Redemptorist Saints, Blesseds and Venerables
St. Alphonsus Liguori
(1696-1787)
- Bishop
- Doctor of the Church
- Founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
- Patron saint of confessors
- Patron saint of moral theologians
- Patron of those who suffer from arthritis
Feast: August 1
Preaching and prayer formed the heart of the missionary activity of Alphonsus. Where he could not reach people with the spoken word, he sought to do so with his writings. His 111 works have gone through many editions. He founded the Redemptorists to proclaim the good News among the most abandoned. Alphonsus was canonized in 1839, declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871, and declared patron of confessors and moral theologians in 1950. He is known as “the Doctor of Prayer” and “Most Zealous Doctor”.
St. Gerard Majella
(1726-1755)
- Patron of mothers, those enduring difficult pregnancies, and those experiencing difficulty conceiving a child
Feast: October 16
Born into a poor family in Muro Lucano, Italy, Gerard became an apprentice tailor. He achieved a good education when he was employed as a servant in the house of a bishop. He entered the Redemptorists in 1749, after a missionary preached in his town. Gerard became known for his simplicity of life; his joy and his holiness; his obedience to the Redemptorist Rule; his attentiveness to the poor and his spiritual direction; his miracles; and his ability to read the hearts of people.
St. Clement Hofbauer
(1751-1820)
- Priest
- Patron of Warsaw and Vienna
Feast: March 15
Born in Tasswitz, Moravia (now the Czech Republic), Clement was an apprentice baker, then a servant at an abbey. He was thus able to follow the call to priesthood and studied in Vienna. Having heard of the Redemptorists, he and a friend travelled by foot to Italy to join. He brought the Good News and the Redemptorists first to Warsaw (1787-1808) and then to Vienna (1808-1820), always a tireless missionary dedicated to proclaiming the Good News anew.
- St. John Neumann
(1811-1860)
- Bishop
- Patron of immigrants
Feast: January 5
Born in Prachatitz in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) on March 28, 1811. He studied in Budweis and developed a desire to be a missionary. He travelled to America, was ordained, and devoted himself to the service of immigrants. He entered the Redemptorists in 1842. To better serve the immigrants flooding in, he learned to speak a number of languages. He became Bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. He died serving his people. He was canonized in 1977.
Blessed Peter Donders
(1809-1887)
- Priest
Feast: January 14
Born in Tilburg, Holland to a poor family, Peter made a living by weaving before entering the seminary at 22. He was ordained in 1841 and, in 1843, began a missionary life in Paramaribo, Surinam (now Suriname). in 1856, he began to serve in the leprosarium in Batavia, where he would spend most of the rest of his life. He entered the Redemptorists in 1866. He died among the lepers in 1887 and was beatified in 1982.
Blessed Kaspar Stanggassinger
(1871-1899)
- Priest
- Patron of Redemptorist Youth Ministry
Feast: September 26
Born in Berchtesgaden, Germany, he entered the seminary at 19. After a visit by some Redemptorists, he decided to enter the congregation, was ordained in 1895, and was appointed as director of students. He was known for his kindness, joy and encouraging presence. Shortly after he was named Director of the new seminary at Gars, he died of peritonitis at the age of 28.
Blessed Gennaro Sarnelli
(1702-1744)
- Priest
Feast: June 30
Son of the Baron of Ciorani, Gennaro had a solid education, and served as a lawyer in the courts of Naples. He was a fried and compatriot of Alphonsus Liguori. He was a powerful missionary preacher and dedicated himself especially to the catechesis of young people, with a particular concern for young women at risk of becoming prostitutes. He wrote more than 30 books. Sarnelli died at the age of 42.
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
(1819-1867)
- Priest
Feast: October 5
Born in Füssen, Bavaria, he was a seminarian when he heard of the Redemptorists and their missionary work in America, where he arrived in 1843. Through most of his life, he was involved in pastoral ministry and in the formation of Redemptorist students. He was a highly effective preacher of missions. His last assignment was New Orleans, where he died caring for victims of yellow fever. He was beatified in 2000.
Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky and Companions
(The Redemptorist Martyrs of Ukraine)
Feast: June 27/28
Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky
(1884-1959)
- Redemptorist Martyr of Ukraine
Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky was held captive in about thirty Soviet labor camps and prisons from 1945 to 1956. His prolonged imprisonment shattered his health, and he died in 1959.
