By Adam Tran-Chung

Within the realm of religious life, we encounter many beautiful moments that mark how far we, as a Congregation, have come. Ordinations, Final Vows, and, of course, the First Profession all mark something beautiful: the entrance of a new generation eager for ministry.

On July 20, the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer, we welcomed our own Cody Hill and Andrew Tran-Chung (Denver Province), Son Lai and Dang Nguyen (Baltimore Province), and Efraín Bergsaí (Mexico Province) into the Congregation. It was a beautiful occasion marked with all the Units from the North American Conference coming together to celebrate with our newest confreres and their families. This profession was also quite special for the Denver Province as it was the first “First Profession” of Denver novices in Mexico. We gathered at Tempo Santisimo Redentor in the heart of Mexico City. Provincial Superior Joaquin Najera of the Mexico Province presided at the joyous Mass, and our own Provincial Superior Kevin Zubel preached. In his homily, Fr. Kevin highlighted how the newly professed left everything behind to travel to a foreign land and worked, for an entire year, in a language other than their first.

This Novitiate class was totally different from years past. In the past, there were large groups of novices living in a familiar place and it was completed in their language of origin. Fr. Kevin noted that the experience of this class is similar to our great Redemptorist heroes: St. John Neumann, Blessed Francis Seelos, and others, who also left their homelands to serve the poor and the most abandoned. He ended his homily: “You will teach us how to live again like the heroes who came before us. You are the reason for our hope.”

Adding to the joyous occasion, we welcomed a few new students into the Novitiate: one from the Denver Province, four from the Mexico Province, and one from the Vice-Province of Extra Patriam. Safe to say, there was definitely a strong sense of excitement throughout the day.

We welcome the incoming novices to Tlalpizahuac and congratulate Cody, Andrew, Son, Dang and Efraín on this milestone accomplishment on their journeys as Missionaries of Hope in North America. May Christ the Redeemer, through the intercession of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, continue to bless you on your vocation journeys.