Reading is a gift that allows us to momentarily inhabit the minds of others. As the British author Malorie Blackman put it, “Reading is an exercise in empathy, an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” When we delve into the writings of our founders, Gaspar and Maria, or the wisdom figures from our communities who have preceded us, this sentiment becomes a tangible reality. We are granted the unique opportunity to momentarily walk in their shoes, drawing inspiration as we navigate our own paths of faith.
Several years ago, the Missionaries published The Wine Cellar, which gave readers the opportunity to again walk in someone’s shoes by reading the writings of others in our communities. Each edition of The Wine Cellar chose a topic and then gathered the writings of the different voices in the communities that make up our Precious Blood family to reflect upon it. The beauty of these writings is that even though they were written several years ago, they are still relevant and can teach us something today.
As the Precious Blood Spirituality Institute, we have been making efforts to gather resources such as The Wine Cellar and offer them to the world who longs to learn about our spirituality. We have just digitized every version of The Wine Cellar that we have access to and are offering them on our website. You can view them by visiting www.pbspiritualityinstitute.org/the-wine-cellar. We also know that there are editions of The Wine Cellar that might not be listed. If you have copies that are not listed and would like them included, please contact the Institute at office@pbspiritualityinstitute.org.
We hope you enjoy reading these writings and walking in someone’s shoes as we share our spirituality.
— Story by Vicky Otto
Executive Director, Precious Blood Spirituality Institute
