Called to community IN THIS EDITION:Provincial’s Preface page 2Superior General visits page 5Redemptorist

Jubilarians page 6Joy of “Fatherhood” page 9

A PUBLICATION OF THEREDEMPTORIST OFFICE FOR

MISSION ADVANCEMENT

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2010

Fr. James Szobonya (above) offers one of his first priestly blessings to Fr. PhilipDabney. (Top right) Candidates for the priesthood lie prostrate during an ordinationliturgy in the Redemptorist chapel in Esopus, NY. (page 6)

ROMA and Redemptorist Archives

One of the most sacred places in theUnited States is Arlington NationalCemetery, just outside our nation’scapital. Lined up, as if in militaryformation, are row upon row of stonesmarking the resting places of men andwomen who served in the military.Many of them died in action.

One of the most visited areas of thecemetery is the Tomb of the UnknownSoldier. Twenty-four hours a day, 365days a year, whatever the weather, asoldier marches back and forth inhonor of this and all American soldierswho have died for our nation. Thewords inscribed on the tomb are:“Here Rests in Honored Glory AnAmerican Soldier Known But to God.”

The Redemptorists have a large,well-kept cemetery on our property atMount St. Alphonsus Retreat House inEsopus, NY. For almost 90 years, themagnificent building and propertywas the home of our seminary.Countless Redemptorists, who servedall over the world, were ordained in thebeautiful Romanesque chapel. Thecemetery is next to a baseball fieldwhere many of the now-buried menonce played as seminarians.

White stones, etched with dates ofbirth, profession of vows, ordination(if the man was a priest), and date ofdeath, mark the graves. A few havesmall American flags on them, placedby the local VFW in honor of the menwho served as chaplains. Others haveflowers or plants on them, brought byfamily or friends. Most are plain, withno decoration but the green grass ofthe Hudson Valley.

I wonder if we might speak aboutthe grave of the unknown priest.Granted, the names and dates arethere on the stone, but nothing else.His family and friends may be longdead, and so, too, the thousands oflives blessed by his priesthood.

The stones do not tell us that hebaptized thousands of children inBrazil, that he comforted dying peoplein Puerto Rico, and that he fought forjustice in the Dominican Republic.

They do not tell us that he marchedfor universal civil rights with Dr.Martin Luther King Jr., that he starteda school or hospital clinic that is stillproviding for the poor, or that hepreached words of comfort at a funeralto a family who lost a child.

They do not tell us that he gavehope to people during the two GreatWorld Wars, the death of PresidentJohn F. Kennedy, and the dark days ofSeptember 11.

They do not tell us that hecelebrated numerous joyful weddingson sunny June days, and that heforgave sins and brought God’scomforting peace through confession.

Words similar to those at Arlingtoncome to mind: “Here Rest In ForgottenMemory Redemptorists Whose GoodWorks Are Known But To God.”

Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, hasjust closed the Year for Priests (the yearended June 11). Maybe we’ve neededthis year. The last 25 years or so haveseen the struggles of declining churchattendance, fewer vocations, and theterrible reality of the sexual abusecrisis.

As Provincial of more than 150priests in the Baltimore Province, inspite of the difficult days we are facing,our men are happy being Redemp-torists, they love their vocations, andthey find joy in serving the Lord’s people.

I ask you to say a prayer for thepriest who baptized you, gave youyour First Communion, married you,buried your mother, and forgave yoursins.

And before you end that prayer,pray for the Redemptorists, and praythat more young men will join us andfind this joy.

Very Rev. Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R.

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PROVINCIAL’SPREFACE

Plentiful Redemption © 2010

Redemptorist Office for Mission Advancement7401 German Hill Road, Second FloorBaltimore, MD 21222-1347

editor@redemptorists.net

410-288-8755 fax: 410-288-8757

Editorial Board:Rev. Matthew Allman, C.Ss.R.Rev. Andrew Costello, C.Ss.R.Rev. Daniel Francis, C.Ss.R.Elizabeth Góral-MakowskiStephanie TracyKathy Wagner

I remember how hot it was. We hadarrived at the rectory the night before,and I probably slept all of two hours.Okay, maybe some of it was nervesbut there was no air conditioning inmy room, and there was not a hintof a breeze blowing anywhere near5th and Girard at St. Peter'sChurch/St. John Neumann Shrine inPhiladelphia! It was the eve of my firstprofession of vows, September 7, 1985.