Bishop Vasyl Velychikovsky
(1903-1973)
- Redemptorist Martyr of Ukraine
Bishop Vasyl Velychikovsky was arrested in 1945 and was condemned to death, but the death sentence was commuted to ten years imprisonment. Arrested once more in 1969, he spent three years in prison. In the spring of 1972, near death, he was exiled from Ukraine. He died in Winnipeg, Canada in 1973 as result of a slow-acting poison that had been administered prior to his release.
Father Zenon Kovalyk
(1903-1941)
- Redemptorist Martyr of Ukraine
Father Zenon Kovalyk was arrested by the Soviets in 1940 and continued his pastoral ministry while imprisoned. When the Soviet prisons were opened on the arrival of the invading German army in 1941, Blessed Zenon’s body was found crucified to a wall of the Zamartynivska prison.
Father Ivan Ziatyk
(1899—1952)
- Redemptorist Martyr of Ukraine
Father Ivan Ziatyk was arrested by the Soviets on January 24, 1950 during the time when all the Ukrainian Catholic bishops were arrested. He was treated brutally in a Soviet prison in Siberia, and on Good Friday 1952, he was beaten so cruelly that he died a few days later.
Blessed Methodius Dominic Trčka
(1886-1959)
- Priest
- Martyr
Feast: August 25
Born in Frydlant, Moravia (now the Czech Republic), Dominic Trčka joined the Redemptorists in 1902. He worked in Galizia and then in east Slovakia, where he carried on intense missionary activity. He was nominated first Vice-Provincial Superior of Michalovce in 1946. In 1950, he was arrested, tortured and condemned to twelve years imprisonment. In 1958, he was transferred to the prison of Leopoldov, where he contracted tuberculosis and died on March 23, 1959. He was beatified in 2001.
The Redemptorist Martyrs of Cuenca
(1936-1938)
Feast: November 6
Blessed Father Javier Gorosterratzu
- Martyr of Cuenca
(1877-1936)
Javier Gorosterratzu was born in 1877 in Navarra, Spain. He was a teacher and was renowned as a popular missionary and expert confessor and spiritual director. He was the author of two historical works and a manual of philosophy. On August 10, 1936, he was arrested by the militia of the Popular Front and shot in the cemetery of Cuenca. Before he died, he forgave his killers.
Blessed Father Ciriaco Olarte Perez de Mendiguren
- Martyr of Cuenca
(1893-1936)
Ciriaco Olarte was born in Álava, Spain. He joined the Redemptorists in 1904. He was ordained in 1917 and three years afterward went to Mexico as a missionary. He returned to Spain in 1926 and ministered in Madrid until May 1935 when he moved to Cuenca. On July 31, 1936, he was arrested, taken to the place called Las Angustias (Sorrows), severely wounded, and left to die.
Blessed Father Miguel Goñi Ariz
- Martyr of Cuenca
(1902-1936)
Miguel Goñi was born in Navarra, Spain and joined the Redemptorists in 1918. He was ordained a priest in 1925 despite poor health and extreme shyness. He became a popular and tireless mission preacher. In 1932, he was transferred to Cuenca and ministered especially in the parish of St. Phillip Neri. He was arrested by the militia, shot and left to bleed to death on August 31, 1936.
Blessed Father Julián Pozo Ruiz de Samaniego
- Martyr of Cuenca
(1903-1936)
Julián Pozo was born in Alava, Spain and entered the Redemptorist seminary in 1913. There he was known for his deep spirituality. He was ordained in 1925 despite having suffered from tuberculosis since 1921. He was widely known for his serene disposition and great gifts as a confessor and spiritual director. He transferred to Cuenca in 1928. On August 9, 1936, he was arrested while praying the rosary. He was shot and killed along the road from Cuenca to Tragacete.
Blessed Father Pedro Romero Espejo
- Martyr of Cuenca
(1871-1938)
Pedro Romero was born in Burgos, Spain in 1871. He entered the Redemptorist school at El Espino and was ordained in 1896. Because of his shyness, he was not drawn to missionary activity but instead devoted himself to meditation, prayer, mortification and the ministry of reconciliation. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, he lived with a local family and went begging in the streets in order to continue his apostolate. In May 1938, he was arrested and imprisoned, dying of dysentery in prison on May 29.
