General Visitation to London Province
The General Visitation of London Province of the Redemptorists started on 11th November and it lasted until 3rd of December 2013. The Visit was conducted by Frs. João Pedro Fernandes (General Consultor) and Jacek Zdrzałek – Coordinator of CRE.
There are 57 Redemptorists in London Province (1 bishop, 51 fathers, 3 brothers and 2 professed seminarians). There are also 2 non-professed seminarians who are studying philosophy in London.
The visitors had the possibility to visit all 8 communities as well as to meet some Redemptorists who are working alone. Despite the reality that it is an ageing Province, Redemptorists are continuing to live in the tradition of the heritage they have received, of preaching the gospel with passion.
The confreres continue to maintain a variety of ministries such as parishes, pastoral centres, a publication house, the ministries of retreats and mission preaching as well as the work of formation and vocations. Their work for the abandoned poor through the Ace of Clubs project in London or John Paul Center in Middlesbrough are also outstanding.
The work of the two renewal centers (in Hawkstone and Kinnoull) perform an important ministry in the formation of lay people, clergy and religious. Perth serves as a training and renewal center for Scotland while Hawkstone ministers to the needs of religious and clergy from around the world.
“Redemptorist Publications” reaches out to thousands through its weekly bulletins and publications. The efforts at an ecumenical outreach are also well known in UK acrosss the country.
The Province is on its way of restructuring. The Province decided to reduce its size to three apostolic communities, one in London, one in Liverpool and one in Perth and to continue the work in Redemptorist Publication.
These communities, strengthened with a greater number of confreres in each, will have more energy for living an authentic Redemptorist apostolic life, for establish new mission teams and for developing new forms of evangelising in collaboration with other Provinces where possible.
The London Province has long and beautiful history and it will celebrate the jubilee of 150 years as this Province in 2015.
Some data from the History of the London Province:
The first Redemptorists came to Britain in 1843. The Province was erected on 24 May 1865.
In 1882, the Province sent six Redemptorists to start the first foundation in Australia.
In 1898, the Irish houses of the province were made an independent province, and the Australian houses were put under the authority of the new Irish province.
In 1912, the then called English Province started a Vice-Province in South Africa, which became a province in 1989.
In 1989, the residences of the South-African Vice-Province in Zimbabwe became a Region of the London Province.
