St. Alphonsus Liguori

The best way to introduce the Redemptorists is to identify the person who gave them their start: St. Alphonsus Liguori, a man of warmth and compassion as well as great determination. Even though he belonged to another time and place (18th-century Southern Italy), the main lines of his life story have been duplicated many times in the lives of his Redemptorists sons.

Looking for something more

Alphonsus was a former lawyer who became a missionary priest. His change of lifestyle startled a lot of people. His family had their hearts set on his becoming the most prominent lawyer in Naples, and after practicing law for eight years he was well on his way to reaching that goal. In spite of his success, however, Alphonsus was not truly happy; he felt there was something more that he was meant to do with his life.

A dramatic discovery

As he struggled with the question of what he should do, Alphonsus began to pray intently. He developed a deep love for the Person of Jesus and his Mother, Mary. Along with this came a new appreciation of the meaning of "redemption." Journeying outside the familiar environment of his home city, he came in contact with the "hill people" in the interior of the country, who lived in dismal poverty. What shocked Alphonsus more than anything else was that they were abandoned even spiritually. Even though nominally Christian, they were for all practical purposes ignored by the Church. As a result, many of them lived without faith and without hope.

Sharing the dream

Alphonsus became convinced of the need for a new missionary thrust, which would concentrate on bringing the "good news of redemptions' to the poor and abandoned. He shared his dream with a few close friends. In 1732, in the hill town of Scala, near Amalfi, Italy, he gathered some companions who were willing to dedicate themselves to this mission. This was the beginning of what became a worldwide community of priests and brothers, the "Missionary Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer."

We're Redemptorist priest and brothers. We actively try to live the example of Christ the Redeemer, and to meet the needs of the most abandoned.