Blessed Brother Victoriano Calvo Lozano
- Martyr of Cuenca
(1896-1936)
Victoriano Calvo was born in Guadalajara, Spain in 1896 and joined the Redemptorist community in 1919. He made his profession in 1920 and the following year was assigned to Cuenca, where he served as a clerk and porter. He also provided spiritual direction for young women and was known for his asceticism. On August 10, 1936, he was arrested and shot in the Cuenca cemetery along with Father Gorosterratzu.
Blessed Maria Celeste Crostarosa, OSsR
(1696-1755)
- Religious
- Founder of the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptoristines)
Feast: September 14
Blessed Maria Celeste Crostarosa was born in Naples, Italy in 1696. At the age of twenty, she entered a Carmelite monastery. When is was suppressed, she went to Scala in the hills above Naples, and entered another monastery. Under the direction of Bishop Thomas Falcoia, and with the cooperation of Saint Alphonsus, Maria Celeste reformed the monastery according to a revelation she had received from the Lord. She founded the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptoristines) on May 31, 1731. In 1733, Maria Celeste was forced to leave Scala, and eventually she was called to Foggia, where she founded the monastery of the Most Holy Saviour. Maria Celeste died at Foggia on September 14, 1755. At the moment of her death, her great friend Gerard Majella, had a vision of her soul ascending to heaven like a dove. She was beatified in 2016.
Venerable Alfred Pampalon
(1867-1896)
- Priest
Feast: September 30
Born in Quebec, Alfred entered the Redemptorists and studied for the priesthood. He was ordained in Belgium in 1892. Suffering from the effects of tuberculosis he contracted at age 14, he returned to home in Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré to live with the Redemptorists there. He was renowned as a confessor and spiritual director, especially among the poor. He died on September 30, 1895 at the age of twenty-eight. He was declared Venerable in 1991. His tomb is a place of pilgrimage and prayer for many people who struggle with addiction to alcohol.
Redemptorists Recognized As Venerable
Father Vitus-Michael DiNetta
(1788-1849)
Born in Vallata, Italy, Father DiNetta was ordained in 1811 and preached in numerous missions in Calabria. He is called the Apostle of the Calabrians. He was known for his obedience, piety, austerity, charity, apostolic zeal and humiity. Father DiNetta had the gift of reading hearts and the gift of miracles. He was declared Venerable in 1935.
Father Paolo Cafaro
(1707-1753)
Father Cafaro was born in Cava dei Tirreni, Italy. He became a cleric at age thirteen. He was a devoted parish priest and evangelist driven by a zeal to preach. He went from village to village to teach doctrine to children and the most abandoned. He was always ready at a moment’s notice at any time of day to immediately respond to parishioners with any sort of need. St. Alphonsus highly regarded Father Cafaro and entrusted him with conducting important Redemptorist activities.
Brother Dominic Blasucci
(1732-1752)
Brother Blasucci was born in Ruvo del Monte, Italy. His holiness, innocence and especially virtuous nature was inspiring to those who met him. He exhibited amazing seriousness and commitment daily in seeking perfection. He never transgressed any rule, and the degree of his obedience was sometimes viewed as miraculous. He was recognized for his ardent love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and for the Blessed Virgin. Brother Blasucci was declared Venerable in 1906.
Father Joseph-Armand Passerat
(1772-1858)
Father Passerat was born in Joinville, France. He was distinguished by ingenuity and diligence, and viewed as a man of holiness and high virtues. As Vicar General of the Redemptorists in northern Europe, he founded Redemptorist houses in Bavaria, Prussia, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Portugal, Holland and England. Father Passerat sent the first six Redemptorists to the USA in 1832. Saint Clement Hofbauer called Father Passerat “The Great Prayer”. He was declared Venerable in 1980.
Father Antonio Maria Losito
(1838-1917)
Father Losito was born in Canosa, Bari, Italy. He was passionate about the Redemptorist charism of proclaiming the Gospel to the most abandoned. He worked diligently in his community with keen missionary sensitivity for people’s spiritual and social hardships. He was considered an expert and merciful spiritual guide for priests, bishops, cardinals and popes. Father Losito was declared Venerable in 2015.
