A number of requests for Australian foundations had been made to the Redemptorists before they came to these shores in 1882. In 1881, Bishop James Murray of Maitland finally had a breakthrough. It was the English Redemptorists who heard of his request and answered his call.
With very little knowledge of where they were headed, the English superiors selected a small team of Redemptorist pioneers who would form the first Australian community. In January, 1882, these pioneers were given a farewell dinner before they set sail for Australia. Their long voyage was to be a journey of discovery, as would be the years following in Australia and New Zealand.
Today, throughout Australia, Redemptorists are engaged in a multiplicity of works meeting a wide range of needs. In each of these missionary works Redemptorists live out their call to evangelise the world. Through parish missions, preaching, retreats, adult education, teaching in universities, social justice work, counselling, accompaniment of indigenous communities, chaplaincies, devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, working with people on the margins of society and promoting the family through the Majellan magazine and digital outreach, Redemptorists have seek to highlight that people matter greatly to God.