Next morning, just beforeMass, someone had the idea to give

our mothers roses and we rushed across the street to the florist. What a scene thatmust've been — seven habited men with rosaries aflutter.

I wish I could tell you that during the sung Litany of Saints my mind was elevatedto the holiness of Redemptorist life, the practice of the virtues, and perfect fraternalcharity. Instead, I was wondering if my habit was crooked, my collar correct, if myone brother finally arrived, and why was it so hot!

But then again I would never have imagined the places the Lord (and a fewprovincials) would send me: inner-city Philadelphia, Appalachia (Kentucky),Covenant House (New York), and the Dominican Republic. I was a parish priest inEast Harlem, and then preached missions and retreats in nearly 30 states and sevencountries on five continents. I really became a RedempTOURIST!

Well, if you've done the math, I have been a Redemptorist for 25 years now. Aquarter-of-a-century later, I can still remember the Responsorial Psalm we sang(116): “My vows to the Lord I will fulfill in the presence of all his people.”

The words of profession specify that we will be faithful to these vows “with thehelp of my confreres.” Yes, even though some of them have left, I am so grateful tomy classmates who helped hew and hone me into this family of Redemptorists. Ithink of, and thank God for, the friends I've met over the years (most whilepreaching missions), the spiritual directors, confessors, and older “brothers” in theOrder.

“With the help of my confreres,” I said then. And it's still true. But now I add,“with the help of our donors.” I, we Redemptorists, need your help more than ever.The heat I felt 25 years ago perhaps was a symbol of the warmth and gratitude I feelnow for your generosity.

If our ministries are to continue and grow, we look to you to assist us as we continueto grow our ministries. Please consider making a donation, no matter the size. Theenvelope in the middle is one way. Another way — secure and swift — is onlineat redemptorists.net. Look for the “Donate Now” button.

In gratitude to the Lord for the gifts of my vocation, my confreres, and you,

Rev. Daniel Francis, C.Ss.R.

Editor’s note: Fr. Daniel and the Redemptorists recently invited several donors in the New York City/Brooklyn area to a reception to thank them for their support of our missionover the years. The photos on this page will give you a glimpse of the evening.

Advancing the Mission

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St. Alphonsus on the Eucharist: Presence

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St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) had a deep love for the Eucharist. It was central to his life and to the very existence of theRedemptorist Congregation he founded. If prayer, for him, was the “great means of salvation,” then the Eucharist was the “greatsacrament of salvation.” Alphonsus saw this sacrament as the great prayer to the Father, the act of worship par excellence, ofChrist’s Mystical Body, the Church. It placed those celebrating it in close contact with the great mysteries of God’s saving plan forhumanity. Alphonsus had a very deep, multi-dimensional understanding of this sacrament, one that revolved around four keynotions: sacrifice, presence, communion, and priesthood.

Reflection Questions• How would you describe the Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence? How does the Church describe it in the Catechism?

• What do you find easy or difficult to accept in this doctrine? Has this belief had a concrete impact on your practice of the Faith? If so, how? • Do you often visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? Is there anything holding you back from doing so?

• How do you bring the presence of Christ to others in their daily lives?

In addition to sacrifice, Alphonsusalso firmly believed in the doctrine ofthe Real Presence. He upheld thetraditional Catholic teaching that withthe words of consecration the breadand wine offered by the priest at Masswere transformed (“transubstantiated,”to use the proper term) into the bodyand blood of Jesus’ resurrected andglorified body. He asserted that Jesuslay hidden in the Blessed Sacramentday and night to dispense graces andto show his love for us.

After receiving the sacraments, hebelieved that adoring Jesus in theBlessed Sacrament was the best wayany of us could please God. He alsomaintained that doing so wasspiritually beneficial: a person wasbound to become more Christ-likewhen he or she spent quality prayer-time in the Lord’s presence.

