Vocation Reflections by the Redemptorists and the Redemptoristines

Constitution 20 makes it clear who a REDEMPTORIST MISSIONARY is.

“Strong in faith, rejoicing in hope, burning with charity, on fire with zeal, in humility of heart and persevering in prayer, Redemptorists as apostolic men and genuine disciples of Saint Alphonsus follow Christ the Redeemer with hearts full of joy; denying themselves and always ready to undertake what is demanding, they share in the mystery of Christ and proclaim it in Gospel simplicity of life and language, that they may bring to people plentiful redemption.”

God calls everyone to experience the fullness of life shown to us in and through Jesus Christ. All are called to holiness of life. The vast majority of Catholics are called to the lay vocation. This vocation is not somehow less than either the religious or priestly vocations, for God does not call any of his people to something second rate. The laity, grounded in his or her baptismal call to reveal Jesus Christ to the world. They are called to participate in bringing the whole world to God (Christifideles Laici no.1). He or she does this either as a married person or as a single person, each state of life bringing with it its particular focus and genius.

In his Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, St John Paul II named the consecrated man or woman as the icon of the transfigured Christ. In religious imagery, an icon is a depiction of the sacred or divine that represents and participates in the reality that it is depicting. It is a window into the divine. By making this comparison, Pope John Paul reminded us all that those called to this vocation are given to the Church and the world to remind us of the presence of the divine amongst us.

The Irish Redemptorist confreres and the Redemptoristines shared their understanding of vocation with us. We are called to share the beautiful life we have received from God in responding to the service of humanity in the best way possible. We too have a responsibility to work for vocations to carry out the works entrusted to us as envisioned by our founder St. Alphonsus de Liguori. We pray that many young men and women may come forward to witness and share the joy and the love of God to the needy.