too experience God ’ s love and continue to spread to different lands and soils of the world .
Coming back from the gathering , Danny and I continued our Precious Blood Spirituality by reading the book Saint Gaspar del Bufalo : Saint of the People by R . Barnardo and Everyday Christian Spirituality by Fr . Ernest Ranly , c . pp . s . with Fr . Steve Dos Santos , c . pp . s . As we read and discussed each chapter of these books , it opened my heart more in living with Precious Blood spirituality . We had so many ideas and aspirations for our parish . Danny focused on working with the 1:30 Mass youth choir and exceedingly improved the St . Agnes School Performing Arts Program . I continued to work with the Young Adult Ministry , in which we began a food drive for the homeless and organized concerts to fundraise for nonprofit organizations . It improved my confidence , and passion for youth ministry .
Another encounter that boosted my Precious Blood spirituality happened in the summer of 2015 at the Precious Blood Center in Kansas City , Missouri . Another gathering that Danny and I attended together to contribute to our beautiful growing garden of our faith . Here we learned about the Companions , in which again the Missionaries of the Precious Blood left me mind blown ! We discussed about ways to engage today ’ s youth to Precious Blood spirituality through the Companions Movement . It ’ s everything that I felt passionate about Precious Blood spirituality as a layperson and learned that there is more to the congregation besides being religious a priest or brother . It gave me a sense of inclusion and enthusiasm to the congregation . I felt that it was a “ there ’ s an app for that ” moment . Again , I went home confident , passionate , and with new ideas for the youth ministry . Unfortunately , shortly after , with a broken heart , the young adult ministry had to close . While this was happening the teenage ministry was also hanging on a thread as the youth leader had to relocate and there was no one to support them . Holding on to hope and ambition , I volunteered to take on the teenage youth
Precious Blood Companions
ministry : J . C . Krew . The timing of the transition was completely unplanned but worked out perfectly .
Since February of 2016 to now the numbers have grown from 3 to 10 . Words cannot explain how grateful I am to be with them . They have taught me so much in terms of pop-culture , friendship , and faith . They are always given the option of “ What do you want to do ?”, “ What do you want to learn ?”, “ What do you want to know ?” Our gatherings are held on Wednesday nights , along with weekend events . So far our weekend events have consisted of having snow cones sales on Sundays , and going to the beach . This year we are preparing to attend the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Religious Education Congress - Youth Day . An event where thousands teenagers from California gather for prayer , worship , workshops , and fun activities . Our gatherings consist of game night , karaoke night , homework night , spirituality topic night , and personal / social topic night . From being together for almost a year through all these gatherings I learned one thing , oh man do they love to eat ! Secret to a youth ministry is food , activities , opportunity for them to make their own choices and more food . Precious Blood Spirituality has been presented by first watching the bicentennial video in which explains and introduces the congregation , then we have adapting the companions workbook and transforming it a little bit more to hands on activities . We are almost done with the reflections and looking to do the “ Companion Welcome Rite ” soon .
In words of Fr . Barry Fischer , “ Through the unity of Precious Blood , youth can discover their identity . Jesus spoke to the hearts rather than the heads of those encountered .” My heart beats and pumps with Precious Blood Spirituality , which drives me to do more for these “ kids .” It is a wonderful feeling to see that the seeds from your garden have flourished in a different location . One never knows where exactly , it can be another garden , open dry land , or even the cracks of pavement . No matter what the circumstances , the most impossible can be possible by acceptance to all , and love . W
February 2017 • The New Wine Press • 9