English - Adorers of the Blood of Christ

Rome, ASC Generalate, September 2002 

New Wine in New Wineskins (cfr. Mt 9:17) 

“...we move forward into the new millennium as 

pilgrims, searching and discerning, focusing on what is 

essential.” 

(Acts GA ’99 ) 

IN THIS ISSUE: 

Together…in Italy 

Pg. 2 (fr Trani) 

Itinerant Provincial 

Assembly 

(fr Bari) 

Telling about war 

Pg. 3 

Pg. 4 

to educate for 

peace (fr. Zagreb) 

Fruits of a 

pilgrimage 

The community of 

Crucified and Risen 

Love (fr. Schaan) 

October 20: 

Pg. 5 remembering the 

martyrs of charity 

Recognition for 

ASC commitment to 

care of environment 

Pg. 6 

(fr. USA) 

Action against 

death penalty 

Historic meeting 

with the C.PP.S. 

sisters 

(fr. USA) 

In brief… 

Pg. 7-8 With joy we 

announce… 

Toward 2005 

µετα C I S 

September 15: Feast of Mary, 

Woman of the New Covenant 

Mary, first disciple and first adorer, is 

the one who enters in a special way the 

Paschal Mystery. The Gospel of John 

portrays Mary as standing at the foot 

of the cross.There is much of the life 

of Jesus which no doubt had not been 

clear to her. That it ends in his public 

execution as a criminal and the dashing of all his dreams is 

indeed a sword which pierces her heart. In this, she 

suffers with all the women whose sons go to prison, who 

are misunderstood and misjudged by legal authorities, 

whose dreams for a better life are crushed. Mary’s 

walking with her son, her not abandoning him on the cross, 

her taking his dead body once again in her arms as she 

once contemplated him as an infant, shows us the fidelity 

of God’s being with us in the midst of the most crushing 

disappointment. So often this is how things end for the 

poor: crushing disappointment. Mary has been there. 

(Robert Schreiter, Mary, Woman of the New Covenant, July 

2002) 

The image of Mary, Woman of the New Covenant, is a model 

for us at this time… Let us permit ourselves to be formed 

by her, to become ever more women contemplating Love 

Crucified, and in solidarity with suffering humanity of 

today’s world. With best wishes. 

Suor Vittoria Tomarelli, ASC - General Superior 

ASC International Communications – September 2002 – Pg. 1 of 8

Together…in Italy! 

*** 

T 

he members of the Italian 

inter-provincial council, - an 

organ composed of the four 

provincial administrations in order to 

promote dialog, comparison, directions 

and actions in common among the 

Adorers of the Italian provinces – met 

at Trani (Bari) , from August 25 to 

28, 2002. During their work, the 

Commission for the Reorganization of 

the Italian Provinces (CoRI), after a 

reading and evaluation of 

questionnaires showing the human 

resources and the works under ASC 

management and those not, presented 

to the Council an itinerary that calls 

for the identification of ministerial 

priorities, the setting up of 

orientative laboratories for projects 

that will involve the sisters of the 

four provinces (December 2002) and 

meetings with the communities 

(March/April 2003). The program, 

presented according to a dynamic of 

discernment, proposes the start-up of 

experiments in Italy, and the creation 

of “planning organs” by sectors 

(spirituality and pastoral, ASC 

formation, culture, communications 

and social politics; associated laity; 

economy). In the course of the 

consultation these topics were also 

treated: 

- Unio Sanguis Christi. Planning with 

unified themes at the national level 

is foreseen for 2002-2003; 

- Youth-vocation ministry. Urgency 

of a revitalization of everything on 

the national territory; 

- Canonization MDM. A common 

journey of preparing publicity and 

celebration material is desirable; 

- Plan of initial formation: Now that 

the plan has been elaborated, it is 

being studied by provincial councils. 

“Itinerant” 

Provincial Assembly 

*** 

T 

he Adorers of the Province 

Bari held their XIth 

Provincial Assembly on the 

topic: “ASC Community – start off 

from CHRIST—be prophet of a new 

humanity”. The newness is that this 

Assembly does not proceed by 

sessions/meetings deferred and 

circumscribed in time, but is inserted 

in a three-year program (2001-2003) 

and involves the entire range of three 

years. It is an itinerant Assembly! 

