2^nd October, 2011

Dear Confreres and friends,

I have just returned from a two week stay in Clapham where I greatly enjoyed the vibrant community spirit. The balance of prayer life, work and recreation was very heartening, and the manner in which our younger confreres have been integrated into the community was equally encouraging. The three have begun their studies at Heythrop University and we wish them well.

As with many of our communities, the work load is considerable, and despite the number of confreres in Clapham, the parish is to some extent under-staffed. Fr. Dominic met with the OPC to discuss this and look at how it could be remedied. In order to maintain our Mission ad gentes, Fr. Jim McManus has established a Centre for the New Evangelization in Clapham. Most of the work will be done through outreach to groups in the South of England, although there will also be some activity at the same level in the Monastery itself. At the time of the appointments, the OPC was very conscious that we have no full time missioners south of Liverpool, and the appointment of Fr. Jim was an attempt to maintain our tradition of having a Mission presence in the South.

Fr. Michael McGreevy continues his treatment which is at times very debilitating. However, he remains in very good humour and extremely positive.

During this last week we had a marathon of meetings.......two days with the EPC, an OPC meeting, a Finance meeting and a meeting of the RPTC. The meetings were tiring, but in each one there was a very positive and good spirit present. In particular the EPC meeting which was held over two days, was an attempt to look at our present strategy in the Province in terms of ongoing evangelisation. In obedience to the last session of the Provincial Chapter, we went through the list of recommendations and challenges which the Chapter highlighted.

After much brainstorming, and then prioritizing, we focused on our working relationships with the laity and with youth, and concrete proposals were made in both areas which will be further investigated. We are also conscious of the need to further develop the Province Plan for the years that lie ahead, and a follow up meeting has been arranged for this.

The Province Meeting, facilitated by the Apostolic Life Secretariat will touch on some of these issues through the keynote speaker, and this will be followed by a day in which we will expand this in terms of shared mission and our common life style. Everyone is now in possession of the paper on Province Statutes, issued by the Secretariat for the Revision of Statutes. It is hoped that as many confreres as possible will be present at the January Meeting.

The meeting will be preceded by a Provincial Visitation. I shall send a schedule of the proposed dates to the communities with this letter. It is also hoped that we will have a Superiors’ meeting before the next session of the Chapter - to be held in early June.

As you will have seen from the web site (www.redemptorists.co.uk) Fr Victor Bushu was ordained on 1^st October. Many congratulations to him and to the Region. I was in Zimbabwe for over a week in September and was encouraged by the dynamism of the confreres there. Rev Br. Isaac Davies, who was due to be ordained with Fr. Victor, requested that, for family reasons, his ordination be postponed and the Regional Council agreed to this. At present the Region is looking at new ways of expanding the ministry, with the possibility of a third community, and also an outreach to the Province, while being aware of their responsibilities to the Conference of Africa. As you may recall, Fr. Tryvis Moyo is Novice Master in South Africa, and two of our Brothers are Novices there.

This month we celebrate the Feast of St. Gerard Majella and it is an occasion to remember the vocation of our Brothers within the Congregation. Bro. Michael Duxbury continues to serve on the European Conference as the Brothers’ representative, and the man who hopes to join us in the New Year is seeking to live his vocation as a Redemptorist Brother. Brother William is convalescing in a residential home after his fall and is in good spirits despite his ‘incarceration’!

During the month Mrs. Anna Keegan died and we continue to remember Fr. Desmond and his family in their bereavement and loss.

Fr. Michael Creech celebrates his birthday this month on 18^th. Many congratulations.

With best wishes,

In Christ the Redeemer,

Ronald J. McAinsh, C.SS.R

Provincial Superior