Servants of the Most Holy Blood in Service of the Holy Face in Manoppello

photo by Paul Badde

Juliusz Maszloch writes from Poland about a noble project being carried out in Manoppello for pilgrims and locals alike out by a group of Polish religious sisters.   

June 2014 marked exactly four years since the beginning of the
religious mission of the Servants of the Most Holy Blood close by the Shrine of
the Holy Face of Jesus in Manoppello. Sisters from this religious community
not only serve in the Sanctuary by working with different groups (of
various languages), through music service during the Mass, leading
Eucharistic adoration, praying every day in front of the Holy Face but also
their house has become a place to stay for many pilgrims, who knock at
their door to contemplate the Face of Jesus and to renew their spiritual
life. Moreover people living nearby gather in their house to pray together, to
stay for a night of adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, to take part in the
Bible meetings and have spiritual talks.
The sisters’ house has become more and more cramped and should be immediately
enlarged to give an opportunity to carry out all these tasks. That’s why
a project of enlarging the house was prepared. This project includes
renovation of the old part and building an assembly hall for different
purposes – to celebrate the Holy Mass, have conferences, adoration or
sometimes to serve as a dormitory with mattresses for ´´courageous´´ people.
Apart from that there will be a new kitchen and bedrooms for guests. Near
the main building there will be also two small detached houses (for
families or individual guests who would like to experience here some kind
of a hermitage).
Last year there were floods and days of heavy rain in Italy. Sisters
realized that they need a renovation of the roof, a good draining system
and financial sources to protect slopes from erosion and subsiding of the
ground.
From 2011 Sisters have been trying intensively to get permission for the
enlargement plan. There were some difficulties but thanks to a great amount of prayer,
the intercession of St. Joseph and our Angel of Light on 16th May 2014 – the
day before the celebration of the annual feast of the Holy Face of Jesus in Manoppello – the permission was
given. After requesting again for the estimated budget for realization of
the project it appeared that Sisters need help to fulfill this plan. Maybe
among your friends or people of good will that you know there are open
hearts that would like to make a donation to participate in the building.
If somebody would like to take part – together with Servants of the Most
Holy Blood - in building this place located on the way to ´´Tabor
Mountain´´ - the Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus - and needs any
additional information – they can contact Sisters by an email
(sas.manoppello@gmail.com) or by a phone call (+39 085 85 98 74).

www.sanguedicristo.eu

www.blut-christi.de

photo by Paul Badde