C.PP.S

History of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood

The Missionaries of the Precious Blood was founded in Italy in 1815 by St. Gaspar del Bufalo. St. Gaspar was a Roman-born priest who was small in stature but blessed with boundless energy to carry out God’s work.

Shortly after his ordination in 1808, Gaspar was exiled during the anti-clerical movement promoted by Napoleon during the French Revolution. His imprisonment was a time of severe trial, but it gave him a clear vision of establishing a congregation devoted to the Precious Blood of Jesus. After his release from prison, Pope Pius VII called upon Gaspar to preach renewal and reconciliation to a Church and country in chaos after the French Revolution. Gaspar secured an abandoned 10th century abbey near Giano, Italy and established the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood (C.PP.S.) on Aug.15, 1815.

A visionary and preacher who had a gift of persuading people to follow his seemingly outlandish dreams, Gaspar and his small band of Missionaries worked among the country people of Italy. They staged parish missions where they preached day and night, in churches, on street corners, and anywhere else that people congregated. They dedicated their lives to renewing a Church that had been battered and rejected during Napoleon’s invasion of Italy.

From town to town, St. Gaspar and his Missionaries traveled, spreading the Good News that Jesus gave his Precious Blood to save the world. They reached out to those who felt lost or abandoned, to the sick and suffering, to those in hospitals and prisons. St. Gaspar established mission houses throughout the Italian countryside where his Missionaries lived together.

When the rural hillside was overrun by roaming bandits, so troublesome that the Pope himself threatened to exterminate them, St. Gaspar went into their camps and told them about the redeeming power of the love of Jesus. Inspired by his preaching, they pledged to change their ways.

Before he died in 1837, St. Gaspar had preached to thousands of people, and had established mission houses for C.PP.S. priests and brothers around the Italian countryside. Today, the priests, brothers, and lay associates of the Congregation serve in 20 countries around the world.

St. Gaspar del Bufalo was canonized in 1954. His feast day is October 21.

Led by Fr. Francis de Sales Brunner, C.PP.S., the Missionaries came to America in 1844. They had been invited to serve here by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, who needed priests and brothers to minister to the German-speaking Catholic settlers in central and western Ohio.

Fr. Brunner was a Swiss-born priest of such zeal that he used the long Atlantic crossing as an opportunity to lead a nine-day retreat to the priests, brothers, and candidates who accompanied him to the United States. He led his small group of Missionaries to found parishes and mission houses throughout western Ohio and Indiana. While the priests served in parishes, the brothers performed the back-breaking labor of clearing the land and building religious houses at 10 different locations.

Fr. Brunner never had a spare nickel, and his priests were criticized because some thought them rough around the edges and under-educated. Yet Fr. Brunner and the Missionaries who followed him founded dozens of Precious Blood parishes, as well as the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, Ohio.

From those parishes came the next generation of Missionaries to serve in the United States, and then the next and the next. Missionaries established two colleges, Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, and Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana.

God alone keeps an inventory of the Missionaries’ accomplishments, but people in Precious Blood parishes, those who were educated by them, or who met them in other ways have their own favorite stories of the times when a Precious Blood priest or brother stepped into their lives when he was most needed.

Spirituality of the Precious Blood

The Missionaries of the Precious Blood was founded in 1815 by St. Gaspar del Bufalo in Italy. Our spirituality centers around the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the themes of redemption, reconciliation, and the sacrificial love of Christ.

Devotion to the Precious Blood: We focus on the blood of Christ as a symbol of His sacrifice and a means of salvation for humanity. That devotion involves a deep sense of gratitude for Christ's suffering and the redemptive power of His blood.

Reconciliation and Healing: We emphasize the importance of reconciliation, both with God and among people, and work toward healing divisions, whether they are personal, social, or spiritual, reflecting the reconciling love of Christ.

Missionary Zeal: Inspired by the founder, we are dedicated to evangelization and mission work, including preaching, teaching, and engaging in various forms of pastoral ministry to spread the message of Christ's redemptive love.

Community Life: Members live in community, supporting one another in their spiritual and apostolic endeavors. Our communal aspect reflects the unity brought about by the blood of Christ and serves as a witness to the world.

Social Justice: We are committed to advocating for social justice and helping the marginalized, inspired by the inclusive and compassionate love of Christ.

Our spirituality is lived through various ministries, including parish work, retreats, missions, and social justice initiatives, all aimed at proclaiming the saving power of Christ's blood and fostering a deeper union with God and with one another.

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The Journey of Discernment

The journey of discernment is rooted in a desire to do God’s will. This journey is not a puzzle to figure out or a problem to be solved; rather, discernment is growing into the person God created us to be through prayer, reflection, conversation, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As with any art form, discernment needs to be practiced by being attentive to what is going on inside us and around us.

Discernment brings to a level of consciousness the feelings, nudges, and desires that stir within our heart for it is God who first calls us. In discernment we learn to listen from the heart and not simply the mind. Scripture tells us that the heart is seen as the very core of a human person; a hardened heart has turned from the Lord, a heart of flesh is open and receptive to God. From the heart we recognize that God is perfectly hidden and perfectly revealed in all of life and creation. Being attentive to his presence in our life is key to discernment. Think of the Blessed Virgin Mary who pondered all things in her heart.

Every person has a vocation, a call from God! Our primary vocation we receive in Baptism is the call to holiness, to do the will of God. We learn to be holy by following the example of Jesus. Fully living our call to holiness, we begin to recognize a secondary call in life which is the “state of life” I am called to live as a single person, married person, priest, consecrated brother or sister or a deacon. Because of the significance of such a decision we want to give our discernment the time, energy and attention needed to be in tune with God’s will for us and our life. The skills you learn for discernment today will serve you the rest of your life because discernment is a life-long journey of being faithful to God.

CALLED: Vocations Discernment Newsletter

Each of us is called by God to a holy life. Throughout the journey of life, we grow in our awareness of our vocation, this call to holiness, and what it means for us to be a part of the living body of Christ. With discerning hearts, we listen for the voice of Jesus calling us to “Follow me.”

“Called” is not a place to find answers. Instead, we invite you to explore, listen, and ponder the many and varied ways God is calling you grow in a deeper awareness of his love for you. Whether you are discerning for yourself, helping someone else, or working to create an environment of discernment within your ministry, we invite you to journey with us through the stories, events, and resources provided here every two months.

Our hope? That each of us will take another step to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,” building unity in the body of Christ. (Eph 4:1) Whether you are just starting to ask, “What is God’s call for me?” or a seasoned veteran of the spiritual life, we pray you will be inspired through the time you spend with us. Welcome to “Called”.