PIM: Ephrata, PA

The Redemptorists have been part of the life of the borough of Ephrata, PA, since the early 1900’s.  Arriving first as missionaries, they were soon asked to care for the Catholics of the area. Initially 13 people gathered in what is now St. Gerard’s Mansion to celebrate Mass. This began the relationship between the Congregation and the people of the Ephrata area.  Parishioners still speak fondly on the priests and brothers who have faithfully continued the mission of the first missionaries to proclaim the Good News to those longing to hear it. While experiencing the pastoral care of the Redemptorists it was only in the summer of 2023 that many parishioners remarked they finally were beginning to truly grasp the spirituality of this group of missionaries. The start of the Partners in Mission was the reason that many said they now begin to truly understand the spirituality, community life, and history of the Congregation that has served here for over 100 years.

An initial meeting for PIM members was held in the summer of 2023 and regular meetings began in September and have continued to occur monthly. The initial meeting was to gather parishioners who were interested in learning more about the Redemptorists. Initial gatherings have dealt with the life of St, Alphonsus Liguori, the four pillars of Redemptorist Spirituality, Redemptorist prayer, Alphonsus and Christmas and most recently a discussion of Redemptorist community. A small group of 15 people regularly attend, not always the same 15, and they have remarked that while they were familiar with the Redemptorists, the PIM sessions have deepened their knowledge of St. Alphonsus and the spirituality of the Congregation. It has helped them to truly grasp why they have always felt a special love for the priests and brothers who have served in OMPH Parish over these many years.

The sessions that have been discussed have been drawn from material used by our Canadian confreres and have been very fruitful in learning about the Congregation and leading to deep discussions of how parishioners’ spirituality has been shaped by the life and preaching of the missionaries who have been part of the life of OMPH. Besides prayer, information sharing, and discussion our group has made use of the Internet by using videos on these various topics by Dennis Billy, Larry Kaufmann, Mike Brehl, and Jeffrey Rolle to help deepen our understanding of the topics presented.

One of the blessings of PIM sessions in Ephrata has not just been the presence of the confreres assigned to the parish, but the participation of several members of the assisted living community here. After the first few initial sessions were held in the Parish Center, it was decided to hold future gatherings in St Gerard’s Mansion next to the Mission House. This has made it easier for members of the assisted living community to attend, as well as bring us back to the location where the Redemptorists first celebrated Mass for those 13 people in Ephrata. We pray that as we continue to journey together the love of Alphonsus and our spirituality may continue to deepen the faith life of those who gather and continue to inspire all to be zealous disciples of the Risen Lord.

Fr. Paul Borowski, C.Ss.R.