The province, in fact, envisions a 

“continuum” in which “times of 

listening and announcing” alternate 

with “times of experience” and “times 

ASC International Communications – September 2002 – Pg.2 of 8

of synthesis”. 

In January 2002 the province held a 

“Day of announcing and listening” on 

the topic “A FACE to contemplate— 

We want to see Jesus”. This 

announcement was intended to meet 

the daily life of the ASC apostolic 

community and to be translated into 

concrete choices, decisions and 

actions. 

The February-May 2002 period was 

“time for experiences”, time to be 

“prophets of a new humanity”. 

During this time a group of sisters, 

with the provincial council, 

accompanied the communities in a 

itinerary of reflection on the choices 

and decisions that "starting off anew 

from Christ” calls for at this historic 

moment, on the personal, community 

and provincial level. 

In August, the Adorers of the whole 

province gathered at Trani, and, in 

three groups, tried to summarize the 

journey thus far in order to draw up 

proposals for operational choices. 

The year 2003 will see another “time 

of experiments of choices made” in 

(December-May), and in community 

groups with accompaniment. This 

which will culminate in 

the Collegial Meeting, 

when Directions will be 

formulated for the 

province. These will be 

“turned over” later to all 

the Adorers in a plenary 

meeting. 

Telling about war to 

educate toward peace 

*** 

A 

bout two months ago the 

Serb Republic of Bosnia was 

returning to the ASCs of 

the Province of Zagreb the house of 

Nova Topola, from which the sisters, 

most of them elderly, had been 

evicted during the war (cf the February 

2002 newsletter). After seven years of 

occupation, only the walls and a lot of 

debris remained of the house. 

Thanks to Caritas of Banja Luka, a 

group of young people of the parish of 

St. Clara of Rome (Italy), accompanied 

by Fr. Nicola Filippi, came to offer 

their help. Their presence in the 

country was an “explosion” of joy and 

a sign of the arrival of a new time! Fr. 

Nicola wrote down the thoughts that 

this experience brought out of the 

hearts of these young people. A few 

excerpts: 

…We know only what the western 

newspapers and television told us 

about Bosnia… With the passing of 

days we realize that the broken-down 

walls, the crumbled roofs, the windows 

still with bullet holes were silent 

witnesses of horrors that we would 

never think possible. Also the faces of 

the sisters and the many people we 

meet strike us deeply. Only marginally, 

do we succeed to understand the 

suffering and pain of these people. 

Bishop Komarica and Cardinal Puljic 

assigned us a task: to tell… to tell what 

hatred can provoke; to tell about the 


wounds that a war leaves in people’s 

hearts; to tell that not accepting those 

who are different from us… generates 

a world paved with tears and spattered 

with cemeteries, like the many we saw 

in Bosnia. We find comfort and hope in 

seeing that during a supper, a Croat 

shakes a Serb’s hand, and two girls, 

Serbian and Orthodox, come to help us 

with the work and participate at our 

Eucharist. We leave Topola at dawn: 

our thoughts race to the ones we had 

these days in the Bosnian land. We are 

certain that that convent door, open on 

the street, will be open to welcome 

every person who knocks. We return to 

Italy with one certainty: only love can 

conquer hatred, only love can give this 

land, which by now we feel is ours too, 

a future of peace. 

Fruits of a Pilgrimage 

*** 

T 

he vocation pilgrimage 

organized by the Province 

of Schaan, which had as 

destination the sanctuary of S. Maria 

a Baumgartle (Germany) run by the 

CPPS Missionaries, (cfr. ASC International 

Communications June-August) had great 

results: more than 300 persons 

participated, including CPPS 

Missionaries, ASCs, Sister 

Missionaries of the Most Precious 

Blood and Associates. The theme, 

“The Vocation of the human and 

Christian person”, was prepared 

jointly by S. Regina, ASC, and an 

Associate, Huberta, who invited the 

group to mediate along the road on a 

symbolic story: “The dream of three 

disappointed trees”. 

