Missionaries of the Precious Blood
Encyclopedia
The Missionaries of the Precious Blood form a community of priests and brothers within the Latin Church
, one of the 23 sui iuris
churches which make up the universal Catholic Church. The Society was founded by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815. The Missionaries of the Precious Blood is a shortened English translation of the Latin "Congregatio Missionariorum Pretiosissimi Sanguinis Domini Nostri Jesu Christi," (The Congregation of Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ). They use the post-nominal initials C.PP.S. after their names.
It is a Society of Apostolic Life
, composed of secular priests
and brothers who live in community. Members do not take vows
but are held together by the bond of charity only and by a promise "not to leave the community without permission of the lawful superior". The charism of the Society to bring the Word of God
to where it is most needed.
Gaspare del Bufalo founded the Society at the request of Pope Pius VII who was shocked at the spiritual situation in Rome
after he returned from exile. Pius decided that missions should be established throughout the Papal States
. In 1814, he selected del Bufalo and some other priests to undertake the responsibility, assigning them to them the church of San Felice at Giano Vetusto
, in the Campania
region of Italy. Del Bufalo and his confreres made a foundation on 15 Aug., 1815. Soon, several houses were opened, and in 1820 missions were established for the express purpose of reaching out to the bandits who plagued the area.
However, when Leo XII was elected pope in 1823, the growth of the Society was checked. Leo had been misinformed as to the work of the Society, and was thus unfavourably inclined towards its mission. He also objected to the proposed name, ‘Congregation of the Most Precious Blood’, seeing it as something of a novelty. Eventually, the Society was cleared of all accusations and the name was justified by reference to sacred Scripture
. When Gaspare died, as the result of cholera
in 1837, the Society had some 200 members and the Rule was given approval in 1841.Things took an even more positive turn under one of Gaspare’s successors, Giovanni Merlini. Merlini was a native of Spoleto
and a friend of Pius IX, who had been elected in 1846, and whose exile at Gaeta
he had shared when Pius fled from the Roman Republic in November 1848. Through the influence of the Pius IX, several new houses were opened in Italy
, and one each in Alsace
and Bavaria
. The mother-house was established at the Church of Santa Maria in Trivio
, Rome. In the 1860s the Republican Government suppressed some twenty-five houses of the Society, including the Maria in Trivio property and confiscated the revenues of the seminary
at Albano
. The Kulturkampf
(1871-1878), enacted by the Prime Minister
of Prussia
Otto von Bismarck
against the Catholic Church, closed the houses in Alsace and in several German-speaking states.
In 1844, the Society was introduced into North America
at the request of John Baptist Purcell
the Bishop
of Cincinnati
and has remained mostly in the Midwest
. It conducts two colleges in Indiana: Calumet College of St. Joseph
in Whiting
and Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer
(originally a school for Native Americans
). The Society also runs numerous parishes, the majority of which are in Ohio
, with a few in Indiana
and 2 in the Los Angeles
area of California
During the 20th century the Italian province sent members to minister to those of Italian ancestry in North America and eventually, in 1987, these priests and brothers established the Atlantic Province, based in Ontario
, Canada
. The Society continued to prosper throughout and communities were established in Brazil
(1929), Chile
(1947), Peru
(1962), Tanzania
(1966), Guatemala
(1976), Poland
(1982) , India
(1985), Mexico
(1995), Vietnam
(1997) and Colombia
(2005)
Although the members of the Society do not undergo a novitiate
or take religious vows
, they do go through a period of formation which takes several years; they also make promises.
Those who are interested in joining the Society begin by living in community for a two year period; this is called ‘Initial Formation’. During this time, candidates experience the daily routine of the members, learn more about the Society and engage in some form of apostolic ministry. The spiritual life of the candidate is nourished by daily Eucharist
, spiritual direction
as well as ample time for prayer
and reflection. In North America it is also common for candidates to complete an undergraduate degree if they have not done so previously.
Candidates then enter what is called ‘Special Formation’ which lasts a little longer than a year. During this period, they deepen their understanding of the Society by spending time in other provinces and live with members who are engaged in full time ministry. If possible, they also visit some communities of the Precious Blood Sisters. At the completion of Special Formation, there is a temporarily incorporation into the Society through the making a promise of fidelity and a bond of charity.
