Dear Brothers and Sisters: 

May the Lord give you peace and love in this joyous Christmas Season!

Come the Spring of 2023, we will have a new Provincial Superior.  Before he takes over the responsibility of guiding The Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province, I am writing you this last pastoral letter. I look back with gratitude at the last eight years, which I spent with you as your companion on our journey in faith. Like any other journey, it had its ups and downs. There were moments of joy when God’s presence filled us with hope.  There were moments of sadness when you reached out to me for prayers for yourself, for those you love, and especially for those you lost. There were moments when I needed you, and many offered me words of encouragement, prayer, and support.  Thank You!

It is true, there were difficult moments that stand out.  I think about Hurricane Maria in  Dominica in 2015, the volcanic eruption that destroyed our three missions in St. Vincent in 2021, and of course, the two years of isolation during the pandemic.  The faces of despair are etched in my heart forever.   I remember the many who joined together with me to provide help and create hope!  Together, we rebuilt, restored, and witnessed the power of sacrificial love for our neighbors in need.

I give thanks for all of you who assisted us in providing for the special needs of our sick and retired priests.  We were able to buy new medical beds and new mattresses, stand-up lifts, build a wheelchair ramp, and buy new wheelchairs for our Redemptorists with special needs. Your donations allowed us to buy a Sprinter Van and to adapt it so that our priests and brothers can travel to gatherings with their confreres.  Additionally, there have been renovations of showers, purchase of special bathtubs, Hoyer lifts - all to assist the nursing staff in providing comfort to the men in their care.  These special purchases were not covered by medical insurance, and without  you they would not have been possible. 

We helped our young people grow in their faith with support to our Catholic Schools, youth retreats at San Alfonso Retreat House in Long Branch, Summer Camps in Grenada, and special support for those attending the World Youth Day with the Holy Father.

While looking back, I can say that I enjoyed this journey together with all of you. When fellow passengers are generous and inspired, the journey is not only pleasant but even memorable.  There are so many memories and experiences which can never be forgotten, and I will treasure them in my heart. Each one of you has contributed directly as a collaborator in the mission . . . living an exemplary life of faith in action.  Therefore, whenever I remember these wonderful experiences of my life, I will joyfully pray for you.

St. Paul, when in prison for his witness to Christ, wrote to the Philippians, “I give thanks to my God each time I remember you, and when I pray for you, I pray with joy” (Phil 1:3). The apostle is not worried about his present situation, but he thanks God for the wonderful community of Philippi who had been concerned about his well-being.  St. Paul thanks those who helped him in his missionary journey to share the Good News.   For the last eight years, you have accompanied me and many Redemptorists on our missionary journey. You have helped us in our work of spreading the Gospel. Thank you!

Christmas is about Peace! There is joy where there is peace. We follow Christ in our life. Peace and  joy in the Holy Spirit are the gifts given to us by the Redeemer. During these last eight years I have witnessed a lot of joy in our Church.  We find joy in our faith and peace in this multi-cultural, multi-lingual Church.  This is the gift we should thank God for; we should hold on to; and, we must keep our compass pointing toward . . . unity and mission!

We ask God to send us an able shepherd!   Now, my dear friends, I am about to leave my responsibilities to my successor.  I ask you to join me in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide our election process in choosing the right person who will serve humbly in the image of the Holy Redeemer who Himself, though divine, emptied Himself of His divinity in order to serve others.

Let us always remember, that it is God who sends us pastors and shepherds.  God gave us the great High Priest in His own Son, born on Christmas Day, who saved us through his blood, and takes us closer to His Father.

God has also sent His people good and able servants.  Following the teachings of our founder, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, I return to the work of the Lord, being a good Samaritan, a servant spreading the Gospel and bringing the Good News to the most needy among us. Finally, my dear people, do not forget to pray for me. I have done whatever was possible in the given situation for the well-being of the whole Church. You helped me with your prayers and your sacrificial offerings to change the world and make it better. May the Lord of Mercies reward us for all the work we have done together. Like St. John Neumann, C.Ss.R., today we can say “As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.”

May Mary, the Mother of Perpetual Help and of the Most Holy Redeemer, intercede for you and favor you with graces and blessings all the days of your life.  Merry Christmas!

In the Spirit of the Redeemer, 

Paul J. Borowski, C.Ss.R.