By Fr David Purcell, C.Ss.R.
St. Alphonsus inspired by the Spirit one day wrote to his confreres in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer…“Do not doubt that the Congregation will continue until the Day of Judgement…after my death it will spread its wings and develop especially toward the north countries.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori by Théodule Rey-Mermet, p. 680) We know that his prophetic vision has been fulfilled. Our Congregation spread north of Italy and then out to many cultures throughout the world!
This year, I was in Toronto for the Easter Triduum. There I had, in a “dim sum” kind of way, an awesome experience of this gift of our Congregation!
On Holy Thursday I was inspired by a German and English celebration at St. Patrick Church. Then again on Easter Sunday as you can see in the pictures, several Redemptorists celebrated in German.
I celebrated Good Friday with people in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish. This is what things looked like on Easter Sunday with Fr. Peter Chin C.Ss.R. presiding.
Easter Vigil was an amazing celebration in Spanish at La Parroquia San Juan Bautista (see bottom 2 pictures).
As I celebrated with all these different cultural groups and in different languages, I was also taken up in prayer with confreres across the country who were also celebrating Easter in Cree, French, Ukrainian, Polish, Vietnamese, and other languages. I was reminded that not only in the Roman Rite, but also in the Ukrainian Rite, Syro-Malabar, and with Catholic Slovaks of the Byzantine Rite, Redemptorists were celebrating Easter in Canada.
Wow! I am glad to share this moment of pride in the Redemptorists with you.
Kristos Voskres! Voistinu voskres!
