Redemptorists of Australia and New Zealand

The Redemptorists of Australia and New Zealand are a province within The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Latin: Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris – C.Ss.R or CSSR).

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary order which was created in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.

[1] A number of requests for Australian foundations had been made to the Redemptorists by Bishop James Murray of Maitland and in 1881, the English Province answered the call.

A small team was formed to be the first Australian community and in January 1882, they were given a farewell dinner before they set sail; Cardinal Manning arrived with good wishes.

The next day the group boarded the liner Sorata bound for Australia, bringing with them an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, blessed by Pope Leo XIII.

Missions began in Brisbane and its surrounding area, with their success convincing the Archbishop to extend the programme to the far flung country parishes.

[3] One of the first Superiors was Dr. Patrick Clune, born in Clare, Ireland, 1863, who had been ordained in the Diocese of Goulburn in 1886 and had previously been rector of the Redemptorist monastery in Wellington, New Zealand.

[8] A Novitiate and House of Studies were built at Pennant Hills in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1924 to cater for the increased numbers of men wanting to join the Redemptorists.