

Upon reaching an island in southeastern Indonesia in 1957, ten German missioners, equipped with Bibles and musical instruments, spread out to meet the local people. The songs and music performed by the seven priests and three brothers of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, popular known as Redemptorists, attracted the attention of the residents young and old.

The missioners asked the people to share their problems and listened to their concerns, and during their stay with the "poor and most abandoned," ranging from a week to one month, many people left animist beliefs for Catholicism. The Redemptorists' preaching on Sumba Island is known locally as misi umat, or people's mission. It refers to the creative ways Redemptorists have used in finding and preaching to people they think are ready to receive the Gospel.

Divine Word Bishop Girulfus Kherubim Pareira of Weetebula and Indonesia Redemptorist provincial Father Edmund Woga discussed with UCA News Sept. 4 the history of the Redemptorists and misi umat on Sumba since their arrival on Jan. 16, 1957. Weetebula town, near the island's western tip, is 1,420 kilometers east of Jakarta. Bishop Pareira told UCA News the Redemptorists prepared the mission area to become a diocese, "as the number of Catholics in the island increased." His diocese, which covers Sumba and Sumbawa islands, was created in 1969, but the prelate was appointed its first bishop only in 1986. He recalled telling nearly 4,000 people at his ordination that having no bishop for 17 years "proves the Church here was mature and able to manage itself." However, he also pointed out a weakness. "The missioners have baptized many people, but as time goes on, the newly baptized rarely pray or go to church due to lack of follow-up programs. Many Catholics' daily life is not in line with Catholic teaching," he sighed. He urged the congregation to follow up, "otherwise misi umat will be in vain."

Meanwhile, the Redemptorists have continued the educational work pioneered by Jesuit and the Divine Word priests, "so that many Sumbanese work in various social fields and have become recognized figures." Among the other accomplishments of the Redemptorists, the prelate continued, are the preparation of lay personnel for evangelization and the collaboration between the Catholic Church and Protestant Churches.

According to Father Edmund Woga, Indonesian Redemptorist provincial, the missioners started misi umat individually on the day they reached the island. It is a tradition inherited from Saint Alphonsus Liguori, who founded the congregation in 1732 to evangelize both marginalized urban people in Naples and goat herders upcountry. After 25 years the Redemptorists in Indonesia no longer conduct people's mission individually but in teams, Father Woga said. In the future, he continued, they will serve in response to concrete situations, "so that our evangelization will be more effective in giving spiritual and moral support to the people to face new developments in the world."The congregation now works in Kupang archdiocese, and Larantuka and Weetebula dioceses in East Nusa Tenggara province, Semarang archdiocese in Central Java and Jakarta archdiocese. It has 42 Indonesian and five German priests, one brother and 46 seminarians. Besides pastoral work, they run schools and hospitals, and help people's economic development. On Aug. 1, the feast of Saint Alphonsus, Bishop Pareira led a Mass with 100 priests concelebrating as part of a commemoration in a Catholic school compound in Weetebula. About 3,500 local Catholics attended.

Frans Lebu Raya, vice governor of East Nusa Tenggara, said in his address that the Redemptorists have addressed educational, health and economic problems on the island. "Their schools and hospitals are helping the poor to get free education and medical treatment," he said in thanking the congregation for helping the island develop in its own way. Along with diocesan priests and the Redemptorists, the Divine Word and Salesian societies also serve in the diocese.

The Redemptorists launched their 50th-anniversary celebration with a Mass in January in Waingapu, where they landed place on Sumba. From then until July 31, the eve of their founder's feast, they conducted presentations on their mission work, catechism on the work of St. Alphonsus and Masses in the diocese's 23 parishes and 249 mission stations.

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Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
South African bishop banned from visiting Zimbabwe
Daily News Feed
National Catholic Reporterbr

Editors note: Since this published report on July 3, 2007, the Vatican has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Pius Ncube of Zimbabwe.

A South African Catholic bishop has become the latest target of Zimbabwean authorities who accuse him of criticising President Robert Mugabe's human rights records. Authorities have reportedly barred Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg, South Africa, from visiting the country.

Dowling was in Zimbabwe's second city, Bulawayo, last week where he held a series of meetings with local clergy. Sources in the city told NCR that Dowling was detained for hours by agents of the Central Intelligence Organization who quizzed him about his business in the city, which is home to the outspoken Archbishop Pius Ncube.

Dowling was a speaker at a prayer meeting organized in the city to pray for Zimbabwe's torture victims and pro-democracy activists who lawyers and civic groups allege have been abducted by the ruling party's militias and state security agents.

Ecumenical News International in Geneva reported that Dowling had said that the government of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe had lost its legitimacy.