During this experience God worked 

miracles: one woman felt prompted to 

change her life; another felt her 

physical energies return; many 

experienced an atmosphere dense 

with grace, remaining in prayer for 

hours. The radiant faces 

communicated more than words, what 

God had worked in them… About 250 

persons shared the dinner, served 

under a tent and prepared for them 

by a hotel owner, great-nephew of a 

deceased Adorer. In reality, an 

abundant meal was offered for more 

than 300 persons. The contribution 

requested for the meal was modest. 

Each could place their offering into a 

large open vase spontaneously. 

The community of Crucified 

and Risen Love 

*** 

F 

rom June 6 to 11, eight 

members of the Community 

of Crucified and Risen Love 

met at the provincial house of Schaan. 

This community was founded by an ex- 

ASC, Sr. Rita, who left our 

congregation before making perpetual 

vows, and by a diocesan priest, under 

the guidance and according to the plan 

of the bishop of Maastricht 

(Netherlands). Now, thirteen years 

after its foundation, there are 31 

members, counting contemplative and 

missionary sisters with vows, priests, 


others and married persons. They 

live the ASC spirituality, but in a much 

more rigid way. Their center is an old 

convent, where three elderly sisters 

still live. After the death of the last 

one the property will pass to the new 

community. They have so much 

pastoral work that they would like to 

build a retreat house with Providential 

means. Also for their food, the 

community entrusts itself to 

Providence. Every person who wishes 

to grow in faith is welcome. There is 

nothing pre-defined: each gives what 

he/she can and wants to… Only those 

persons can become members who 

commit themselves unreservedly for 

the cause of “Crucified and Risen 

Love”. Their interest for the 

spirituality and work of Maria De 

Mattias and for the first ASCs of 

Steinerberg is great. The Lord knows 

how to be very creative! 

October 20: remembering 

the five martyrs of Charity. 

*** 

T 

he Province of the United 

States has prepared a 

packet containing material 

for the use of sisters and friends to 

commemorate the tenth anniversary 

of the death of the Five Martyrs of 

Charity: Sisters Shirley and M. Joel 

Kolmer, Agnes Mueller, Kathleen 

McGuire and Barbara Ann Muttra. The 

packet contains two prayer aids (one 

for adults and one for children 

between the ages of 11 and 14 years), 

suggestions for 

liturgical 

celebrations, an 

account of the 

life of the five 

martyrs of 

charity, the 

conditions of life in Liberia, and ideas 

for actions of social justice. 

A copy of the material, in English, has 

been sent to the General 

Administration, to all the provinces, 

foundations and missions. 

Recognition for ASC 

commitment to care of the 

environment 

*** 

I 

n the February issue of ASC 

International Communications 

we described the abundant 

efforts of the ASCs of the Ruma 

Center in the field of differentiated 

collection of materials. Now a 

recognition has arrived from the IRA 

(Illinois Recycling Association), 

Association to which the ASCs belong, 

which recognized Ruma Center for its 

“Exceptional Management of a rural 

community in 2002, 

among the winners of 

the award that is 

assigned for the 

whole state of 

Illinois. 


When explaining the reasons for the 

award, the Association stressed the 

outstanding success of the recycling 

program which serves the towns of 

Ruma and Prairie du Rocher, in 

Randolph County where, two weekends 

per month the sisters organize a 

recycling station. 

The sisters also received a 

congratulatory letter from the Illinois 

State Department of Commerce and 

Community Affairs. 

Action against 

the death penalty 

*** 

A 

s requested by the proposal 

supporting the abolition of 

capital punishment, which 

was passed during the Provincial 

Assembly of the United States 

province, the position of the ASCs on 

this problem of justice will be 

communicated clearly to the public 

through a series of concrete efforts. 

Beginning August 5, in fact, this 

declaration is being sent to all the 

diocesan newspapers in areas where 

the Adorers work. It will also be sent 

to the “The National Catholic 

Reporter”, where space will be bought, 

and to some social action groups who 

share the same position, inviting them 

to use this declaration in their 

newsletter and on internet sites. The 

declaration is available also on the 

internet site of the ASCs: 

www.adorers.org, in the section 

“What’s new”. 