In the final stage, the candidates enter ‘Advanced Formation’ during which they focus on how they will serve the People of God
. For those called to be brothers, training is undertaken in a specific area. They then become permanently incorporated into the Society during a ceremony called the Rite of Definitive Incorporation. Those who are called to minister as priests
go through the appropriate degree programme at a Catholic university before being ordained to the diaconate and then priesthood. As secular clergy
the members of the Society take a promise of celibacy
as part of being ordained a deacon.
. They serve as chaplains in hospitals dedicated to the care of veterans, teach in schools, run parishes and conduct retreatsIn Europe
the members of the Society engage in parish
ministry , teaching in schools, conducting parish missions
, chaplaincy
work as well as sending personnel to other countries.
After Vatican II (1962-1965) the Society made a concerted effort to minister in more areas of Latin America
as well as Africa
and Asia
. In Tanzania the Canadian members of the Society are specifically involved in assisting people to establish and maintain projects that are beneficial to the wider community, such as healthcare, improved agriculture and education.In Chile, the missionaries from the Cincinnati Province minister in a poor parish in Santiago
as well as in a school. In Peru
they work in the harsh conditions of La Oroya
(one of the most polluted places in the world ) a mining town in the Andes
. In Guatemala
they help staff large urban and rural parishes and established a clinic.In India, due to many states forbidding Hindus from embracing Christianity
, the main work regarding evangelisation concerns those who are already Christians. The Society also ministers to those who in the slums through such means as health care, caring for street children
, orphans and day care for mothers and children; this apostolate is for anyone, irrespective of religious faith. Tthe Indian Vicariate, there has been great growth in recent years, and the Society celebrated the oridination of 14 young men in 2010.
As of 2011:
Provinces: Atlantic (Canada), Cincinnati, Iberian (Spain
and Portugal
, Italy, Kansas City, Poland (which operates a house in Croatia
) and Teutonic (Austria
, Germany
and Liechtenstein
).
Vicariates: Brazil, Chile, India and Tanzania.
Missions: Central America, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam
After the Second Vatican Council
, like all communities, that of the Precious Blood responded to the Council’s challenge to rediscover their charism. The Society, which has always remained faithful to its original purpose of bring the Gospel
to where it is most needed, declared:
Latin Church
The Latin Church is the largest particular church within the Catholic Church. It is a particular church not on the level of the local particular churches known as dioceses or eparchies, but on the level of autonomous ritual churches, of which there are 23, the remaining 22 of which are Eastern...
, one of the 23 sui iuris
Sui iuris
Sui iuris, commonly also spelled sui juris, is a Latin phrase that literally means “of one’s own laws”.-Secular law:In civil law the phrase sui juris indicates legal competence, the capacity to manage one’s own affairs...
churches which make up the universal Catholic Church. The Society was founded by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815. The Missionaries of the Precious Blood is a shortened English translation of the Latin "Congregatio Missionariorum Pretiosissimi Sanguinis Domini Nostri Jesu Christi," (The Congregation of Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ). They use the post-nominal initials C.PP.S. after their names.
It is a Society of Apostolic Life
Society of Apostolic Life
A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose. Unlike members of an institute of consecrated life , members of apostolic societies do not make religious vows...
, composed of secular priests
Secular clergy
The term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or members of a religious order.-Catholic Church:In the Catholic Church, the secular clergy are ministers, such as deacons and priests, who do not belong to a religious order...
and brothers who live in community. Members do not take vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
but are held together by the bond of charity only and by a promise "not to leave the community without permission of the lawful superior". The charism of the Society to bring the Word of God
Word of God
Word of God or God's Word may refer to:*Divine revelation**certain Religious texts**Prophecy**Biblical literalism*Logos as "divine word"** in biblical creation, see Genesis creation narrative**in trinitarianism, see Jesus Christ the Logos...
to where it is most needed.
History
SaintSaint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Gaspare del Bufalo founded the Society at the request of Pope Pius VII who was shocked at the spiritual situation in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
after he returned from exile. Pius decided that missions should be established throughout the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. In 1814, he selected del Bufalo and some other priests to undertake the responsibility, assigning them to them the church of San Felice at Giano Vetusto
Giano Vetusto
Giano Vetusto is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 40 km north of Naples and about 20 km northwest of Caserta....