Alphonsus developed his thoughtson the Real Presence and of theimportance of visiting Jesus in the

Blessed Sacrament in his populardevotional classic, Visits to the MostHoly Sacrament and to Most Holy Mary(published in 1745). He held that byvisiting Jesus in this way we were ableto speak to him as one friend toanother.

In this small collection of meditations,Alphonsus used many examples fromthe lives of the saints to support hisbelief, but in no way did he wish toimply that this close, intimaterelationship with the Redeemer waspossible only for a select few. On thecontrary, he firmly believed that such arelationship was meant for everyone.

In The Visits, Alphonsus showed usa practical way of fostering ourpersonal relationship with Jesus byinsisting that we should treat him aswe would any other close friend, thatis, by paying him a visit! He realizedthat such regular visits to the BlessedSacrament could not be exactly thesame as the normal friendships we

share in the human community. Hedid put his finger, however, on severalsimilarities: preparation, dialogue,expressions of gratitude, frequency,and order — to name a few.

A good visit with a close friendnormally has a ritualistic dimension toit that has developed over a longperiod of time. Friends draw closer toeach other by doing again and againthe same things they have done foryears. Alphonsus recognized thisritualistic dimension of humanfriendship and applied it to ourfriendship with Jesus in the BlessedSacrament.

For Alphonsus, visiting Jesus in theBlessed Sacrament was a concrete wayof nurturing our relationship with himoutside the strict confines of sacra-mental worship. It takes little effort torecognize the relevance of his thinkingfor today. Jesus still remains present inthe Blessed Sacrament. He still yearnsfor our friendship. He still desires us tovisit with him. All we need to do is tostep out in faith and talk to him.

Fr. Billy, a Redemptorist of the BaltimoreProvince, taught the history of moral theologyand Christian spirituality for more than 20years at the Alphonsian Academy of Rome’sPontifical Lateran University. Currentlyscholar-in-residence and John Cardinal KrolChair of Moral Theology at St. CharlesBorromeo Seminary, as well as the KarlRahner Professor of Catholic Theology at theGraduate Theological Foundation, Fr. Billyhas authored or edited more than 25 booksand has written extensively in the area ofAlphonsian spirituality.

By Rev. Dennis J. Billy, C.Ss.R. Second in a four-part series

5

In August, the Redemptorists will celebrate the creation of a new province within the worldwide Congregation. Missionariesfrom the Baltimore Province first arrived in Paraguay 80 years ago, and established the Vice Province of Asunción. Father PedroSanabria, current vice-provincial, reflects here on the growth of the Redemptorists in Paraguay.

NEWS &NOTES

Superior General visitsNorth America

Read more news from the Baltimore Province, listen to daily audio homilies, sign up for regular e-mail alerts, find us on Facebook and Twitter — visit redemptorists.net.

In March, the Baltimore Provincehosted Superior General Michael Brehl,General Consultor Brother Jeffrey Rolle,and leaders from other Redemptoristprovinces in North America for twodays of meetings to discuss thedecisions of last fall’s General Chapter.The meetings were held March 9-10 atSan Alfonso Retreat House in LongBranch, NJ, and concluded with a Massand dinner.

Most Rev. Michael Brehl (left) and Brother Jeffrey Rolle, general consultor ROMA

Fr. Pedro Sanabria: There will be55 members in the new province,including 12 professed students, whowill serve in inner-city and ruralparishes, and more than 10elementary and high schools. They will continue our Redemptoristtradition of extraordinary preaching(in Portuguese, Guarani, and Spanish)with novenas, retreats, and a radio andTV apostolate. We also will be sendingmissionaries to Uruguay, a pastoraleffort which involves Redemptoristsfrom other provinces.

The first 20 years of the Redemp-torists’ work in Paraguay involved onlyAmerican Redemptorists; the next 40involved joint efforts of American andyoung Paraguayan confreres. For thepast 20 years the “natives” have

become more andmore responsible forthe pastoral workand the formationof our students.

We are grateful forthe large number of men fromthe BaltimoreProvince whoheroically dedicated their lives invery tough conditions to preach theWord of God. But, most importantly,they created a sense of mission ingenerations of Redemptorists and laypeople.