Historic meeting 

with C.PP.S. Sisters 

*** 

O 

n July 25 and 26, 2002, a 

historic meeting was held 

between the ASC general 

council and that of the Sisters of 

the Most Precious Blood of O’Fallon. 

The ASC team first went to the 

C.PP.S. Generalate and then, together, 

the two general administrations went 

to visit Piopolis, Illinois, where the 

presence of the two communities 

began in America. In spite of the fact 

that the two congregations have been 

collaborating quite frequently for 

some years, this was the very first 

time the two general councils met in 

their entirety. The Sisters of the 

Most Precious Blood arrived in Piopolis 

for the first time from Gurtweil, 

Germany, in 1879. A series of 

circumstances led to the formation of 

two distinct groups. Mother 

Clementina Zerr, who was part of the 

last contingent of Gurtweil that came 

to America, felt she could not 

continue to live in circumstances that 

separated her from the Congregation 

of Rome; and with a few sisters, she 

left O’Fallon to return to Piopolis 

first, and then to Ruma. The fact 

that this meeting took place just 127 

years after the dedication of the 


O’Fallon motherhouse, and the 

announcement by Madre Clementina 

that she wanted to remain united to 

Rome, deserves reflection on the 

mysterious and marvelous ways of the 

Lord, and a prayer so that 

collaboration between the two 

communities will always continue. 

On the occasion of this meeting, the 

first gift for the canonization of 

Maria De Mattias was received. 

In brief * * * * 

R 

ecently published (2001), a 

book by Fr. Barry Fischer, 

C.PP.S., entitled “The Cry of 

the Blood – Challenge of 

Refoundation.” It is a series of stories 

and reflections on mission, 

community and spirituality of 

the Blood of Christ. The book 

is available from the CPPS 

Missionaries in Rome. 

With joy we announce… 

The first profession of : 

Aldona Kala 

Province of Wrocław (Częstochowa, August 4, 2002) 

The perpetual profession of: Angela Marie Laquet 

US Province (Ruma, September 1, 2002) 

Cleopatra Subiaco 

Province of Acuto (Terracina-LT, September 15, 2002) 

Jasminka Ganic’ 

Province of Zagreb (Zagreb, October 7, 2002) 

Best Wishes! Best Wishes! Best Wishes! 

“Let us pray that the Lord will cover the poor Adorer daughters with 

his Precious Blood and fill them with courage and trust to sustain the 

work of God.” MDM, 1857 


Some ongoing initiatives of the three-year preparation 

for the second centennial of Maria De Mattias’ birth. 

During the course of this year, an integral part of the preparation for 

the bicentennial celebration of MDM’s birth was the publication of 

Una Storia sui Passi di Dio (“A Story in the Steps of God”) , of Sr. 

Antonietta Maraone, ASC. It is a compendium of the history of the 

Congregation, drawn up on the basis of the 1984 text, The Adorers of 

the Blood of Christ in the Church and in the World. Even within 

compendium limits, the author presents the most salient aspects and 

most significant episodes of the historical route of the Congregation, 

whose connective tissue is fruit of courage rooted in the redemptive 

power of the Blood of Jesus. The little history manual is available at 

the Postulation office, Generalate, Rome. 

Now the text is available also in English, thanks to the careful 

translation of Sr. Angelita Myerscough, ASC, with the title In the 

Sign of the Covenant. In reality, Sr. Angelita did not limit herself to 

translation, but enriched the text with details and entire sections of 

special interest for Adorers of the English language. This 

compendium, easily and rapidly read, is offered especially also to ASC 

Associates, to lay collaborators and young people who approach the 

Adorers of the Blood of Christ for various reasons, so that they can 

know the richness and fascination of a story that is lasting through 

time and opens to new horizons continually because, as Maria De 

Mattias often said, “The Work is God’s”. (Let. January 2, 1850) The book 

can be requested from the US- ASC province, St. Louis, MO.

English - Adorers of the Blood of Christ

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