, in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of Italy. Del Bufalo and his confreres made a foundation on 15 Aug., 1815. Soon, several houses were opened, and in 1820 missions were established for the express purpose of reaching out to the bandits who plagued the area.
However, when Leo XII was elected pope in 1823, the growth of the Society was checked. Leo had been misinformed as to the work of the Society, and was thus unfavourably inclined towards its mission. He also objected to the proposed name, ‘Congregation of the Most Precious Blood’, seeing it as something of a novelty. Eventually, the Society was cleared of all accusations and the name was justified by reference to sacred Scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. When Gaspare died, as the result of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in 1837, the Society had some 200 members and the Rule was given approval in 1841.Things took an even more positive turn under one of Gaspare’s successors, Giovanni Merlini. Merlini was a native of Spoleto
Spoleto
Spoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
and a friend of Pius IX, who had been elected in 1846, and whose exile at Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
he had shared when Pius fled from the Roman Republic in November 1848. Through the influence of the Pius IX, several new houses were opened in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and one each in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. The mother-house was established at the Church of Santa Maria in Trivio
Santa Maria in Trivio
Santa Maria in Trivio is a church in Rome. It is dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, and is located on Piazza dei Crociferi in rione Trevi.In 1571 the church was given to the Order of the Crociferi. Between 1573 and 1575 the architect Giacomo del Duca rebuilt the church, designing e.g. the...
, Rome. In the 1860s the Republican Government suppressed some twenty-five houses of the Society, including the Maria in Trivio property and confiscated the revenues of the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
at Albano
Albano
Albano may refer to:geography*Albano di Lucania, comune in the province of Potenza, Italy*Albano Laziale, comune in the province of Rome, Italy*Lake Albano, lake in Italy*Albano Sant'Alessandro, comune in the province of Bergamo, Italy...
. The Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
(1871-1878), enacted by the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
against the Catholic Church, closed the houses in Alsace and in several German-speaking states.
In 1844, the Society was introduced into North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
at the request of John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 until his death in 1883, and was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1850.-Biography:...
the Bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
and has remained mostly in the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. It conducts two colleges in Indiana: Calumet College of St. Joseph
Calumet College of St. Joseph
Calumet College of St. Joseph is a private college affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church through the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Its main campus is in Whiting, Indiana, with additional campuses located in Chicago, Illinois, and Merrillville, Indiana...
in Whiting
Whiting
Whiting is the name of several species of fish:*Merlangius merlangus, the original species to receive the name; a common food fish of the cod family found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean around Europe and the Mediterranean regions...
and Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer
Rensselaer
-Places:*Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a university in Troy, New York*Rensselaer County, New York, the oldest Rensselaer place name*Rensselaer, Indiana*Rensselaer, Missouri*Rensselaer, New York*Rensselaer Falls, New York*Rensselaerville, New York...
(originally a school for Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
). The Society also runs numerous parishes, the majority of which are in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, with a few in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and 2 in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
During the 20th century the Italian province sent members to minister to those of Italian ancestry in North America and eventually, in 1987, these priests and brothers established the Atlantic Province, based in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Society continued to prosper throughout and communities were established in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1929), Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(1947), Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
(1962), Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
(1966), Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
(1976), Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(1982) , India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(1985), Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(1995), Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
(1997) and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
(2005)
Formation
Although the members of the Society do not undergo a novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
or take religious vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
, they do go through a period of formation which takes several years; they also make promises.
Those who are interested in joining the Society begin by living in community for a two year period; this is called ‘Initial Formation’. During this time, candidates experience the daily routine of the members, learn more about the Society and engage in some form of apostolic ministry. The spiritual life of the candidate is nourished by daily Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, spiritual direction
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
as well as ample time for prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
and reflection. In North America it is also common for candidates to complete an undergraduate degree if they have not done so previously.
Candidates then enter what is called ‘Special Formation’ which lasts a little longer than a year. During this period, they deepen their understanding of the Society by spending time in other provinces and live with members who are engaged in full time ministry. If possible, they also visit some communities of the Precious Blood Sisters. At the completion of Special Formation, there is a temporarily incorporation into the Society through the making a promise of fidelity and a bond of charity.