This missionary spirit is visible in allthe work of the new Province. Parishes,both inner-city and rural, are set in afrontier-type situation: good people

lacking spiritual formation and basiceducational skills, in economically-

depressed areas, places where the local Church has one

sure bet — the sons ofSt. Alphonsus.

With the creationof the Province of

Paraguay, we celebratea new sense of growth,

embrace new challengesand, hopefully, foster a

renewal of that missionary spirit thatinspired our confreres 80 years agowhen they first arrived here.

The Province of Paraguay: A new reality

PARAGUAY

Luyen Dau makes his final profession of vows as a Redemptorist.

ROMA

As a young Redemptorist, Brother Raphael Rock spent his daysdoing whatever needed to be done. Everything was a prayer. As hecelebrates the 60th anniversary of his profession, Brother Raphael isn’tbusy with maintenance worker chores anymore, but work remains aprayer, and he’s still doing whatever needs to be done.

Br. Raphael: I grew up in Sacred Heart Parish in Baltimore. Therewere three Redemptorist Brothers here — Brothers Aloysius,Ignatius, and Rupert. Two of them worked in the office, and BrotherRupert was the cook. I used to help out in the office. A RedemptoristBrother makes work a prayer. Whatever you’re doing it’s a prayer.That’s what struck me — that I could do what I like to do and do itas a prayer. And you’re a member of the community.

I spent 35 years at our seminary in Esopus — I rewired the wholebuilding. And then I came down to Baltimore and was asked to starta maintenance program. I’m not doing that kind of work anymore.Now it’s like I’m winding down, but as long as I’m able to dosomething I’ll do it.

I go to the soup kitchen, Beans and Bread, three times a week toserve the meals. I also pick up donations for them. And I visit anursing home once a week to see a gentleman I met when mymother was there. He’s a Baptist and he’s paralyzed — fell in hishouse and broke his neck. He was curious about what I do all day.He asked me to type up some of the prayers I pray every day. He hada nurse put them up on the wall so he can turn his head and readthem.

And I’ve been making rosaries for about 30 years. I make themand I leave it up to the Blessed Mother to promote them. I’ve sentthem to Florida, Ohio, New York, and now California.

I had my time at other work; this work is more spiritual work thanputting in a boiler. I love the life and I wouldn’t exchange it foranything.

Making work a prayer

Together in mission:

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These priests and brothers are celebrating significant anniversaries of their profession asRedemptorists and/or their ordination to the priesthood. Please join us in thanking God for the giftof their ministry and pray for their continued faithfulness in service to God’s people.

Anniversary of Profession

70 YearsRev. John Salamon, C.Ss.R.

65 YearsRev. Karl Aschmann, C.Ss.R.Very Rev. Eugene Grohe, C.Ss.R.Rev. Carl Hoegerl, C.Ss.R.

60 YearsRev. John Bauer, C.Ss.R.Rev. Andrew Carr, C.Ss.R.Rev. Thomas Lacey, C.Ss.R.Rev. Gerard Oberle, C.Ss.R.Br. Raphael Rock, C.Ss.R.Rev. William Tracy, C.Ss.R.Rev. Donald Winter, C.Ss.R.

50 YearsRev. John Connor, C.Ss.R.Rev. Andrew Costello, C.Ss.R.Rev. Thomas Deely, C.Ss.R.Br. John Bosco Hammond,

C.Ss.R.Rev. Lawrence Kearns, C.Ss.R.Rev. Clement Krug, C.Ss.R.

Redemptorist Jubilarians

The hands of a priest

7

Redemptorists celebrate their call

Was I surprised! So many well-wishers grabbed my hands and almostforcibly kissed them. They obviouslyunderstood the power of a priest’shands. It was something I soonlearned.

During the sacrament of HolyOrders, the bishop generouslysmeared holy oil on my hands andprayed that God would use them tocomfort his people. Then he tied myhands together with linen bindings asif to keep the blessing from gettingaway.

