Sisters Of The Precious Blood (spps) In St. Pelagiberg / Lietchenstein

[oremus1]

Has anyone ever discerned with this order or know much about them?

My German is not that good but I am applying to see if i can make a vocational retreat there.

They use the 1962 Mass and Office, and are served by FSSP Priests. They observe Precious Blood spirituality of St Gaspar de Bufalo.

Their website seems a bit contradictory although it could be my German understanding is very bad.

for example, it says they have perpetual adoration, but then it clarifies that they have perpetual worship and exposition is only an hour at night. It also says they are neither active nor contemplative, yet they seem to have quite long hours of work (for a convent) yet I cannot find what they do.

in one part it says they say the 1962 office, but in another, the 1962 monastic diurnal. also it seems they do not pray the whole office?

do they observe monastic silence and solitude? are they part of a larger group of convents which has the Novus Ordo? Because I can see many sisters of the Precious Blood online from NO convents, but the SPPS website only says there are two convents.

also, we should not ask, but anyone know the rough age range of the sisters? and the vocational age range? do they have the monastic lady-tonsure? do they only speak German? Or also French or English?

Many thanks

www.frauenkloster.li

[Bride of the Lamb]

I don't know these sisters, but I do speak German and offer you any help on the language problem. Regarding the adoration: this seems to a lesser extent a problem of understanding German but rather a problem of contents that seem to be a little contradictory. The rule of the order speaks indeed of the task of the perpetual adoration which shall be obliged in the order "day and night“ and the website quotes that the sisters  take turns in praying one hour in front of the blessed sacrament „since 1888 without cease". Just subsequently the write that they adore on certain feasts and in (as it quotes) "certain nights" in front of the exposed monstrance. They do not hold the choir in the monastic way but see their adoration hours as their „actual liturgy of hours“ (which sounds a little bit odd, in case someone asks me). As you can (finally!) extract from their FAQs, they use the term perpetual adoration as a "continuous sacrificing the Precious Blood in the service of the church" which makes at the same point clear that they don't have continuously exposed the blessed sacrament. (They answer the related question with „No“ in the sense mentioned before).

 

Regarding the work: this is rather bare: is speaks of the things they have done in former times (farming, medical help, caring for women in childbed and the dying, missionary apostolate and prayer) and continues with the fact that most of that has changed during the 70es (which is quite a time), "In recent years we had positive experience with new apostolic initiatives and of course with our principal duty, to pray to God for the people." Again, according to the FAQs they seem to see themselves as a cross between contemplative and apostolic community. Although their website has no English or French translation they should be able to correspond at least in a simple style in both languages.

 

I've got absolutely no clue what a lady-tonsure may be…

[oremus1]

 

I don't know these sisters, but I do speak German and offer you any help on the language problem. Regarding the adoration: this seems to a lesser extent a problem of understanding German but rather a problem of contents that seem to be a little contradictory. The rule of the order speaks indeed of the task of the perpetual adoration which shall be obliged in the order "day and night“ and the website quotes that the sisters  take turns in praying one hour in front of the blessed sacrament „since 1888 without cease". Just subsequently the write that they adore on certain feasts and in (as it quotes) "certain nights" in front of the exposed monstrance. They do not hold the choir in the monastic way but see their adoration hours as their „actual liturgy of hours“ (which sounds a little bit odd, in case someone asks me). As you can (finally!) extract from their FAQs, they use the term perpetual adoration as a "continuous sacrificing the Precious Blood in the service of the church" which makes at the same point clear that they don't have continuously exposed the blessed sacrament. (They answer the related question with „No“ in the sense mentioned before).

 

Regarding the work: this is rather bare: is speaks of the things they have done in former times (farming, medical help, caring for women in childbed and the dying, missionary apostolate and prayer) and continues with the fact that most of that has changed during the 70es (which is quite a time), "In recent years we had positive experience with new apostolic initiatives and of course with our principal duty, to pray to God for the people." Again, according to the FAQs they seem to see themselves as a cross between contemplative and apostolic community. Although their website has no English or French translation they should be able to correspond at least in a simple style in both languages.

 

I've got absolutely no clue what a lady-tonsure may be…

 

Many thanks for this great explanation!!

Lady tonsure  (probably there is a better word) means the shaving of the nuns head or cutting off all of their hair at profession.

Im going to write to them and post the details i recieve . if anyone has any queries, post them here and i will ask.

 

[Hemma]

They aren't nuns, but sisters. They are not monastic. Therefore you shouldn't expect monastic life nor any monastic diurnal. (Where did you find monastic diurnal on the site?)

 

As it is well explained on the website, they pray lauds, vespers, and compline; on sundays and feasts also terce before High Mass and vespers (sometimes compline) are sung. They use the 1962 Roman Breviary in a bilingual edition. As the German version is not approved in a strict sense - for liturgical use - (as far as I know), I suppose they pray in Latin. Whoever has problems with understanding may with her eyes follow the German version on the right side. I suppose.

 

The website is not contradictory to me. It's made by the SD of the sisters. They explain what is meant by perpetual adoration and why it is the proper term although they don't have exposition 24/7.