In the final stage, the candidates enter ‘Advanced Formation’ during which they focus on how they will serve the People of God
People of God
"People of God" is a description that the Tanakh or Old Testament applies to the Jewish people and that the New Testament applies to Christians. Within the Catholic Church, it has been given greater prominence because of its employment in documents of the Second Vatican Council .-Usage in the...
. For those called to be brothers, training is undertaken in a specific area. They then become permanently incorporated into the Society during a ceremony called the Rite of Definitive Incorporation. Those who are called to minister as priests
Presbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
go through the appropriate degree programme at a Catholic university before being ordained to the diaconate and then priesthood. As secular clergy
Secular clergy
The term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or members of a religious order.-Catholic Church:In the Catholic Church, the secular clergy are ministers, such as deacons and priests, who do not belong to a religious order...
the members of the Society take a promise of celibacy
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
as part of being ordained a deacon.
Ministries
In North America, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood labour in wide variety of areas. They minister to those who have experienced family violence and those who live in socio-economically deprived cities such as ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. They serve as chaplains in hospitals dedicated to the care of veterans, teach in schools, run parishes and conduct retreatsIn Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
the members of the Society engage in parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
ministry , teaching in schools, conducting parish missions
Parochial mission (Catholicism)
A parish mission or parochial mission is, in the terminology of the Roman Catholic Church, a term applied to certain special pastoral efforts among Catholics. These are "home missions", distinguished from the apostolic missions sent to make conversions among pagans and heretics...
, chaplaincy
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
work as well as sending personnel to other countries.
After Vatican II (1962-1965) the Society made a concerted effort to minister in more areas of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
as well as Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. In Tanzania the Canadian members of the Society are specifically involved in assisting people to establish and maintain projects that are beneficial to the wider community, such as healthcare, improved agriculture and education.In Chile, the missionaries from the Cincinnati Province minister in a poor parish in Santiago
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"...
as well as in a school. In Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
they work in the harsh conditions of La Oroya
La Oroya
La Oroya is a city of about 33,000 people on the River Mantaro in central Peru. It is situated on the Altiplano some 176 km east-north-east of the national capital, Lima, and is capital of the Yauli Province...
(one of the most polluted places in the world ) a mining town in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. In Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
they help staff large urban and rural parishes and established a clinic.In India, due to many states forbidding Hindus from embracing Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, the main work regarding evangelisation concerns those who are already Christians. The Society also ministers to those who in the slums through such means as health care, caring for street children
Street children
A street child is a child who lives on the streets of a city, deprived of family care and protection. Most children on the streets are between the ages of about 5 and 17 years old.Street children live in junk boxes, parks or on the street itself...
, orphans and day care for mothers and children; this apostolate is for anyone, irrespective of religious faith. Tthe Indian Vicariate, there has been great growth in recent years, and the Society celebrated the oridination of 14 young men in 2010.
Organisation
The main administrative body of the Society is the General Curia, composed of five elected members: Moderator General, Vice-Moderator and 3 Councillors all of whom are base in Rome. Each province, vicariate and mission is headed by a Director elect from among the members.As of 2011:
Provinces: Atlantic (Canada), Cincinnati, Iberian (Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Italy, Kansas City, Poland (which operates a house in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
) and Teutonic (Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
).
Vicariates: Brazil, Chile, India and Tanzania.
Missions: Central America, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam
Spirituality and charism
According to the Generalate website,"Christ's shedding his Blood was for St. Gaspar and is for us the sign of God's great love for all people. This spirituality of the Blood continues to impel us to build community through the inclusion of the marginalized, to walk in solidarity with those who suffer, and to seek reconciliation in a divided world".
After the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, like all communities, that of the Precious Blood responded to the Council’s challenge to rediscover their charism. The Society, which has always remained faithful to its original purpose of bring the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to where it is most needed, declared:
We are united by a bond of charity and rooted in the Spirituality of the Blood of Jesus. We are called to participate in the on-going renewal of the Church and the realisation of the Presence of God among ourselves and those we serve.
In our willingness to be flexible and responsive to changing needs, we fulfill our mission through:
• supporting and nurturing one another
• embracing a life of prayer
• calling forth the gifts of the laity and working in collaboration with them
• preaching and witnessing the word of God
• promoting conversion and reconciliation
• pursuing justice ever mindful of the poor and marginalised.