Co-Redemptorists: Partners in Formation
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December 22, 2023San Antonio and Tucson are both places that make wonderful escapes from the brisk cold weather in New York, but what’s more important is the purpose of our quick turnarounds there. Son joined Fr. Dominic Bao Tran at St. Gerard’s in San Antonio and I joined Fr. Aaron Meszaros at Santa Catalina in Tucson to help share our own experiences in formation – an effort to help people get to know the Co-Redemptorist Association, which helps financially support students in Redemptorist formation.
In our reflections during the first two Sundays in Advent, Son shared that our Merciful Father shapes us like clay in the hands of a skilled potter – the reading from that weekend – and how the challenges we encounter in our formation and the richness of our diverse ministry experiences mold us into vessels that pour out the love of God in our wounded world. He shared our timeline of formation, from our Come and Pray experience – Son and I attended and subsequently joined together – to ordination to the priesthood.
In Tucson, I shared how busy our corner of the Bronx is, this bustling hive of activity that has everything from cheap wigs to homemade tamales. Our Bronx formation house is the exact place that St. Alphonsus and Jesus sent us to proclaim the Good News. I also wove my reflection into Fr. Aaron’s homily, noting that while we are all called to announce the coming of Jesus, our vocation as those discerning the Redemptorist way of life is to not just proclaim the Gospel, but to serve in the spirit of the Gospel.
The most enriching experience from our appeals was meeting parishioners and talking with them after Mass. While we may have shared what our formation experience was, personally talking with them gives them the opportunity to get to know us beyond our five-minute reflections during Mass. Throughout the nine masses we spoke at, people seemed to love this opportunity, even for just a simple handshake or a wish of “good luck.”
Going to San Antonio and Tucson allowed to us to get to know confreres in the local communities. Son met with the St. Gerard community and the North American Conference Theologate community. I also got to know more about the operation of the Redemptorist Renewal Center and the Desert House Mission community.
As we finish our semester, we’re gaining a deeper knowledge about the importance of our benefactors and supporters, especially the Co-Redemptorists because they truly are helping form men who will preach the Gospel and serve the most abandoned. Next year, Cody Hill will be joining Fr. Aaron at “The Rock” in St. Louis, and Dang Nguyen will join Fr. Dominic Bao Tran at Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Kansas City. It’s our hope that their experiences with the people at those parishes will be just as fruitful as ours were.
Thank you to the people of St. Gerard and Santa Catalina for welcoming us to your parishes, and many thanks to all of you for walking with us in our formation. If you haven’t put up your tree and lights yet, it’s not too late because we can leave the Christmas lights up till January.