 

There was a breakup of the congregation I'm not sure when - possibly after VII. However that's why you can find other sisters of the Precious Blood with NO, but they don't belong to them.

 

Somebody told me that they only take women not older than 30, but this might be wrong - I don't remember the source.

 

Regarding the languages I don't know. Maybe they have sisters from Switzerland who are well in French or Italian. If you are looking for multilingual sisters with the extraordinary form, check out these:

http://www.institute-christ-king.org/vocations/sisters/

[oremus1]

Many thanks senesis thats very helpful.

Do you know what work they do? They only say what ones sisters did in the past (farming etc), not now.

Does it say something like they so not sing the office? Or they do not have choral office?

Sorry my German is very bad. But I can learn some if it was required to join.

[oremus1]

Many thanks senesis thats very helpful.

Do you know what work they do? They only say what ones sisters did in the past (farming etc), not now.

Does it say something like they so not sing the office? Or they do not have choral office?

Sorry my German is very bad. But I can learn some if it was required to join.

Also the split was with the sspx affiliated group. 6 nuns stayed but the rest went to this one. You can read about it on websites not allowed on phatmass. The NO ones, sisters adorers od precious Blood are not with SPPS

[Hemma]

Some Precious Blood foundations (I think in the US) belonged originally to the motherhouse in Schellenberg. Originally i. e. 19th century. Their development to very liberal institutions was a main reason for the sisters in Schellenberg for maintaining the Vetus Ordo - in contrast, out of horror, so to speak. I'm quite sure that I have this from a very reliable source.

[oremus1]

Maybe the group split in 3 then (sspx, NO, EF) since they all wear the exact same habits with the red cord and the white square wimple(?).

Do you know anything about what work they do? Their other convent in Switzerland seems to do nursing and running retreats. But that surely cant take up all their time. And the Liechtenstein website says they do not give the nuns further training, so I dont see how they can be nurses?

[Bride of the Lamb]

@Senesis: I wrote "a little bit contradictory" - this is when someone uses the expression perpetual adoration in a concept which is both different from the usual use and different from the order's rule (which is quoted and which uses the term in the usual way) and explains what she means when she says perpetual adoration at place somewhere else at the site. Why not write a clear style?

Edited July 19, 2014 by Bride of the Lamb

[Hemma]

Which NO sisters of the Precious Blood have you found actually?

[Hemma]

As far as I know: besides work in household and garden they make altar bread and paraments, herbal tea, liqueurs, things like that. But in this point there should be people who are better informed than I am.

[Hemma]

Hi everybody. The evening has come and I recognize I've overlooked some things. 

 

@Bride of the Lamb: HE writes. It's the SD, so you can't blame the sisters for that;) Well for me it was allright. I've met the term "perpetual adoration" also elsewhere in the meaning of adoration which is not 24/7 but let's say daily from 9 to 6. If this is wrong, it's at least common use in that geographical area.

 

@oremus1: About singing, I've already explained what is written on their homepage. About nursing, well, maybe they do the apprenticeship themselves. This is not unlikely. Or they've had enough trained nurses among the entering women. There's more than one possible explanation. Don't be so critical, huh;)

If your French is better than your German, check out these http://www.dominicaines-du-saint-esprit.fr/

 

By the way: :hehe2: My nickname is Senensis. With an "n" before the "s". Like in Catharina Senensis, the Latin form of Catherine of Siena. The picture shows the statue of her close to Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome.

[Matana]

Well, Senensis answered most of your questions ;) and she's right about the foundations in the US.

The sisters in Schellenberg switched back to the EF in the 70s, while the American sisters didn't, but the latter don't wear the habit anymore so I wonder where you've seen NO sisters with the SPPS habit?

 

Anyway, the sisters from the US visited Schellenberg some years ago, so I think some sisters speak English well enough. Regardless the age range is very mixed, so there'd still be quite a few sisters who don't speak English at all.

 

What else... yes, they do pray the Breviary in Latin. And, by the way, their current SD doesn't belong to the FSSP - he's a diocesan priest.

About the nursing: I don't know the sisters in St. Pelagiberg, but apart from what Senensis wrote, the part of the FAQ about further training doesn't say it's never done, but that one shouldn't enter with the wish for it.

 

They are wonderful sisters, I might add. It was a big grace to stay with them and it surely is for everyone who visits them.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Matana

[Nunsuch]

In the US, there is one Precious Blood community that historically is not rooted in the same origins--this is the group in Dayton, Ohio (CPPS). The O'Fallon, MO, sisters have been autonomous since a couple of years after they arrived in the US in the 19th century; the Ripa, Illinois, group is still part of the international community of Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC). None uses the Extraordinary Form of the liturgy.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Nunsuch

[oremus1]

Actually there are several sound, habit wearing communities of sisters with precious blood spirituality in the usa BUT they are not EF.
Personally my understanding was that the schnellenberg ones broke from the sspx, the remaining sspx spps nuns are now called a slightly different name but there are websites in english which can tell you about the history and you will see what i mean. They retained the same habit pretty much also. I think they are in germany. But i cant link to them here as it isnt allowed

this thread is only about the EF ones in schnell & st p'berg.

I will write to them and post back the info.