Recently I retired from active ministry but soon found myself being invited by Teri Iverson, our vocations ministry coordinator, to participate in various events offering a Precious Blood presence and sharing stories of ministry and expressions of living our Precious Blood spirituality — as Teri put it, “sharing our charism with our young Church.”
Sister Ann Clark and I attended the SEEK conference in Columbus, where 16,000 young people gathered to deepen their relationship with God and discern their call within the Catholic Church. I was inspired by their searching for a way to be disciples of Jesus. I found them hungry for community; for a closer relationship with God; and for a way to pray and to serve, focusing on living their faith through worship, adoration and service.
For another outreach experience, Jenna Legg — director of ministry and service at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton — invited me to participate in their faith-based enrichment day. Here, I spoke to approximately 30 students in a circle about my recent work at the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR) in southside Chicago. I shared the call I felt as a Sister of the Precious Blood to be where blood is being shed and where the cry for forgiveness and healing is loud and frequent!
Recently I also invited a group of young adults and their formator from the St. Gabriel the Archangel Family of Parishes to visit our home, Salem Heights, and interact with Sisters, to hear our stories of ministry and our personal calls to prayer and engagement in the world! Together we “broke bread,” laughed, cried, connected on many levels and ended an amazing evening by praying the Seven Offerings of the Precious Blood of Jesus together in our Adoration Chapel and committing to pray for one another’s needs until we meet again!
All of these experiences have enriched me and energized me to continue to be present in our world — I see people, especially our youth, thirsting for spirituality, for community, for purpose, for redeeming love!
— Story by Donna Liette
Sister Donna at the SEEK Conference with Carmen Badell Kestler of Ohio State University; Sister Ann Clark photo