Month: November 2018

11/15/18 Associates Meeting: Constitutions and Statutes

Redemptorists form “one missionary body … each contributing through the ministry that belongs to [them].” * 

 * Constitution 2 of the Constitutions of the Congregation

“[The rule’s] a small book but the party’s on the inside.”

– Lee Morrison

Lee Morrison presented Anne Walsh’s video, “Constitutions and Statutes,” the professed Redemptorist’s “rule of life.” The rule is important to understand because it inspires our connections – to professed Redemptorists, to Redemptorist Spirituality and ultimately to our place, as associates, in the Redemptorists’ “one missionary body.” 

[Click Here to play the video.  You can use this list of topics and times  to help locate a particular part.]

Listen to Lee’s introduction to Anne’s video and the group’s discussion below.

 Lee’s introductions
 The  group’s discussion

Lee also provided two handouts:  Anne’s Slides  and a list of helpful suggestions to foster group discussions. Lee also reminded us that online links to the CSSR: Constitutions and CSSR: General Statutes appear  on every oldassociates.net web page (on the right listed under “CSSR Links”).

Fr Paul Coury opened the meeting with a beautiful “Alphonsian” Prayer of Healing. It’s a prayer, he suggests, we might well spend an entire session on:

Opening Prayer of Healing

Fr Paul also announced that, as of Oct. 31st, Partners in Mission (“PIM”) – and Redemptorist Associates, as a form of PIM – are now “officially” part of the North American Conference via its new  “Secretariat for PIM” with Fr Greg May representing the Denver Province on the Secretariat.  More importantly for us, the “Draft” Guidelines describing Redemptorist Associates have been formally adopted..

Desert Reflections: Veterans Day

Woodrow Wilson proclaimed “Armistice Day” (now called “Veterans Day”) November 11, 1919 to remember the sacrifices of all who had served – both living and dead – in the “The Great War” concluded just one year earlier. One hundred years after the armistice was signed at Compiègne (France), Veterans Day honors not only WWI ‘vets’ but all those who serve or who have served in the armed forces… Thanks to you all – including Fr Peter! Thank you for your service!

Today’s Readings 

A bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant, not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to the true message.
TI 1:1-9

“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur.”
LK 17:1-6

11/1/18 Associates Meeting: Founding the Redemptorists

 “On November 9, 1732, in his beloved Scala, St. Alphonsus Liguori founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ announcing the Good News to the poor. He was 36 years old. His life became one of mission and service to the most abandoned. The Congregation was approved by Benedict XIV on February 25, 1749.”

That’s Fr Paul’s short version of the foundation.  Listen below for the more detailed discussion he led at the November 1st associates meeting.