Community Makes Us Better
by Ruth Mather, Mid-Missouri Companion
Even before I made my first covenant as a Precious
Blood Companion, I found myself wondering how I
would be able to give back. After I retired from my civ-
il service job and moved back to Missouri, I was look-
ing for intellectual conversation, something to spark
my interest, challenge me, give me a sense of purpose.
I have found those things with my association with the
members and Companions of the Missionaries of the
Precious Blood.
It began with conversations and getting to know
the Precious Blood priests at my parish and then grew
with the inquiry and formation process of becoming
a Companion with the Central Missouri Companions
and the Kansas City Province. Over the past few years,
I have grown personally through my relationships
with the members and Companions of the Kansas
City Province and have met some members and
Companions from other provinces through retreats,
pilgrimages, and other gatherings.
I am profoundly grateful to have found this
Precious Blood family, and have spent a great deal of
time trying to find ways to give back. Because of the
time I spend with members and Companions, the
relationships I have developed, they make me want to
be a better person. How could I ever give back to that
degree? I felt as if I am receiving all this grace and giv-
ing nothing in return. I have no special talents, I can't
sing, have no artistic abilities, am an expert at nothing.
Precious Blood members and Companions have
given me opportunities to debate difficult subjects, ask
questions (many questions), express my views on any
topic, and have supported everyone's right to do so. At
times, there is validation; other times, a new perspec-
tive or better appreciation for a different one. I always
come away with a confidence and understanding that
makes me want to do better.
I know I am living my life with more conviction,
living what I believe, sharing, taking a stand. Here is
an example. After Mass at coffee and donuts, some
members of my parish were discussing the fact that
there always seems to be Hispanic names in the police
reports of the local paper. They naturally equated this
to immigrants and criminal activity. I pointed out
the offenses related to these reports were non-violent
12 • The New Wine Press • January 2018
offenses, and most were related to driving without
a valid drivers' license. I shared that it is legal for an
undocumented immigrant to own a car in this coun-
try, but they cannot obtain a valid drivers' license.
And documented immigrants have difficulty obtain-
ing drivers' licenses because they must take the tests
in English. It is more difficult to read and write in a
second language than it is to communicate verbally.
They agreed that there were almost no violent criminal
offenses related to those reports. And they had not
realized the difficulties immigrants experience obtain-
ing legal driving status.
I feel my life has more purpose. I have been some-
what surprised to realize that people notice that I am
comfortable in my own skin, in my beliefs. I have
actually had friends