From the President’s desk

Dear friends and family,

Sister Edna Hess • President, Sisters of the Precious Blood







As you looked at the picture at the top of this page, you probably realized that it is not the same one you have been seeing the past eight years. Let me introduce myself. I am Sister Edna Hess, the newly elected President of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, who has been serving the people of God in Chile for the past 34 years. My roots are from Carthagena, Ohio, and I have been in our Congregation 55 years.

In this edition of Sharing & Caring, the Congregation’s archivist, Sarah Aisenbrey, highlights our archives, which hold the history of our 175 years here in the United States.

Also in this edition you will meet our new Council, who come from varying backgrounds. Our beginning was a true initiation into what being on Council is like. Sunday, August 4, in the early hours of the morning, the mass shooting here in Dayton took place. Nine people lost their lives, as well as the perpetrator. As Sisters of the Precious Blood who believe all life is precious, we could not be indifferent or silent in this situation, so we made a statement which was distributed to news outlets, various organizations and our elected representatives. We participated in prayer services to remember those who had died.

Just days later, we celebrated the life of Sister Pat Will, who died after being ill only a short time. The chapel, filled with people and the stories told by family, friends and our Sisters, was a witness to her love for and in service of God’s people.

After one week, we were off to the Leadership Conference of Women Religious’ (LCWR) annual Assembly where we listened to inspirational and challenging talks by Sister Pat Murray, IBVM, president of International Union Superiors General (UISG) and Sister Sharlet Wagner, CSC, president of LCWR. The message from each talk was very clear, calling for a united focus on peace and justice and resulting in a resolution for the next three years to “create communion at the intersection of racism, migration and climate crisis” and examine the emerging orientations of LCWR to support it. We found ourselves remembering our own directions for the next four years.

Our Assembly 2019 Directives urge us to live ever deeper into our Precious Blood Spirituality which calls us daily to confront injustices in our world and give witness to the redeeming love of Christ. We hold all life as sacred and are called to honor the dignity of every person while also acting responsibly in the care of our fragile common home, the Earth. You can find our Assembly 2019 Directives on Page 6.

May God’s redeeming love witnessed in Jesus’ passion and resurrection fill our lives with joy and enthusiasm to bring about change that makes our world a happier, healthier and more caring place for all people.

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