We began the month of October by celebrating the birthday of our foundress, Mother
Brunner. Later this month, on October 21st, we celebrate the feast day of St. Gaspar, the founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.
The two never met, but share some spiritual habits and a devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus. So, what wisdom can these holy founders offer us?
Take Care of the Poor in Your Midst - Both Mother Brunner & St. Gaspar cared for the poor they encountered in their daily lives. Mother Brunner passed out homemade bread to the hungry she met along her pilgrimages. St. Gaspar formed communities for the poor in Italy, where he lived, to remind them of their life's value. Often we can get overwhelmed with the countless injustices in society. Our founders remind us to step back and work to meet the needs of those we encounter in our life. We do not have to create global solutions or even national programs; rather we can serve those in our own communities.
Live the Paschal Mystery- Both St. Gaspar and Mother Brunner had their share of hardships. Mother Brunner lost a child and then raised five as a widow. She suffered from severe illnesses but offered her suffering up in prayer. St. Gaspar dealt with a near-death illness himself, lost his mother and was later exiled for not pledging allegiance to Napoleon. Regardless of their suffering, both persevered in spreading the Gospel and devotion to the Precious Blood. St. Gaspar founded mission houses and Mother Brunner gathered a community of women to maintain hours of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. As disciples, they truly experienced the dying and the rising, the cost and the reward - they lived the Eucharist! In a sense, their suffering was redeemed and made their devotion stronger. I'm encouraged by their example to persevere and not to let a single season of suffering in my life overshadow the overall story of the paschal mystery unfolding in my life.
Share Your Faith - St. Gaspar and Mother Brunner were zealous proclaimers of their faith. St. Gaspar was always on the move, preaching across Europe and founding
mission houses, which drew more members into the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He was once quoted as saying, "I wish that I could have a thousand tongues, to endear every heart to the Precious Blood of Jesus." While Mother Brunner was not an active preacher of words, her actions were an example to her community. She was known for her devotion and said, "I would have wished only to be able to be of assistance that the divine Heart and the Precious Blood of Jesus be constantly honored in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar in more places through perpetual adoration."
These are a few of the lessens from our founders. Their ordinary lives and work were made miraculous through faith and grace. We Sisters and Missionaries of the Precious Blood aim to continue the mission of our founders by accompanying and aiding the poor, giving witness to the paschal mystery, and proclaiming the fierce love of God!