by Fr. David Matz, C.PP.S., Interim Director of Companions
Gather and Send is the new Vision Statement introduced at the 2014 Assemblies of the Cincinnati and Kansas City Provinces. The goal of the Appreciative Discernment process was to write a vision for the Companion Movement and ask ourselves, “What kind of leadership do we need to achieve that vision?” Then we asked ourselves, “Who in our community, members and Companions, are called to this leadership?”
By the end of June, the Companions Council will have developed job descriptions for two full-time lay co-directors and one part-time Incorporated Member for the Companions Leadership Team. In July, the job descriptions will be mailed to Incorporated Members and Companions for reflection and deliberation, with resumes submitted to the Companions Office in Berkeley in August. We hope a new leadership team will be in place by October and transition can take place during the months of November and December.
So I ask all Companions and Incorporated Members to pray and reflect on the Vision Statement. Please keep the Companions Council in your prayers over the next few months as we look for new leadership.
Gather & Send:Precious Blood Companions Vision Statement
Called by the cry of the Blood, companions are sealed with their covenants as an integral, living part of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Through that covenant relationship, we gather, then are sent to bring hope and reconciliation to a wounded world.
We are accepted for who we are, in the diversity of God’s creation, and we know that we belong to the Precious Blood family around the world. We have an intentional, evolving relationship with the Community, praying and working together as Missionaries, as St. Gaspar inspires us to do. Proclaiming that all blood is precious, we are ambassadors of Christ to the edges of society.
The Blood of Christ empowers us in our own ministries, and encourages us into ministry with the priests and brothers of the Community.
Out of the sacred space of our gatherings, we draw strength and hope. From those gatherings, our time spent in Community, and our mission houses, we are sent. We are called to share the gift s we have been given with the rest of the world.
We bring the cup of our spirituality to ever-widening circles, to people of all generations, races and cultures. We seek out those who are yearning for this message, and invite them, the way that we were invited. Especially, we pass it to younger generations, as it was passed to us.
Precious Blood spirituality has taken root in our hearts. We step out, stand up and speak clearly about the Precious Blood of Jesus.