On October 1, Pope Francis addressed participants in the general chapter of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists), the religious institute founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori in 1732.

In “re-imagining and renewing the Congregation, three fundamental pillars must not be forgotten: the centrality of the mystery of Christ, community life and prayer,” the Pope said. “The abandonment of community life and prayer is the door to sterility in consecrated life, the death of the charism and closure towards the brothers.”

“Instead, docility to the Spirit of Christ pushes us to evangelize the poor, according to the announcement of the Redeemer in the synagogue of Nazareth (cf. Lk 4: 14-19), concretized in the congregation by St. Alphonsus Maria de ‘Liguori,” the Pope added.