The New Wine Press vol 25 no 3 November 2016 | Page 7

Schneiders helped us to wrestle with the “new normal” of apostolic life in the 21st century. These phrases
arose at the table conversations: Preaching the Word/
Reconciliation/Renewal/Mercy/Blood of Christ/
Meeting people where they are at/Going to the Edge/
Missionary consciousness. We also shared the issues
in our current mission sites.
Tuesday’s work led us to the evening session. Four
members of the province volunteered to form a panel
and share answers to this question: What has been
the grace and the wound for you as a member of
the Kansas City Province? This evening session was
a powerful and intimate experience of healing and
trust for the members.
On Wednesday morning in our concluding sessions, McClone invited us to address two more questions: What are my hopes and dreams for community
going forward together in this liminal space and
reality of “new normal”? What am I personally willing to commit to making that future a reality? Each
member then wrote a personal and private covenant,
stating what each one is committed to doing to actualize community and mission in the year ahead. We
ended with Eucharist and lunch.
All the above questions are given here for further
reflection among the members, and the Companions
are invited also to take these questions up personally
or in groups. The gathering made us more aware than
ever of our continued need to do this work together.
After national and international Precious Blood
leadership meetings in September, the province
will have more direction for taking our process
into the future. W
Leadership, continued from page 3
I believe we will open ourselves to a deeper awareness
and influence of the Holy Spirit.
The Leadership meeting in Chicago set a goal for the
whole North American unit of working on a common
vision. Each Province will go forward with relevant
discussions by its members during the coming months.
The Provincials will meet again in January to share
the results of those discussions. Then a meeting of all

members of the three Provinces is hoped to take place
in September of 2017.
A question that the Leadership meeting in Chicago
asks all members to discuss is: Do we want to imagine a
new future together with other provinces or imagine a
new future alone? Personally I want to imagine together,
honoring the spiritual talents of all of us, and flourishing under the strong influence of the Holy Spirit. I have
found a prayer to the Holy Spirit that I plan to use daily
for our Community during the months ahead. I want to
ask the Holy Spirit to infuse us so that what we dream
and plan is not just of us humans, but also of God.
When God called Abraham and Sarah to leave a
familiar and comfortable homeland, they left without
even knowing where they were going. They just trusted
God. We can do the same.
When Jesus appeared after the resurrection, his
wounds were still visible. We all have wounds or
memories of wounds from one another. These wounds
can keep us from creating something new. But they
don’t have to limit us or drag us down. We can use the
wounds as a means of understanding and ministering to
each other and to God’s people more effectively.
One of our Precious Blood charisms is reconciliation
in the world. The world certainly needs reconciliation in a lot of places close at hand. I can imagine the
Precious Blood Renewal Center in Liberty, Missouri,
offering intentional opportunities for reconciliation.
Its setting offers an oasis in the midst of a busy, urban
setting. The oasis extends across the road for peaceful walks through Immaculata Manor and Our Lady
of Mercy Country Home. I could see myself as part
of a team offering such opportunities for individuals,
for couples, and/or for groups. Does anybody else see
what I see? Obviously some people believe in what
we are doing at the Precious Blood Center. After we
started construction on the Reconciliation Labyrinth,
the Province received an unexpected gift of $50,000,
which could be used for the labyrinth.
For us, limited blood flow should not be a problem.
We have all that we need—and more—in the Precious
Blood of Jesus that imbues our lives and our mission.
In this we are life giving, energizing, healthy and active. Let us not allow our limited resources to stop us
from dreaming!
What do you see? Tell us about it. W
November 2016 • The New Wine Press • 5