"A government that tortures its own people is not a government but a regime, an illegitimate regime,"Dowling was quoted as saying. "God was not with the apartheid regime [in South Africa], and God is not with this regime in Zimbabwe. It will fall,"Dowling said.

Five other pastors traveling with Dowling had their passports confiscated.

"They effectively told him not to come back to Zimbabwe,"Rita Normington, Ncube's secretary said.

However, Dowling was expected back in Bulawayo on Thursday (July 5) this week, and the archbishop's office, which was to host him, expressed fears that Dowling would be detained again or denied entry into Zimbabwe.

Dowling was also one of the main speakers at a similar pray rally Ncube organized in April, and sources here say this was when Dowling attracted the attention of the authorities.

Zimbabwean immigration officials have turned down work permits from Catholic priests, and there are fears the government is slowly getting rid of all missionaries working in the country.

Authorities have in the past threatened to confiscate Ncube's passport to stop his travelling abroad. They accuse him of "telling falsehoods"about the country's continuing crisis and growing repression as the regime cracks down on opposition voices.

Zimbabwe's bishops' conference issued a pastoral letter, "God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed,"just before Easter that said Zimbabwe's crisis is one of governance, leadership, spirituality and morality.

To avoid "further bloodshed and avert a mass uprising,"a new constitution is needed to guide democracy "chosen in free and fair elections that will offer a chance for economic recovery under genuinely new policies,"the bishops wrote.

The letter is the strongest statement the bishops have issued since the country began an economic meltdown some two years ago. The unemployment rate of 80 percent and an inflation rate of more than 1,700 percent has "made the life of ordinary Zimbabweans unbearable, regardless of their political preferences,"the bishops said.

Since the letter's release Mugabe has accused the Catholic hierarchy of dabbling in politics and has threatened them with unspecified action.

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REPORTS FROM THE SECRETARIATS AND COMMISSIONS

South Africa
4th Annual Meeting of the Secretariat for Partnership in Mission
Raymond Douziech, C.Ss.R.

From September 18th to 21st, the Redemptorist General Secretariat for Partnership in Mission, which consists of Raymond Douziech, Consultor General and Chairperson; Ms Ageeth Potma (Netherlands), representing Europe North; Fr. David Louch (Edmonton-Toronto), representing North America; Fr. Michael Kelleher (Dublin), representing Europe South; Fr. Jozef Grzwacz (Bahia), representing Latin America; and Fr. Gerard McCabe (South Africa), representing Africa met at the house of the Redemptorist student community in Merrivale, South Africa.

The meeting's primary focus was to continue working on the development of a foundational document on the themes of Communion and Mission so as to offer a theological basis for the many levels of association in mission between professed Redemptorists and lay people. We believe that much progress was made and that the document is now beginning to take real shape. Along with the work done on the foundational document, time was also spent reflecting on the questions of spirituality and formation for partnership in mission and on continuing the development of the website which can be found at www.cssrpim.com and linked to the Secretariat section on www.cssr.com . Much time was also spent in attempting to articulate the challenges that are faced by Redemptorists and lay people in their efforts to work together in the mission of bringing good news to those most in need.

The Secretariat members were warmly welcomed and very attentively catered for throughout the meeting by Fr. McCabe and the student community in Merrivale for which we are very grateful. We also wish to thank the Edmonton-Toronto province for their generous grant that helped with the costs of the meeting.

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THE VATICAN AND THE REDEMPTORISTS

USA, Cleveland, Ohio
Respond in 'creative fidelity' to God's call, Vatican prefect tells religious
Catholic News Service

Men in religious orders must respond in "creative fidelity" to the mission entrusted to them, a Vatican official, Slovenian Cardinal Franc Rode, said at the annual meeting of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.

"Consecrated persons must realize that, no matter what their apostolic commitments might entail, their primary mission is that of witnessing to the values of the kingdom," said Cardinal Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, during the Aug. 10-13 CMSM assembly in Cleveland.

"Their lives and actions must clearly show that the message of Jesus is the only message which offers the way to eternal life," Cardinal Rode said. He added that the rise of religious life from the church's earliest days was the response of those who sensed the need "to more radically conform their lives to the teachings of the Gospel, to live a life of radical poverty, chastity and obedience in imitation of the Jesus whom they had come to know personally."

Installed as CMSM president at the assembly was Redemptorist Father Thomas Picton, provincial of the Redemptorists of the Denver province since 2005. Previously Father Picton was vice provincial of his order's New Orleans vice province and a pastoral psychotherapist at the Catholic Consultation Center in San Antonio. He professed vows in 1968 and was ordained a priest in 1971.

