Jun 15, 2022
Frs. Joe Nassal and Jeff Kirsch in 2019
Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S., was elected the first provincial director of the United States Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, during the Missionaries’ assembly in Indianapolis today.
Fr. Kirch will lead the United States Province for a term of four years. He previously served as the provincial director of the Cincinnati Province.
“It’s a privilege to be asked by my brothers in Community to lead the Congregation in the United States as we begin this important part of our shared life,” Fr. Kirch said. “I’m looking forward to working with Missionaries and Companions as we seek to bring to fruition Gaspar’s dream, as well as our dreams. I’m looking forward to continuing to build our relationships in the bond of charity and hearing from one another our hopes and dreams for the future of the Congregation.”
Fr. Kirch thanked the leadership of the two provinces for their efforts to form the new province. “So many people have poured their lives into the mission of this Congregation throughout its history. And that continues,” Fr. Kirch said. “Thinking about all the work that went into this process so far, I’m grateful to the two provincial councils for getting us this far. But we don’t stop here. The work is just beginning. Our task now is to become new wine in new wineskins.”
The new United States Province was created during Morning Prayer at the assembly today. Br. Juan Acuna, C.PP.S., secretary general read the decree from the general council, which had approved the formation of the new province at their meeting on June 12, the anniversary of the canonization of St. Gaspar del Bufalo.
Elected as vice provincial director and first councilor of the new province was Fr. Joseph Nassal, C.PP.S. Fr. Nassal served as the provincial director of the Kansas City Province from 2011 to 2019.
Fr. Emanuele Lupi, C.PP.S., moderator general, opened the electoral assembly after Morning Prayer.
He reminded the Missionaries that the assembly is “the highest authority of the province,” and that the leaders they choose will “reflect the will and dream of the province. These leaders will be representing you, and they will represent the authority, the dream, and the will of the members of the province.”
“This is a historical moment: the first leadership of the new province. This leadership has to plant the roots for the future. We need to seek the spirit of the Lord to be upon us and to express from the truth of our hearts those names that we think will be the best to lead this province in this moment, at the beginning of the new chapter.”
Elections for three additional councilors will continue at the assembly on Thursday.
Meeting with Companions on Wednesday afternoon, Fr. Lupi told the Companions that they were a vital part of the Congregation. In them, the Missionaries can see their own commitment and love of the C.PP.S.—and vice versa. “We are a mirror for each other,” he said.
“Thank you for loving this Community, which I love—and I think it is the best community in the world,” he said.
During a liturgy on Wednesday evening, Lisa Alkier, St. Joseph, Missouri, made her first covenant and 21 Companions renewed their covenants. In their individual covenants, the Companions wrote of their commitment to the Congregation and to the Precious Blood spirituality that it brings to the world. Companions join in the mission and help expand the ministry of the Congregation.
Please pray for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood this week as they step into their future in faith.
Jun 14, 2022
Gregory Evers, C.PP.S., was definitively incorporated as a Missionary of the Precious Blood today during the Missionaries’ assembly in Indianapolis.
Greg, who will be ordained a deacon in August, grew up in Maria Stein, Ohio, in a parish served by the Missionaries. “I was attracted to the Congregation because of the relationships I had with the members first before I knew anything about the Community’s charism or spirituality. The members are very down-to-earth, approachable people. After some time getting to know the members, I could begin to see myself as one of them,” he said.
Greg’s family members—his parents, Roger and Mary, his siblings, and his grandmother—were present to support him as he made his lifetime commitment to the Congregation.
Fr. Emanuele Lupi, C.PP.S., the moderator general of the worldwide congregation, accepted Greg’s commitment to the Missionaries as he presided at the evening Mass. “Greg will be one of us, together with us in this ministry, in this life,” Fr. Lupi said. “Let us say thank you to Greg for his vocation, for his decision to spend the rest of his life with us.”
