Roman Catholic Purposes In Connection With The Congregation Of The Most Holy Redeemer
Charity 252041
Overview
Summary
The organisation appears to function less as a single-service charity than as the legal and operational vehicle for a Catholic religious congregation’s mission. Its unusually broad charitable object allows it to combine pastoral ministry, residential or retreat infrastructure, outreach to people facing exclusion, chaplaincy and publishing. Current communications suggest that this work is sustained through a geographically distributed religious network, linking UK-based ministry with Zimbabwe, Catholic dioceses, affiliated religious communities and an emerging North West Europe provincial structure.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Erdington
Confidence: high
Direct current evidence identifies a Redemptorist community and parish ministry at Erdington Abbey in Erdington. The parish's own current website identifies Redemptorist clergy serving the parish and describes ongoing worship, pastoral, community and restoration activity from the Abbey site.
- Redemptorists London Province, Province Contact Details
Lists 'The Redemptorist Community' in Erdington and links to the Erdington Abbey parish website. - Redemptorists London Province, Parishes
States that the Redemptorists minister in three UK parishes, including 'Erdington Abbey Birmingham'. - Erdington Abbey parish website, Who's Who
Identifies Fr Kieran Brady CSsR as Parish Priest and Fr Isaac Davies CSsR and Fr Gideon Sidinga CSsR as part of the Redemptorist community at the Abbey; it describes regular Mass, Holy Hour, novena, adoration and pastoral care. - Erdington Abbey parish website, Our Story
States that the Redemptorists took over the trust in 1922 and 'continue to serve the church and parishioners'. - Redemptorists London Province, Erdington and Parish Missions
States that the Erdington Abbey community leads missions and retreats, and identifies the Abbey as the base for this mission apostolate.
Remaining uncertainties
- Within Birmingham, the evidence supports a clear operational base and parish presence in Erdington, but does not support identifying further current operational wards with confidence.
- The Erdington-based mission team undertakes parish missions and retreats beyond its home parish, including elsewhere in the UK. Available evidence does not provide a complete, current list of Birmingham venues or wards where this outreach is delivered.
- The parish has connections with local Catholic schools, parish groups, the SVP and a Cameroonian chaplaincy community, but the available evidence does not establish the governance, formality or geographic extent of these relationships sufficiently to treat them as separate operational areas.
- The charity's overall footprint is assessed as international because it is part of an international congregation and its official website seeks support for work in both the UK and Zimbabwe. This does not mean that its Birmingham activity is citywide: the Birmingham evidence indicates a principally Erdington-based operational identity.
Additional evidence needed
- The charity's 2024 trustees' annual report and accounts, or a current operational report, identifying the active sites, parish responsibilities and mission work funded or delivered by the charity.
- A current programme or calendar from the Redemptorist Mission Team showing Birmingham mission, retreat or chaplaincy venues and dates.
- Written confirmation from the charity or Erdington Abbey of current formal partnerships with schools, voluntary organisations and chaplaincies, including whether these create delivery activity outside Erdington.
Areas of work
- Religious Activities
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- Other Defined Groups
- People With Disabilities
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A mission platform rather than a narrowly defined provider
The available evidence suggests the charity is designed to enable the Congregation’s changing religious and charitable work, rather than to deliver one fixed programme. Trustees’ discretion, subject to approval by the Superior, appears central to its operating model.
Why it matters
This helps explain its wide activity range and means its future priorities may be shaped more by congregational discernment and mission needs than by a stable service specification.
Show evidence
“Its objects advance religious and other charitable work carried on by or under the direction of the Society, as trustees with the approval of the Superior think fit.”
Source:Charity Commission“Current activities include parish and community care, a retreat centre, missions, a homeless centre, prison and hospital chaplaincy, and Christian literature.”
Source:Charity Commission
Religious formation and social outreach are intertwined
Its work appears to treat pastoral and spiritual activity as connected to practical support for people experiencing vulnerability or exclusion, rather than as separate strands.
Why it matters
Potential partners should understand that the organisation may bring relationships, spiritual care and community presence alongside practical facilities or services.
Show evidence
“The charity helps children and young people, older people, people with disabilities, other defined groups and the general public.”
Source:Charity Commission“Current activities include a homeless centre and prison and hospital chaplaincy.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity provides buildings, facilities or open space and provides services.”
Source:Charity Commission
The organisation operates through a wider Catholic and international network
The website suggests that the charity’s local work is embedded in relationships across dioceses, related religious orders and Redemptorist communities beyond the UK, including Zimbabwe and a developing North West Europe province.
Why it matters
Its influence and capacity may depend partly on these wider relationships, creating opportunities for shared learning, personnel, mission development and cross-border support.
Show evidence
“The website asks for support for work in the UK and in Zimbabwe.”
Source:Organisation“Confreres from North West Europe gathered as they move to become a larger province.”
Source:Organisation“The website lists links to Catholic dioceses, bishops’ conferences and Catholic safeguarding bodies.”
Source:Organisation
- The scale, locations and relative importance of each activity are not known.
- It is unclear which services are delivered directly, through affiliated communities or through local partners.
- There is no evidence of outcomes, staffing, income, expenditure or beneficiary experience.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports and accounts showing expenditure, locations, staffing and operational priorities.
- Service-level information from the homeless centre, chaplaincy, retreat and parish work, including partners and people reached.
- Governance information explaining the relationship between the trustees, Superior, London Province and wider Redemptorist network.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Summarised in Trust Deed''The Charitable purposes which advance religious and other charitable work for the time being carriedon by orunder the direction of the Society as the Trustees with the approval of the Superior shall from time to time think fit''. Current activities:Care Parish/Communities,Retreat Centre,Missions,Homeless Centre,Prison/Hospital Chapl., Publish/distr. Christian literature
Charity objects
CHARITABLE PURPOSES WHICH ADVANCE THE RELIGIOUS AND OTHER CHARITABLE WORK FOR THE TIME BEING CARRIED ON BY OR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SOCIETY AS THE TRUSTEES WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE SUPERIOR SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME THINK FIT.