I will always remember how mymother kept those bindings in a secureplace. She jealously guarded them sothat they would be used to bind herhands when she died. For her, thebindings were kind of the price ofadmission to heaven.

Holy Orders passes on real power inan unbroken continuity from Christthrough the apostles to the ordainingbishop. It would be wrong for me tothink that the power is mine. It is not.

Rather, Christ himself works in andthrough the hands of a priest. Thepower is Christ’s and, as an ordainedpriest, he uses my hands for his lovingwork among his people, the Church.

If I bless someone with the sign ofthe cross, Christ blesses that person. IfI do not bless them, that person goeswithout Christ’s blessing. That’s howChrist makes use of priests acting inharmony with him.

When I greet Mass-goers as theyleave church, almost all ask myblessing and sometimes, when theyare sick or about to undergo anoperation, they ask me to lay myhands on them. Mothers present theirbabies for me to touch and bless. Imake the sign of the cross and it

remindsme wherethe graceis comingfrom. I am an instrument, a channelthrough which the divine touches thehuman.

The faithful bring religious objectsfor me to bless. The blessing does notchange the objects; it confers God’sblessing on the use of the object. Goduses the hands of a priest to be calledinto action.

By Rev. Gerard Brinkmann, C.Ss.R.

Rev. Anthony Russo, C.Ss.R.Rev. Arthur Tuttle, C.Ss.R.Rev. Terence Wall, C.Ss.R.

40 YearsRev. Alistair McKay, C.Ss.R.Very Rev. John McKenna, C.Ss.R.

25 YearsRev. Daniel Francis, C.Ss.R.Very Rev. Patrick Keyes, C.Ss.R.Rev. Fulvio Lopez, C.Ss.R.Rev. Jose Rodriguez, C.Ss.R.Rev. Ramón Valdez, C.Ss.R.

Anniversary of Ordination

65 YearsRev. John Salamon, C.Ss.R.

60 YearsRev. Karl Aschmann, C.Ss.R.Rev. Eugene Grohe, C.Ss.R.Rev. Carl Hoegerl, C.Ss.R.

50 YearsRev. John Furey, C.Ss.R.Rev. William Gaffney, C.Ss.R.Rev. James Geiger, C.Ss.R.

Rev. Theodore Heyburn C.Ss.R.Rev. Ruskin Piedra, C.Ss.R.

40 YearsVery Rev. Raymond Collins,

C.Ss.R.Very Rev. Kevin Moley, C.Ss.R.Rev. Jóse Rached, C.Ss.RVery Rev. Thomas Siconolfi,

C.Ss.R.Rev. James Wallace, C.Ss.R.

25 YearsRev. Terry Baez, C.Ss.R.Rev. James Dowds, C.Ss.R.Very Rev. Mark Owen, C.Ss.R.Very Rev. Glenn Parker,

C.Ss.R.Very Rev. John Tizio, C.Ss.R.

On the WebRead more reflections at

redemptorists.net. Click onNews & Events.

�

(continued on page 10)

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Priest. Prophet. King. The waters ofBaptism call each of us into union withGod, and to the mission and ministry ofChrist on earth. It is our common, sacredbond to God and to each other. We are allcalled to be and to bring the Good Newsto all areas of our lives, whether we’remarried or single, consecrated religious,or priests.

Redemptorists deepen their bap-tismal call through the promises theymake at profession. St. Alphonsus saw allRedemptorists, no matter what they do,as true missionaries. Their selfless dedi-cation to parish ministry, extraordinarypreaching, prayer, and working with thepoor and abandoned bring God’s love,mercy, and healing to so many.

Some of these zealous missionaries,who have touched so many souls both inthe United States and beyond, areelderly or infirm. And yet, from walkers,wheelchairs, and hospital beds, theyfaithfully continue their mission throughtheir sacrifices and prayers.

The Redemptorists are dedicated tocaring for the physical and spiritualneeds of our elderly and infirm brothersand priests. Please consider a gift to helpsupport these missionaries. Your gift, nomatter the size, will help these men andhonor their continuing service to theChurch.

Please use the enclosed envelope oryou may donate securely online atredemptorists.net. You can make a one-time gift or you may choose to make asustaining, monthly gift.