During the assembly, Conventual Franciscan Father Paul Lininger, CMSM executive director, said, "As religious men we are called and gifted witnesses to the Spirit in the church and throughout the world. And through our multiple and diverse charisms we celebrate the endless possibilities of loving God."

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ALPHONSIANUM

Rome
Alphonsian Academy
New President for the Academy

Editor's note: In May, the Vatican approved the appointment of Father Martin McKeever, C.Ss.R., as the next President of the Alphonsianum. Upon notice of the appointment by the Vatican, Father McKeever took office immediately. We would also like to honor the service given to the Academy by its outgoing President, Father Sabatino Majorano, who finishes up six years of service as President and will continue as a professor at the Alphonsianum. Thank you to the Academy website (www.alfonsiana.edu) for the following information:

Father Sabatino Majorano:

Father Majorano is a native of Morcone, Italy. He was professed as a Redemptorist on June 29, 1961 and ordained to the priesthood on July 16, 1969. He earned his License in Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of St. Aloysius in Naples in 1969 and his Doctorate in Moral Theology at the Alphonsian Academy in 1977. He has been professor of moral theology at the Redemptorist Studentate in Colle Sant'Alfonso, Italy and a member of the Academy faculty since 1977. In June, 2001, Father Majorano was named President of the Alphonsian Academy.

In his own words:

My association with the Alphonsian Academy began during the summer months of 1969 soon after my ordination to the priesthood. It was then that my superiors from the Redemptorist Province of Naples informed me that I had been invited to come to Rome to pursue doctoral studies in Moral Theology and then remain as part of the faculty of the Academy. The idea for this invitation originated with Father Dominico Capone, who, having been nominated President of the Academy that same year, quickly began recruiting future faculty members.

Moral Theology was not among my favorite subjects during my seminary theological studies. I was much more attracted to the study of ecclesiology and above all I was attracted to pastoral ministry since I had joined the Redemptorists precisely because of the Congregation's option for the work of evangelization. It was very significant that my generation lived at the end of the 1960's, a time when tradition and legalism were being strongly challenged.
My years as a student at the Academy influenced me greatly: by the lessons which I attended, theologically profound yet always close to the problems of everyday life; by the family-like atmosphere of dialogue and comparison which the professors made possible; by the active participation which marked student life here at the academy. A singular important facet for me was my close collaboration with Father Bernard Häring and Father Domenico Capone. It is these two men who have primarily influenced the vision of Moral Theology which today I attempt to pass on to my students.

I began teaching at the Academy in 1977. My area of concentration was fundamental moral theology: The relationship between Moral Theology and Spirituality, the pneumatological dimension of human life, conscience and its formation are some of the areas of study I specialized in. Since then my interest in the Moral Theology of St. Alphonsus Liguori has greatly increased. This interest reached a level that I decided to offer a number of courses centered on this theme. I am very pleased that these courses have found an acceptance among the students far surpassing anything I ever expected.

I am more convinced than ever of the need to continually develop and update the fundamental intuitions of Saint Alphonsus and locate them within the context which Vatican II has outlined so that we might realize a moral theology which is:

rooted in concrete daily life which spans 'the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties' of people today and especially the poor and all who suffer;

articulated around every person's desire for their own fulfillment in the light of the horizons which the Paschal Event has opened for all people; that it clearly be Theology, and therefore nurtured by Holy Scripture and rooted in the mystery of Christ;

ready to confront promptly and lovingly the problems which our fast moving society presents, always seeking to provide meaningful and helpful responses;

pastoral in regards to conscience, making concrete that ecclesial service that 'seeks its own strength - its own hidden foundation - not so much in doctrinal statements and pastoral appeals to vigilance, as much as in 'keeping one's gaze fixed on the Lord Jesus' knowing that 'only in Him will the true and definitive answers to our moral dilemmas be found'.

All of this, however, in an atmosphere of simplicity and dialogue, so as to allow the students to feel truly welcomed and valued and thus, become motivated to continue their pursuit of moral theology.

Father Martin McKeever:

Father McKeever was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1958. The fourth of nine children, he learned early in life what it means to live with others in limited space! At that time political violence was rampant in Northern Ireland so that his early childhood memories are marked with memories of fire, blood and fear. By the grace of God, the warmth and security of family life compensated for this sad context and it was possible to have a reasonably normal childhood and youth. His father worked as a scaffolder, often on church spires. At that time children of 11 years had to take an exam which more or less determined their academic future. One happy memory he has is the day he went with some of his sisters to the Church spire where his father was working in order to wave up to him the letter announcing that he had (barely!) passed the exam. Not having had the opportunity to study themselves, his parents sacrificed themselves constantly so that all their children could continue their education to whatever level they chose. It is from their example that they are the source from which he drew a deep desire to help others in their academic growth.

