The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) was founded in Southern Italy in 1732 by St. Alphonsus Liguori.

    Disgusted by the corruption he found in the courts, St Alphonsus abandoned a brilliant legal career to embrace the priesthood in Naples. His compassionate nature drew him to devote himself especially to those who were untouched by ordinary pastoral care. His experience with them led him to found the Redemptorists.

    In 1784 the Redemptorists were joined by St. Clement Hofbauer, native of the present Czech Republic. In the face of strong opposition he established the Redemptorists in northern Europe and began an expansion that was to become almost world-wide. They came to England in 1843 and from there spread to Ireland and in 1882 to Australia.

    The first Australian Redemptorist community was established in Singleton in the Hunter Valley but in 1885 transferred to the Newcastle suburb of Mayfield. From there they spread to the rest of Australia and New Zealand and to South East Asia.

    Irish and Australian Redemptorists came to the Philippines in 1906. Since 1932 the Australians have had responsibility for the island of Luzon, while the Irish have cared for the southern islands with their different dialects. Redemptorists from Australia have been established in Singapore and Malaysia since 1935. In more recent years there has been a community in Hong Kong. One of its members works on mainland China.

WHAT DO THE REDEMPTORISTS DO?

   Redemptorists say of themselves that they "follow the example of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, by preaching the Word of God to the poor". That is how they put it at the beginning of the Constitutions by which they live. That sums up the life and ministry of St. Alphonsus, and it is the way he described his foundation.

    Like their founder the Redemptorists see themselves as sharing in the redeeming mission of God's Son. They see themselves as first and foremost preachers of God's word. St. Alphonsus was an accomplished preacher and he has left to his followers a rich tradition of preaching included in the vast library of pastoral writing that has won for him the title of Doctor of the Church.

    Among those so spiritually disadvantaged the Redemptorists see such people as unbelievers, displaced persons, those deprived of civil rights for reasons of race or colour, as well as baptised Catholics who have grown cold in belief and practice.

    From the beginning the Australians have exercised their preaching vocation principally through parish missions. These are periods  (two weeks or more) of intense pastoral care, preaching and administration of the sacraments. St. Alphonsus has described what they aim to do for God's people, "turn them from sin, lead them to God and leave them bound fast to Jesus Christ". In their Constitutions the Redemptorists describe themselves as "apostles of conversion", leading the people to a radical choice regarding their life - a decision for Christ, and that in the community of the Church.

    Over the more than a hundred years the Redemptorists have been in Australia their preaching has been a familiar feature of Catholic life. Now in the twenty-first century the Church, together with society in general, is faced with challenges. Many are disillusioned with religion,there is an acute awareness of the unequal distribution of wealth and of injustices suffered by indigenous peoples; and our entire society has become far more secularised.

In various ways the Redemptorists have been generous and enlightened in their efforts to meet the present challenges. But they have been sadly hampered by the problem that is so widely affecting the Church, namely the steep decline in numbers. Nonetheless, Redemptorists are confident that the good they have been able to achieve has not been in vain. They look to a future in which with St. Alphonsus they will continue to follow the example of Christ the Redeemer by preaching the word of God to the poor.