New group will foster connections, spiritual and social gatherings for former members

former_members_001DAYTON — On July 16 in Dayton, a new group was born to celebrate CPPS heritage and spirituality in the lives of former members of the community. Its name is CPPS Friends.

The new group is the result of the interest of these women to keep connections to the congregation that formed them, and to share in its rich Precious Blood spirituality. The group’s organizing committee, composed of former members, developed a mission statement for CPPS Friends:

“As friends and former members of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, we seek to foster community, to enhance our own Precious Blood spirituality, and to engage former members in social and spiritual gatherings.”

One catalyst for the birth of CPPS Friends was the yearlong celebration of the congregation’s 175th anniversary from January 2009 to January 2010. The celebrations of the anniversary year included a gathering for former members in Dayton, Phoenix and San Luis Rey, Calif., and many former CPPS sisters attended the various celebrations around the country as well.

These were times of rich sharing, memories, laughter, as well as gratitude for the spirituality that nourished so many women over the years.

During these get-togethers, one constant emerged: Many former members are interested in ongoing relationships with the congregation, and with one another. They also expressed a desire to keep tapping that rich well of Precious Blood Spirituality in their lives today. Based on this encouragement, the congregation sent out a survey earlier this year to see the level of interest in forming a group and, if so, looking for volunteers to be on an organizing committee. The response was overwhelmingly positive!

The CPPS Friends Committee members come from across the country, from Washington state and Arizona, Colorado and Kentucky, as well as Ohio.

Members are: Rita Brinkman (Sidney, Ohio); Jan Brinkpeter Bennett (Port Oxford, Ore.); Fran Sutermaster Duell (Dayton, Ohio); Nancy Synder Frank (Miamisburg, Ohio); Brenda Hilger (Florence, Ky.); Jan Paprocki Killick (Denver, Colo.); Barb Neumeier Maloney (Brookville, Ohio); Carol Ann Muller (Phoenix, Ariz.); Jenny Deitering Ritzel (Xenia, Ohio); Margie Schwieterman (Newport, Ky.); and Helen Moorman Umphrey (Battleground, Wash.). Sisters Cecilia Taphorn and Marita Beumer are the group’s liaisons with the congregation.

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