100 Years with the Redemptorists
Parish Mission Erdington Abbey
4th - 10th June 2022
To celebrate a hundred years with the Redemptorists
1922-2022
Called to proclaim the word of God Our Father who first loved us and sent His Son to redeem us.
Given by Frs. Timothy Buckley C.Ss.R., Charles Randall C.Ss.R and Charles Corrigan C.Ss.R.
The Redemptorists have had the privilege of serving the Erdington Abbey Parish for the past hundred years. The parish was handed to the Redemptorists after the departure of the Benedictines who inherited the Church and built the Monastery. The church is hallowed by prayers of generations of Catholics. We hope this mission will be an opportunity for all of us to renew our faith in God's generous love and to increase our desire to witness to him in our daily lives. We look forward to sharing this grace filled time with you - The Redemptorists Missioners
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
After a hundred years of sharing our faith with the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (The Redemptorists), we look back through the eyes of many generations that form the Erdington Abbey story. A story we continue, guided by enduring ideals of our faith passed on through these many generations on whose shoulders we stand. At the heart of these ideals is the Erdington Abbey ever-unfolding understanding of the Gospel, that everyone belongs, everyone deserves a chance, no insignificant person was ever born. As Erdington Abbey parish, celebrating a century of grace with a Mission from the Redemptorists is very special and historical. To be part of this mission week is carving your name in the enduring story of our faith in gratitude to God and those who kept the faith and passed on to us. Come let us begin as if we never started.!!! Bring family, friends and neighbours.
Fr Elias Gweme CSsR
Mission Services: 4th - 10th June 2022
- Saturday 4th June: Vigil Mass 6pm
- Sunday 5th June: Masses 8am, 9:15 children's Mass, 10:30am, 12pm & 6pm
- Monday 6th June: Mass 10am and Adoration after Mass. Healing Mass 7:30pm
- Tuesday 7th June: Mass 10am and Adoration after Mass Reconciliation Service 7:30pm
- Wednesday 8th June: Mass 10am and Adoration after Mass - Family Night Service 7:30pm
- Thursday 9th June: Mass 10am and Adoration after Mass - Our Lady's Evening Service 7:30pm
There will be an opportunity for confessions after all the Mission Services
- Friday: Prayer workshop 10am - Centenary Celebration Mass 7:00pm
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
The icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help started life many centuries ago. According to tradition Our Lady, herself, requested the icon to be placed in the church of St Matthew's which was situated between the two great basilicas of St John Lateran and St Mary Major.
It remained in that church for the next 300 years until the church was destroyed in war. For the next 70 years it remained hidden in the private oratory of the Augustinian Fathers.
The Redemptorists bought the land where the church of St Matthew's had stood. They built their church on the ruins. People began to ask what had happened to the famous picture. One of our old brothers, as a boy, had served Mass in the Augustinian Father's oratory and had been told that the icon had been brought here when St Matthew's had been destroyed.
After much negotiation Pope Pius IX agreed that the icon should be returned to its former place. On giving us the icon Pius IX told us "to make her known to the whole world".
Since then, the Redemptorists have promoted devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help wherever they have lived and worked. Our Lady under this title has been venerated in this church for the past 100 years. We will remember her in a special way on Thursday9th June, the final night of our mission, before the centenary celebration on Friday evening at 7pm.
