Vive le Précieux Sang de Jésus!
CP 403, Succ A
Hull, QC J8Y 6M9
Canada
613-738-2942

The Society of the Precious Blood (S.P.B.)

An ecumenical religious community founded 1887.07.01 in Gardner, Wisconsin, U.S.A., by Bishop (then Rev.) J. René Vilatte and Father Jean-Baptiste Gauthier. Reorganized under its present form, by CCRCC Corporation, on 1993.07.01, in Hull, Québec, Canada.

GOALS

Socio-personal development and religious growth of its members, coupled with an earnest desire to contribute to the Church of Christ Uniting. This, through individual and corporate prayer and worship, pastoral counseling and works of mercy.

ECCLESIAL STATUS

The S.P.B. is a member unit of the Canadian Section of the International Council of Community Churches (ICCC), as a constituency of the Christian Catholic Rite of Community Churches (CCRCC). The Rite is administered from Hull, Quebec, Canada, by the Community Church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (CCSBC). The ICCC is a member communion of the World Council of Churches, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and the Consultation on Church Union (COCU).

ORGANIZATION

The S.P.B. is under the leadership of an elected Prior, who reports to the Bishop Ordinary of the CCRCC. A Secretary, a Treasurer and a Master of Novices are chosen among the religious to form the Council of the Society.

CATEGORIES OF RELIGIOUS

There are two categories of religious in the S.P.B.:

- those in Holy Orders, who exercise a pastoral ministry as priests or deacons;

- lay cooperators, who assist at the altar as subdeacons; participate in the liturgy of the Word as readers; and/or exercise other non-ordained ministries (works of mercy, etc.).

OBLIGATIONS OF THE RELIGIOUS

Beside exercising ordained and non-ordained ministries, the religious commit themselves to the observance of the Rule of the community, including individual and corporate prayer, and celebration of the Holy Eucharist. On a regular basis, they get together for a prayer and worship service, which is conducted by the Prior.

CEREMONY OF ADMISSION

Religious are admitted in the S.P.B. through a formal ceremony, which takes place on the feast of the Precious Blood of Jesus, on July 1st, or at any other significant time during the year, preferably during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. There are three components to the ceremony:

- the candidate's religious commitment to and his/her clothing by the Prior;

- his/her religious profession to the CCRCC Bishop Ordinary.

RELIGIOUS HABIT & MEDAL

S.P.B. religious wear a white alb or cassock and a cincture. On the left side of their chest is attached a medal bearing the emblem of the Society. This medal is blessed and attached to the religious habit by the Prior during the ceremony of admission into the Society.

TEMPORARY & PERPETUAL PROFESSIONS

Religious are admitted on a temporary basis and they renew their commitment for three years, on the anniversary date of their admission to the Society. This commitment may become perpetual after three years, at the request of the religious, if the Prior makes a favourable recommendation in that sense to the CCRCC Bishop Ordinary.

THIRD ORDER

Any mature person who wish to identify with the Society; to share its mission and to support it financially and/or through prayer may join the Third Order.

These persons may either join as individuals or as a group and for a Chapter in the area where they life. They can also join an existing Chapter.

Third Order members are admitted by the Prior in the presence of CCRCC Bishop Ordinary or by the Director of a duely constituted Chapter who has been commissioned to that effect by the Prior and the CCRCC Bishop Ordinary.

There is a special ceremony for admitting Third Order members, where they commit themselves to the spirit of the Rule, to individual and corporate prayer,and to regular participation in the Holy Eucharist with the religious or with the members of their Chapter.

Third Order members do not have a distinctive habit but receive the medal bearing the emblem of the Society, and they wear it when they get together for prayer and worship in their Chapter or with the religious.

LIST OR RELIGIOUS ADMITTED BY BISHOP VILATTE AND/OR FATHER GAUTHIER

Go to URL: http://rio.com/~beagle/v101.html

S.P.B. COUNCIL

Grand Prior:
The Very Rev. Willard Dionne, S.P.B.

La Société du Précieux-Sang (S.P.S.)

For information about this page contact: sa-theriault@altavista.net

Last Update: Mon Mar 25 14:32:20 2002 (CST)
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