Greg was presented with the mission cross of the late Fr. Gene Schnipke, C.PP.S., who died unexpectedly in March. Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S., gave the mission cross to Greg and also was the homilist at the Mass. “When Greg first started discerning religious life, my brother, Fr. Gene, was one of the first members to meet with him,” Fr. Ken said. “Gene also brought Greg into contact with other Missionaries so he could get to know the Community. Gene’s willingness to share stories about his life as a priest and a Missionary of the Precious Blood gave Greg a sense of his own vocation.”
Near the end of the Mass, the 2022 jubilarians were called forward to be honored. Fr. Lupi noted that the decree of incorporation that Greg had signed during Mass was on the altar alongside the blessing for the jubilarians. Fr. Lupi told Greg to look at the jubilarians for the inspiration that their faithfulness to their calling can provide. He told the jubilarians to look at Greg and remember what it was like to be a new member of the C.PP.S.
In the morning and afternoon sessions, Sr. Maria Hughes, ASC, led discussions about the future United States Province, which will be formed during Morning Prayer on Wednesday. She led a presentation from the provincial directors of the Cincinnati and Kansas City Provinces, Fr. Jeff Kirch, C.PP.S., and Fr. Garry Richmeier, C.PP.S., about life in leadership.
“What Jesus’ ministry was, was building relationships, particularly with those who were cut off, pushed aside: the lepers, the prostitutes, the tax collectors,” said Fr. Kirch. “As leaders, building relationships is so important because it really gets to the heart of who we are, not just as Missionaries of the Precious Blood, but as Christians.”
“We recognize all those different bonds that we have: with our lay associates, with the sisters’ congregations, with our partners in mission, with staff at ministry sites,” he continued. “We foster all those different relationships. . . As a new province, as we are continually called to conversion of our lives and ministries, we will build those bonds so that our charism continues to spread in other ways, through the Missionaries, through the relationships we are building.”
In a presentation entitled “New Wine In New Wineskins,” Frs. Joe Nassal, C.PP.S., and David Kelly, C.PP.S., shared their thoughts about the future of the new province. Fr. Kelly, celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination this year, said that when he is in meetings, “I find myself often being the oldest person in the group. There’s an advantage to that. I know that I don’t have that much more time; we have to get to the core issues. I can’t wait for good things maybe to happen.
“If not now, what are we waiting for? The cry of the Blood is loud, on the front pages. If we’re waiting around, for who or for what? I really feel there is an urgency for the spirituality we embrace. But we can’t keep it locked in small rooms – it has to go out on the highways and byways and be spread among the people.”
And so, he told the Missionaries and Companions, “Be provocative and take risks.”
Tomorrow at the assembly, the new United States Province will be created during Morning Prayer. Elections will begin for the leadership of the new province.
Please pray for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood this week as they step into their future in faith.
Jun 13, 2022
The keynote speaker at the Missionaries’ joint assembly in Indianapolis tonight urged them to be true to who they were called to be, from the very beginning of the Congregation. “Moving forth, you were called to be Missionaries—to see who is right in front of you, most in need,” said Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C.
Fr. Donio told the Missionaries and Companions that the new creation process has already moved them far along already, far beyond what many religious congregations have been able to accomplish. He encouraged the Missionaries to continue to listen to the Spirit in the days ahead, as they celebrate the formation of the United States Province and elect new leadership.
In his opening remarks, Fr. Garry Richmeier, C.PP.S., issued a challenge, “to be open to wherever the Spirit leads us. We all have ideas about what we should or shouldn’t do. But I invite you to come to the discussions, come to our gathering, in that spirit of openness. If we do that, we can’t go wrong.”
Fr. Donio, who is the executive director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in the United States, said that “we need to recognize that everything is dependent on the Holy Spirit. That is not a pious platitude. God is guiding us,” he said. “In your case, this will happen in and through this charism of St Gaspar because it was the Holy Spirit who inspired him in the first place. And that response became in part, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. And so too its mission becomes a movement of the Holy Spirit.”
He continued, “And that is where this assembly has an opportunity: root yourself in where the Holy Spirit is moving you.”
The assembly continues through Thursday. Tomorrow’s events include presentations by the provincial directors, discussions among members and Companions, recognition of Missionaries who are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year, and a Mass during which Gregory Evers, C.PP.S. will make his definitive incorporation into the Congregation.