If you can give a gift to provide for aday of care or a month of supplementalinsurance, we would be most grateful.May God, who inspires each of us to bethe Good News, bless us all.

Our call to mission

To donate securely online, visit redemptorists.net. Click on “Support Us.”

• $125 for one day of care at an assisted living facility

• $330 for one day of care at a skilled nursing facility

• $233 for one month of supplemental health insurance

How you can help

9

VOCATIONVOICE

The joy of “Fatherhood”By Rev. Richard Bennett, C.Ss.R.

When one of my brother Redemp-torists shared this photo with me,taken from his parishioner’s cell phoneduring a GoodFriday procession,I knew I wanted towrite an articlesharing my heart-felt reaction.

As a professedreligious priest, Isee my ministryand my role as avocation directoras that of passingon the tradition ofour beloved con-gregation. Once aman completeshis novitiate (anintense year of deep spirituality) hethen professes his vows as aRedemptorist and we pass the torch tothe next generation.

We pass on our charism, inspired byour founder, St. Alphonsus Liguori. Wepass on our faith, our values, and ourway of life. It’s a lot like fatherhood.While the Holy Father’s Year for Priestscloses, this image of Father Peter Hill(black t-shirt) and his youngparishioner (white t-shirt) reminds meof what it means to be a “Father.”

It also reminds me of the age-oldwisdom found in the book of Proverbs:“Train a child in the way he should go,and when he is old, he shall not turnfrom it” (Prv 22:6).

Life affords no greater responsibil-ity, no greater privilege, than theraising of the next generation. I recallwith great fondness how my localparish priests would regularly pop infor a surprise visit to our Catholicschool classroom. They gave us theirtime. They gave us their attention.

There is a special “Kodak moment”that I have seen repeated 100 times

over — a young child jumps into thepriest’s special chair in the sanctuary,grinning from ear-to-ear, to have his

picture taken. It is asif these children havea sense of mysteryand joy standing inthe shadow of thepriestly tradition andimitating the spiri-tual leader whomthey call “Father.”

In this pricelessimage here, we seethe parish shepherdspending somequality time with oneof the flock’s littlelambs. Perhaps ChrisEwing summed it up

best when he asked the question,“What higher form of respect and lovecan you demonstrate than to putyourself aside and give nothing but afew moments of your attention?”

Every day, priests and religious havea marvelous window of opportunity topreach and witness, to inspire andencourage, to lead and guide, toprotect and sanctify those who may —one day — consider a vocation to thepriesthood and religious life. Let us

pass the torch and seize the day; passon the great richness of the Faith to thenext generation.

Rise up, O men of God!Have done with lesser things;Give heart and soul and mind and strengthTo serve the King of Kings.

Rise up, O men of God!His kingdom tarries long;Bring in the day of brotherhoodAnd end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!The Church for you doth wait,Her strength unequal to her task:Rise up and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ,Tread where His feet have trod.As brothers of the son of man,Rise up, O men of God! (William P. Merrill)

Fr. Bennett is vocations director for theBaltimore Province. He can be reached atvocations@redemptorists.net.

Frater James McCabe, C.Ss.R., will profess his final vowsas a Redemptorist July 17. He will make his perpetualprofession during a special Mass celebrated at the St. JohnNeumann Residence at Stella Maris in Timonium, MD.Redemptorists who are celebrating jubilee anniversariesof profession and ordination (see page 6) will also berecognized that day.

Frater McCabe, a native of New Jersey, finished histheology studies this spring at Boston College, and willbe ordained a deacon in September. He is scheduled tobe ordained to the priesthood in 2011.

Redemptorist to profess final vows

“Let us not lose the beautiful crown which I see prepared for everyone who lives in observance and dies in the Congregation. I am certain that Jesus has prepared a beautiful place in Paradise

for those who die in the Congregation.” -St. Alphonsus Liguori

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THE BEAUTIFUL CROWN

Brother Gilbert Mary HunterBorn: August 10, 1920Professed: March 15, 1940Died: March 13, 2010

Brother Gilbert Mary Hunter, who could find a cheerful word for anyone he encountered, died March13 at the St. John Neumann Residence at Stella Maris in Timonium, MD. He was 89.

