300 years since the divine revelation of the Rule of the Order

25 April 1725 – 2025

Today we celebrate with gratitude an anniversary: 300 years since the divine revelation of the Rule of the Redemptoristines to Blessed Maria Celeste.

On 25 April 1725, after receiving Holy Communion, Blessed Maria Celeste Crostarosa received divine inspiration to found a new women’s religious order within the Church. Sr Celeste experienced a profound spiritual revelation: she was entrusted with a new, divinely inspired Rule, which she faithfully wrote down over the course of 40 days. After several years of discernment, amidst trials and perseverance, the community began to live according to the new Rule on Pentecost, 13 May 1731, the founding day of our Order.

In our community, we took great joy in celebrating this jubilee with our confrere Father Edmund Hipp, CSsR, from Gars. During Holy Mass, the rosaries which have been part of our religious habit from the very beginning were blessed, and we would like to wear them again to mark the 300th anniversary.

In his homily, Father Edmund reminded us: “The Rule is the book of life for the community as well as for the individual. It is a matter of passing on and living the spirit of the Foundress. What is written in the Rule must therefore be filled with life. For a Redemptoristine, the life and love of Christ are the guiding principle for her entire life.”

We join our sisters throughout the world in giving thanks to God for the courage of Blessed M. Celeste and for the fidelity of every single sister who has kept our charism alive! May Blessed M. Celeste help us all to continue fulfilling God’s dream – namely, to be his ‘Viva Memoria’, faithful and radiant witnesses to his love in today’s world.