Please pray for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood this week as they step into their future in faith.
May 26, 2022
from Gabino Zavala, Justice & Peace Director
“Thus says the Lord: A voice is heard in Ramah, marked by lamentation and bitter weeping: Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be consoled for her children, because they are no more.” Jeremiah 31:15
Tuesday afternoon I took a break from writing a reflection on the shooting of Black grocery shoppers in Buffalo by an avowed white supremacist, to watch the news with my mother. As the news unfolded I started to weep. Again. The images of the children and their teachers senselessly murdered made me weep. The smiling images of those children who are no more. Just days before we saw the images of those who went grocery shopping for their families and never came home. Our hearts break for their parents and their families.
There have been 213 mass shootings in the United States this year, 27 of these shootings have occurred in schools. The funerals from the Buffalo shooting have not ended as another mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas takes place. Children should be able to go to school without fearing for their lives. People should be able to go shopping to feed their families without being attacked by someone filled with hatred. Everyone should be able to go to Church without fearing for their lives.
In response to the shooting of those innocent children in Texas Governor Abbott and other Texas politicians blamed a lack of security at the schools. Their solution—more guns. Let’s arm the teachers. Let’s hire more armed security. Let’s not talk about sensible gun laws.
As Precious Blood missionaries, members and companions, we have taken a corporate stance against gun violence. In our corporate stance, We affirm the sacredness of all life. We acknowledge the need to change laws that allow unlimited access to weapons and ammunition of any amount.
We are not talking about taking away the guns of hunters and responsible gun enthusiasts. We are talking about comprehensive gun policy reform. We need stronger universal background checks. We need to address the question of gun ownership and mental illness. We should be more aware of those who espouse racist and hateful ideologies and want to purchase guns. We need to ban assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines. We need to dismantle our extreme gun culture.
Why should someone who just turned 18 years old be able to legally buy an assault rifle? Why should no red flags be raised when a young man who is not in law enforcement or in the military has access to body armor? Should this not be of concern to all of us?
There are more than 400,000,000 guns in the United States, We have more guns than people. And yet many politicians tout the rights of the individual to own guns (of any kind) rather than the safety of our children and our communities. Governor Abbott for one has just passed laws making it easier for people to own guns. This is their solution for every problem. But guns everywhere haven’t made us safer; quite the contrary.
Contact your U.S.
Representatives and
Senators. Tell them that it is time to pass sensible gun laws. Tell them to stop taking money from the gun lobby. Hold them accountable.
You hear people say, “Guns don’t kill, people do!” That’s only half the story. People who are filled with hate, mentally ill, who have evil in their hearts, AND who have easy access to assault rifles and high-capacity magazines kill people.
How much longer will we weep for our children?
Apr 29, 2022
Apr 13, 2022
The Precious Blood Spirituality Institute (PBSI) has announced the hiring of its first executive director, Vicky Otto.
Vicky currently serves as the director of Companions (lay associates) for the Cincinnati and Kansas City Provinces of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. She will assume her new position on July 1.
“It is an honor to serve as the first executive director of the Precious Blood Spirituality Institute,” Vicky said. “I look forward to working with each of our communities as we promote and share Precious Blood spirituality. I also look forward to our collaborations when opportunities are identified to reach out to our broken and divided world, offering our spirituality’s many gifts, including healing, hope, reconciliation, and renewal.”
A native of Tucson, Vicky has a long history of parochial and pastoral ministry, as well as administration. She holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fordham University and an MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. She has been the director of Companions since 2014.
The PBSI is a new partnership of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, and the Sisters of the Precious Blood of Dayton, Ohio. It was formed earlier this year to promote Precious Blood spirituality to the world. The executive director will oversee the administration, programming, and strategic planning of the PBSI, ensuring that it reflects the charisms of the sponsoring congregations.
She will take her place on the PBSI board, which also includes member-representatives of the three congregations.
The provincial councils of the Cincinnati and Kansas City Provinces will soon begin a search for a new director of Companions.