Born in Boston, Brother Gilbert was drawn to the life of a Redemptorist Brother and made his firstprofession of vows in 1940 and his final profession in 1945.

Brother Gilbert served as an office worker, sacristan, and maintenance worker. His assignments included Buffalo, NY; EastHarlem, NY; Pittsburgh; Ilchester, MD; Esopus, NY; Washington, D.C.; and Boston.

Citing personal reasons, Brother Gilbert applied for a dispensation from his vows, which was granted in 1956. He becamea chiropractor and was licensed in the State of New York. In 1996, after he retired and after he had cared for his mother in herlast illness, he began to listen to his former confreres who told him, “Gil, you never really left us.”

With the encouragement of many Redemptorists, Mr. Hunter applied to be accepted back into the Redemptorists. Withpermission from the General Government in Rome for a shortened novitiate, the late Father George Keaveney warmly receivedBrother Gilbert’s vows on Oct. 16, 1997, at the St. John Neumann Residence in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Brother Gilbert relocated to Maryland in June 2009.

The hands of a priest (continued from page 7)

One of the greatest and most sublime actions of the priest is when he raises his hands in absolution. He says, “I absolveyou.” Jesus the Redeemer forgives, but in using the first person “I” the priest indicates that Christ is in him and is using him toapply his forgiveness.

As awesome and powerful as the forgiveness of sins is, there is still the absolute and most unbelievable power put into thepriest’s hands as he cradles the breadand proclaims, “This is my body.” Hegrasps the chalice and proclaims,“This is my blood.” The first person,“my body, my blood,” indicates theinseparable oneness between thepriest and the Lord. That is themystique of the priest’s hands.

There is nothing greater that aperson can do than to be so unitedand identified with the Son of God.The priesthood is the summit of aman’s search for happiness andsuccess. No work can surpass joiningthe Redeemer in bringing souls to theFather.

Fr. Brinkmann is a mission preacher inresidence at St. Peter the Apostle Church inPhiladelphia. He first professed vows as aRedemptorist in 1956 and was ordained in 1961.

Experience God’s love andRedemptorist preaching

firsthand!For updated mission and retreat information, visit

redemptorists.netJuly to September 2010

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“IN THE FOOTSTEPS” OF ALPHONSUS

By Rev. Peter Hill, C.Ss.R.

It was a hot and sunny Saturday morning when I decided to go to thebarber shop to get a haircut.

I parked the car two blocks from the barber shop and on the short walk Inoticed two parishioners hanging out on the porch. They invited me to jointhem, but not wanting to be late for my appointment, I promised them thatI would do so after my haircut.

Forty minutes later, on my way back to the car, I was reminded of mypromise, so I stopped by to chat. Five minutes into the conversation, a thirdgentleman joined us, pleasantly surprised to see “de priest” just hanging out.

Of course, the conversation immediately turned to church and spiritualmatters. One of the gentlemen confessed, “Father, I don’t go to churchbecause I don’t want to care about people and relationships; it’s just toohard.”

“Hmm,” I thought to myself, “this man really understands the importanceof Church.”

We continued talking about going to church and what it means to be theBody of Christ. Then finally I said to him, “Why don’t you come to churchtomorrow? Just once, give us a try again.”

I didn’t expect him to come, but secretly I was hoping that he wouldbecause it was the Fourth Sunday of Lent where we’d hear with the beautifulstory from Luke of the Prodigal Son.

The next morning, at the 9 a.m. Mass, I was preaching on this story: thefather loved the son so much that he ran to him, not waiting for any wordof explanation, and hugged him and ordered the best for him. Just so, ourHeavenly Father waits for all of us.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the gentleman sitting there. Ilooked at him and we both smiled at each other, a smile which saideverything.

After Mass, I shook my friend’s hand and said, “Welcome home.”He simply replied, “It is good to be here.”Redemptorists are men who go out to seek the lost and bring them back

home. My friend has returned several times to Mass since then. I am not surehow long this will last, but I am just thankful that he was there, the first timeback in several years, to hear the message of the Gospel, of a God wholavishes his love on us all.

