100 Years of Mission: Celebrating CPS in the United States

By Sr. Marian Muskulak CPS

“This truly is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!”

This year, the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood (CPS) joyfully celebrate 100 years of missionary service in the United States. What began humbly in Princeton, New Jersey, where our Sisters first worked alongside the Vincentian Fathers at St. Joseph’s Preparatory College and the Vincentian novitiate in Germantown, has blossomed into a century-long legacy of faith, service, and dedication.

Celebrating 100 years of mission in the NAP Province

A Century of Service in Education

Education has always been at the heart of our mission. From our early years at schools such as Our Lady of Pompeii in Bethlehem, Immaculate Conception, Star of the Sea in Tremont, and Precious Blood Convent Day Care Center, to more recent ministries at La Salle Academy, Holy Name, Central Catholic High School, John Paul II Center for Special Learning, and Alvernia University, CPS Sisters have dedicated themselves to forming minds and hearts. Countless young lives have been touched by their presence, their witness, and their love of Christ.

Teaching is one of the apostolates

Parish and Pastoral Ministry

Beyond the classroom, CPS Sisters have faithfully served in parishes across Pennsylvania and beyond. From Sacred Heart, St. Ignatius, and St. Margaret’s in Reading, to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Minersville, to St. Elizabeth’s and Holy Angels in Philadelphia, their pastoral presence has nurtured communities with prayer, guidance, and compassion. Their reach even extended beyond state borders to St. Lucia, Arizona, New York, and Kentucky, where the mission of the Precious Blood continued to bear fruit.

Health Care and Healing Ministry

The healing ministry of Christ has been another cornerstone of CPS mission. Over the decades, Sisters have served in hospitals, clinics, chaplaincies, and counseling centers—from Holy Family Manor in Bethlehem to St. Jude Hospital in St. Lucia, and from Navajo Reservation Hospital in New Mexico to St. Luke’s University Health Network in Allentown. Wherever they have gone, they carried not only skill but also the compassion of the Gospel, bringing comfort to the sick and hope to the suffering.

Health Care Ministry

Social Work and Outreach

CPS Sisters have also brought Christ’s love to society’s margins. Through service at St. Vincent Home for Children in Philadelphia, Berks County Prison, Rainbow Home, Dayspring Homes, and Catholic Charities, they have worked tirelessly to uphold human dignity, accompany the vulnerable, and respond to those most in need.

Mariawald Renewal Center: A Place of Encounter

One of the most cherished ministries is the Mariawald Renewal Center, which since 1976 has welcomed retreatants and groups seeking spiritual nourishment. Sisters have served in every role—from administration and hospitality to spiritual direction—creating a place where countless souls have encountered God’s peace and renewal.

A Spirit of Joy and Hospitality

True to our motto, Ora et Labora—Pray and Work—the CPS Sisters have also shared their spirit of joy and hospitality in creative ways. Through memorable events like Garden Parties, Christmas Bazaars, and Music Fests, they opened convent doors to the wider community. Their musical gifts even produced the cassette Joyful Praise and, in collaboration with our Canadian Sisters, the CD Celebrate God’s Love. And who could forget the Sisters’ lively rendition of Sister Act, which brought laughter to many across a dozen venues?

A Mission Beyond Borders

The mission of CPS in the United States has never been limited to its borders. Precious Blood Convent became home to Sisters from Korea and other countries for formation and studies, while American Sisters have been sent on mission to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Korea, St. Lucia, and Rome—truly embodying the international spirit of our congregation.

Grateful for Companions in Mission

None of this would have been possible without the countless families, friends, benefactors, associates, and co-workers who have supported CPS Sisters throughout the decades. In a special way, we honor our CPS Associates, who since 1991 have shared in our charism, enriched our community, and partnered with us in mission.

Looking Ahead with Hope

As we celebrate this centennial milestone, we recognize that our mission has been carried out by God’s grace, prayer, fidelity, and hard work. Inspired by our Founder, Abbot Francis Pfanner, Mother Paula - the Co Foundress, and by the witness of our deceased Sisters, we are called to continue this legacy with faith, courage, and joy.

May the next century of CPS mission in the United States continue to bring glory to God and healing to the world.

Happy 100 years! And may we continue to “run so as to win!”