From the President’s Desk

At our Assembly last summer, when we elected leadership and set the directions for ourselves for the next four years, a theme that emerged in our conversation was a continued exploration and appreciation of our charism of Precious Blood spirituality. Perhaps because it was also in the middle of the bishop’s Eucharistic Revival initiative, our own foundation in the Eucharist was mentioned over and over again.

I like to say that Mother Brunner founded our Community in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Her commitment to that devotion inspired the women who worked with her in her son’s seminary to follow in her footsteps. After a pilgrimage to Rome and exposure to the preaching of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood there, she returned home with her heart burning with a shift in focus that made her adoration even more fruitful. The utter self-giving that the Precious Blood signified resonated with her own sense of what the Eucharist was meant to be for all of us. “That not one drop be shed in vain” was no fanciful idea. It was already how she had lived her life and would continue to do so until she breathed her last.

As a result of our Assembly conversations and the inspiration of Mother Brunner, a Eucharistic Explorations Committee was formed to provide us with resources, conversation starters, and opportunities for communal and private prayer resulting in a deeper appreciation of being rooted in Eucharistic prayer. The conversations have yielded a rich faith sharing; the readings have provided new insights, as well as confirmed lived experience and spiritual growth; and Eucharistic celebrations have enjoyed active participation and prayer. It is not as though there have been new, great or even different things happening, it is more that what might have been becoming commonplace is taking on greater vibrancy and meaningfulness.

At our upcoming summer gathering, we will continue these conversations and times for prayer, encourage that longing for greater intimacy with the God who calls us, and enkindle our desire to join ourselves to Jesus’ self-giving, unconditional love. Join us in appreciating the great gift that Jesus has given us.

In addition to the cover story, you will find that this year is the 35th anniversary of Sharing & Caring. Before this newsletter came to be, we had a variety of internal communications. Thirty-five years ago, it was decided that it would be good to share who we are and what we do with our families, friends, co-ministers, lay colleagues and others. Thus was Sharing & Caring born. We hope that you find inspiration in at least one thing in each issue as we share the living out of our Precious Blood charism and our efforts at participating in the mission of Jesus in the Church and the world.

Since June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month, we want to share with you an adaptation of the traditional Seven Offerings of the Precious Blood written by our Peace, Justice and Ecology Coordinator, Jen Morin-Williamson. We thank Jen for capturing so beautifully the need for the healing and reconciling love present in the Blood of Christ for today’s world where violence in homes and schools and on the streets seems only to be increasing proportionate to the availability of weapons once used only in war. Please join us as we pray and work for an end to gun violence.