In his own words:

At the age of sixteen I had my first major contact with Redemptorists through the youth ministry at St. Clement's Retreat House, Belfast. It was during this contact that I first felt the desire to be a Redemptorist in the sense of wanting to do what I saw Redemptorists doing in this ministry. At University College Galway I had the opportunity of studying Philosophy and Literature before going on to theology studies. I will always be grateful for this in that it allowed me to approach theology aware of a wider range of questions than I could otherwise have been. Another major phase in my life was a two-year placement in youth ministry in the Cologne Province of the Redemptorists in Germany.

When I first came to Rome in 1985, as an undergraduate student, it was simply with a view to learning Italian. Thanks to the understanding and imagination of my superiors in Ireland, my requests to learn various Western European languages were always accepted and supported. Having acquired some competence in French and German, I was delighted to discover "la lingua più bella del mondo"! It was a case of love at first sight…more than thirty years have passed since that first visit and I can say that I have come to love Italy and the Italian language.

After ordination in 1987 I was appointed to youth work in Cork, Ireland. While enjoying this ministry, I was convinced from the beginning that my calling was to the academic life. To this end, I came to Rome in 1989 to do the license in the Alphonsian Academy. In those days the physical conditions of the buildings and the resources of the library etc. were much more modest, but there was a sense of seriousness about study and thought which appealed to me. Thanks to the patience of Prof. Raponi and Prof. Cappelletto for the licentiate thesis, and then to Prof. Johnstone and Prof. Cipriani (from the Augustinianum) at doctoral level, I was later able to finish my doctoral thesis entitled "The Cardinal Desiderative Power of the Self-directing Subject: an ethical exegesis of voluntas in St. Augustine's De libero arbitrio". Having taught moral theology for some years in Ireland at the Kimmage Mission Institute and at the Pontifical University of Maynooth, I was eventually appointed to teach in Rome in 1997.

When I got to the Academy I was shown a large, empty, dusty room and told that I should go about making it into a study and living space. Thanks to the generosity and encouragement of Profs. Hidber and Cannon, I was soon settled in and ready to begin my research and the preparation of courses. The area assigned to me was political thought within the ambit of social ethics. In the ten years in which I have been teaching and researching in this field I have had the opportunity to learn a great deal and I hope to communicate some of it to others. One of the most important aspects of life here for me has been a long process of experimentation with academic method. Since my time as a student, I was convinced of the inadequacy of the "banking model"of education. I have found that students at this level are capable of directly confronting texts of great thinkers such as Augustine and Thomas, rather than simply hearing others talk about them. Among my happiest memories of life at the Academy are those of having to moderate heated debates about justice and truth between impassioned students from all over the world.

For the last six years (2001-2007) I have been editor of our academic journal Studia Moralia. This work has made me very conscious of the need for serious research in the field of moral theology. The only way to enhance the Academy's profile on the global scene is through quality publications which are the fruit of research and international collaboration.

In May I was appointed President of the Academy. While remaining convinced that my primary vocation is to study, I am happy to attempt this administrative task. Confident of the support of the students, the administrative staff, the colleagues and the various authorities involved, I approach this role with hope and vigor. I hope to promote a spirit of academic seriousness in a humane and cordial social context. Allow me to conclude these reflections by thanking in anticipation all those who from within the Academy or from elsewhere will help in facing the serious challenges ahead.

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PHOTO GALLERY (on-line only)

1. The Province of Indonesia celebrates 50 years of the "Peoples' Mission".

2. Father General, amidst the confreres, speaks to the assembly at the 50th anniversary liturgy in Indonesia.

3. Father Sabatino Majorano, C.Ss.R., outgoing President of the Alphonsianum Academy.

4. Father Martin McKeever, C.Ss.R., incoming President of the Alphonsianum Academy.

5. Redemptorists and Laity celebrate the 100 years of the Redemptorists in Piura, Peru.

6. The annual procession in Piura celebrating the feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

7. El Espino, Spain celebrates its 25th anniversary of ministry to youth with a symbolic "holy door"ceremony.

8. The faithful gather at Espino to help celebrate the Jubilee year of its mission to youth.

9. Redemptorist Jubilarians of São Paulo at Aparecida bless the assembly with the icon of the Virgen of Aparecida.

10. Participants of the Limerick Youth Congress from all over Europe and many other countries.

11. The "mural"conceived by Father Jan Haen and executed by all the participants of the Youth Congress.

12. The participants of the Limerick You Congress pose at the end of the Congress in the shape of a heart to demonstrate God's crazy love for us!

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