With Him there is plentiful redemption (Copiosa Apud EumRedemptio)!

Fr. Hill first professed vows as a Redemptorist in2003 and was ordained in 2008. He is pastor ofHoly Cross Church in Santa Cruz, Trinidad &Tobago.

Mount St. AlphonsusEsopus, NYFor more information visitmountsaintalphonsus.org or call 845-384-8000

Festival of FaithAug. 6-8

Religious Sisters RetreatDirected by Brother Michael Laratonda,FMSAug. 15-20

Church Music WorkshopSept. 10-12

Senior Citizen RetreatSept. 13-16

Notre Dame Retreat HouseCanandaigua, NYFor more information visit ndretreat.org or call 585-394-5700

Days of PrayerSept. 14, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 14Beginning at 9 a.m. and ending withMass at 2 p.m.

RetrouvailleNov. 5-7

Marriage EncounterNov. 19-21

San Alfonso Retreat HouseLong Branch, NJFor more information visitsanalfonsoretreats.org or call 732-222-2731

Matt Talbot Retreats for MenJuly 9-11, Nov. 5-7

Matt Talbot Retreats for WomenJuly 30-Aug. 1, Oct. 29-31

Men’s Weekend RetreatsAug. 13-15, Sept. 10-12, Sept. 17-19,Sept. 24-26

Women’s Weekend RetreatsAug. 31-Sept. 2, Oct. 8-10, Oct. 15-17,Nov. 12-14

Married Couples RetreatAug. 20-22

Monthly Days of Prayer9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.Sept. 13, Oct. 19, Nov. 15

Charismatic RetreatNov. 19-21, Dec. 3-5

To schedule a Redemptorist mission in your parish, please have your pastor contact Rev. John Murray, C.Ss.R., atmissions@redemptorists.net.

A haircut and a homecoming

MINI MEDITATION

Redemptorist Office for Mission Advancement7401 German Hill Road, Second FloorBaltimore, Maryland 21222-1347

The RedemptoristsOF THE BALTIMORE PROVINCE

redemptorists.net

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PAIDLUTHERVILLE, MD

PERMIT # 171

A wandering wonderBy Rev. Andrew Costello, C.Ss.R.

The little boy loved his Granny, and grew to love that his mom and dad had invited her, his mom’s mom, to live with themfor the last 5 years. It meant three cookies and a cold glass of milk to dunk them in — a great hug every afternoon — readingwith him — a few games of “Go Fish,” and lots of fun stuff when he came home from pre-K, kindergarten and now first grade.

He loved it when his Granny would wander with him in the woods and at the mall — getting answers to hundreds of thingshe wondered about. His grandma loved introducing him to old ladies. Without knowing it, he knew she loved being with him.

Then things got sad. Something broke with Granny. But it wasn’t a long sickness. It was to be his first experience of sicknessand death and a funeral. He wondered about things — his mom crying — tissues — the constant flow of people at the funeralparlor.

His sorrow: no Granny to explain all this to him. He saw his mom and dad crying — laughing— and then crying again as each person came up to them — with Granny behind him in astrange big box. He would wander from time to time to check people going up to the casket,or he would wander to the back and watch people watch the movie of Granny on TV. Hesaw himself in a half-dozen scenes. Interesting.

They had been hesitant about bringing him to the funeral parlor, but since he seemedto do okay, they also brought him to the Funeral Mass. He saw more tears and somelaughter when his mom’s brother told some funny stories about Granny. At thecemetery he wondered about the big hole in the ground and the green carpetcovering a big pile of dirt. He wished Granny could answer his questions.

Then — surprise — he spotted an old lady about 30 yards away — all by herself.She was seated facing a white stone. Nobody noticed him wandering away — first tothe back of the crowd — then softly, silently — he went over to the lady — whom herecognized from the mall. She too was crying — sitting there in a folding chair beforea white stone — and he said, “My Granny died. Do you want to take her place?”

To read more of Fr. Andy’s work and some homilies, visit his blog athttp://reflectbay.blogspot.com.