The Redemptorists, founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori in 1732 in Scala, Italy, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of priests and brothers. The name Redemptorist comes from the full title: Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Alphonsus was a man of rare zeal – a preacher, teacher, theologian, musician, and poet. He was keen that his congregation would be at the service of those with little or no spiritual help. In his times these were the people who lived in the country districts around Naples. He dreamed that one day he would go as far as China as a missionary, something that has been fulfilled by Redemptorists today.

Although the Congregation was founded in the Kingdom of Naples and spread across Europe, then to America, today it is growing in Africa, Asia, and South America. The Congregation is divided into Provinces, Vice-Provinces and Regions numbering about one hundred units with a membership of around six thousand priests and brothers. In every place our priority as Redemptorists is for the abandoned, the powerless and the oppressed.

The Redemptorists arrived in Australia in 1882. The Australian Province numbers 97 members in 6 communities in Australia. There are two communities in New Zealand with 16 members and 54 members in 9 communities throughout the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia. The international headquarters of the Redemptorists are in Rome, and the principal house of this province is in Sydney.

The whole life of the Redemptorist is at the service of the Church, our special mission is the proclamation of the word of God. In the Australian Province our missionary work includes parish missions, renewal courses, retreats, publications and staffing and supplying in many parishes. Alphonsus' missionary work included theological and spiritual writing: today that work is continued by Redemptorist Publications, which is continues worldwide.