Albania
From Albania: “Change means opening up”
Lent is a time of change, and in our Interprovincial Mission of Albania, there have been some new developments at the beginning of the time of preparation for Easter. On Sunday, February 28, Fr. Andrzej Michon began his ministry as pastor of the Parish of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori in Kamëz. The Sunday Eucharist was presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tirana-Durrës, Msgr. George Frendo OP, who reminded the faithful that the presence of the Redemptorist Missionaries in the periphery of the capital of the country is a great...
read moreChristmas 2020 – Letter of the Coordinator (22.12.2020)
„The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9: 1 . Dear confreres, Dear partners in mission, The year 2020 put us all in a completely unexpected situation. The Covid-19 pandemic has given us experiences that were surprising and completely new. Such a massive threat to the health of all people from an infectious disease is unexpected in our societies. We in Europe have seen from a distance that there have been epidemics on other continents. But it...
read more‘Fratelli Tutti’ read from Albania
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to say goodbye to the Apostolic Nuncio in Albania, who has been assigned to the Philippines after three years of service in the so-called ‘Land of Eagles.’ In this farewell meeting, the Nuncio highlighted Albanian society’s values, in comparison with his native society, the United States. It is true that Albania, as a kind of island, still conserves many social values that are disappearing in the more developed West: the strength of family ties and respect for traditions. With a not naïve look, it could...
read moreJohn Paul II birth anniversary marked in Bathore, Albania
On April 18, the sculpture of St. John Paul II was introduced to the church in Bathore, Albania, to mark Pope’s 100th birth anniversary. The sculpture of the head of St. John Paul II, made by artist Mumtas Dhrami, was donated by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tirana. At the ceremony of the presentation of the sculpture in the church, there were present Karol Bachura, Ambassador, and Rakip Suli, Mayor of Kamëz. In his commemorative speech, the Ambassador emphasized the great concern of John Paul II for the respect of human dignity in...
read moreChrist is not in quarantine in Albania
On April 27th, there was celebrated the feast day of the Patroness of Albania, Our Lady of Good Counsel whose image was always on the desk of our father St. Alphonsus. There have been no celebrations in the churches since March 12, but the faithful preserve and cultivate their faith, especially the family rosary. Since the beginning of the quarantine, every day of the week the bishop prays the rosary on Radio Maria, in the evening, and many celebrations are broadcasted on the internet. We celebrate in the two main parishes and a cloistered...
read moreLetter of the Coordinator – Christmas 2019
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests. (Luke 2, 14) Rome, December 22, 2019 Dear Confreres, dear Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer, dear Partners in Mission, In these days we saw the picture of a crib in the Redemptorist mission in Albania, which I also include in this Christmas letter: It shows Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who is born in the ruins and the destruction of our world. It is a picture that is realistic and at the same it is a testimony to the hope we live on: in many...
read moreMove for Albania
Albania Solidarity Campaign organized by Redemptorist of Madrid In this time of Advent, the Association for Solidarity, a Redemptorist NGO of the Province of Madrid has started the traditional Christmas Campaign in many of Redemptorist communities. This year’s motto is “Move for Albania”. End of November Nature hit this country with an earthquake, in a very close area of our Redemptorist mission of Kámez (Albania). Faced with this situation we want to show solidarity and join the support and concern of so many people of goodwill who want to...
read moreEarthquake in Albania: families no longer have homes…
Letter from the Redemptorist Mission of Kamëz, Albania Dear friends: In Albania, there were several earthquakes on the night of November 26th. The number of victims rises to 35 (there are likely to be more) and more than 600 injured. Families affected by the collapse of homes are being treated in Durres and Thumanë, the two most affected areas, where people continue to arrive. The night was quiet, although many families chose to sleep in the car or on the road for greater security. On November 27, we were in Thumanë (about 20 km from the...
read moreEuropean Redemptorist Mission Camp in the Mission of Albania
The European Redemptorist Missionary Camp officially started in the Albanian Mission on Sunday 7th of July. This volunteering mission experience will take place over two weeks starting from 7 to 21 July 2019. The interprovincial community of Albania, after the European Meeting of Redemptorists GRANADA 2018, decided to open its doors to the young people who participated in it, as part of the journey that the Redemptorist vocational youth ministry carries out throughout the European continent, even to the Conference level. In the European...
read moreA different Holy Week in Albania
The Passover Triduum has been a Passover for many years, last year I was fortunate to witness the whole Holy Week in a Cistercian monastery in Cóbreces, Santander. This year I was in Albania. Albania is a country where we Catholics are a minority. However, it is also a country where all creeds are respected, and, without being any official religion of the State. All have their most important days designated as civil celebrations. In this way, although Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are normal and school days for students; Easter...
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