My first visit to Vancouver left a profound impression on me. From the moment I arrived, I experienced the warm and genuine welcome of the confreres in the community. Fr. Leo English, C.Ss.R., and Fr. Mark Miller, C.Ss.R., extended extraordinary hospitality by providing transportation to and from the airport not only for me but also for the other visiting confreres, Fr. Joseph Horo, C.Ss.R. and Fr. Ivan Dzhur, C.Ss.R. We missed the company of Fr. Alfredo, who was away during our visit, but his presence was very much felt in the life of the community. 

The community house was nearly full, welcoming not only Redemptorists but also lay guests and friends. Sharing meals and exchanging stories deepened my appreciation for Redemptorist life. Regardless of our culture or the Province we belong to, we are brothers united by the same mission and spirituality. There is a unique Redemptorist joy in gathering in the common room after supper, sharing a drink, watching the evening news, and simply enjoying one another's company. My experience in Vancouver taught me that hospitality is much more than providing a room, a meal, or transportation. True hospitality makes people feel they belong—that they are family. As Sharon, a friend of Fr. Leo, remarked, "I can feel the positive energy and love in this house."

Fr. Leo also made a point of introducing each visiting Redemptorist to the parish community. Through this simple gesture, I became even more convinced that the parish is much more than a worshipping community. It is truly a community of missionary disciples, where people know one another and warmly welcome newcomers. Although there were only a handful of Filipino parishioners, they generously took turns showing me the beauty of Vancouver. Their kindness was echoed by many other parishioners who also reached out, making me feel at home from my very first visit. I could clearly see that the Redemptorist spirit of hospitality, nurtured by Fr. Leo's warm and loving pastoral leadership, had become part of the parish's life.

Reflecting on the hospitality I received from both the Redemptorist community and the parishioners of Vancouver, I have come to appreciate that communities deeply rooted in their missionary identity naturally become more welcoming, joyful, and loving. When Redemptorists truly share "with all the joy the Gospel has brought into their lives," they become, as our Constitutions remind us, "like leaven in the world and a living witness of hope" (cf. Constitution 43). My brief stay in Vancouver taught me about the Mission of Welcome and served as a beautiful reminder that the Gospel is proclaimed not only through preaching but also through the simple yet profound witness of generous hospitality.