Most Precious Blood Parish: Promoting the Gospel to build parish community

Most Precious Blood Men's T.R.U.E. Presence Retreat was held in June 2014. Ervey J. Martinez, Most Precious Blood

When Father J. Patrick Serna was studying in Rome as a seminarian in 2000, he asked Father Bob Dunn, pastor at his home parish of Most Precious Blood, if he could borrow his chalice. There was a remote possibility he could have it blessed by St. John Paul II. As it turned out, the chalice was used for a Mass at the Vatican and blessed by Pope John Paul II and now is used in all Sunday Masses at Most Precious Blood.

Most Precious Blood Chalice blessed by St. John Paul II. Contributed Photo

“We have the documentation and everything,” Father Dunn said proudly. “It is quite a blessing for us and we plan to use it for the first feast day of St. John Paul II on Oct. 23, later this year.”

The sacred chalice is just one of many blessings at Most Precious Blood Church. Founded in 1966, the church has grown by leaps and bounds, thanks in part to the rapid growth of Corpus Christi’s south side. Today, the thriving parish has more than 2,700 families, with many of them involved in the numerous ministries that keep the parish bustling with activity everyday.

Father Dunn, who will be celebrating 14 years at Most Precious Blood this August, said he’s proud of the growth he has helped cultivate. The growth has not occurred overnight, Father Dunn said, but the progress over time has been exciting, as parishioners began adding program after program steadily over the years.

“Our priority is to promote the Gospel and build our parish community. We are blessed to have a vibrant and loving community. I have to insist that comes from the cooperation from our laity,” he said. “We are all spokes in a wheel and our successes come from our entire community.”

The willingness to serve has to be there, Father Dunn acknowledged.

“I give credit to God, first and foremost,” he said. “And of course to our almost 900 volunteers. It is quite amazing to be able to say that.”

The list of different ministries available at the church is impressive: from Men of Faith in Action and Women of the Word, to retreats like T.R.U.E. Presence and ACTS. There never seems to be a lack of activities to keep parishioners engaged.

Women clap at a T.R.U.E. Presence Retreat held in May 2014 at Most Precious Blood. Ervey J. Martinez, Most Precious Blood

The T.R.U.E. Presence retreat is one of the newest ministries and it has received rave reviews from recent participants. Father Dunn explained the T.R.U.E. Presence retreat focuses on what “makes us uniquely Catholic…the fact Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. T is for truth, which is learned through tradition and scripture; R is for renewal; U is for unity, a call to reflect our covenant relationship with God; and E is for evangelization and sharing the good news.”

He said most Catholics recognize the Eucharist as the center of their faith, but he believes the church should not only lead people to ideas about Jesus, it needs to lead them to his overall works.

“He is our Eucharistic Lord and every sacrament is an encounter with Christ. Jesus really is present. It’s important to pray, important to know him. This new retreat places a strong emphasis on that. It’s through beautiful encounters like this retreat that we grow spiritually and truly understand the Eucharistic Lord,” Father Dunn said.

The St. Maria Goretti Youth Center is currently under construction at Most Precious Blood. The new facility will be used for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, offered to children from three years of age up to sixth grade. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

One of the most exciting new developments at Most Precious Blood is the St. Maria Goretti Youth Center currently under construction. The new facility will be used for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, offered to children from three years of age up to sixth grade.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based curriculum grounded on the Bible, the Roman Catholic liturgy, the sacraments and church teachings. Approximately 60 religious education teachers at Most Precious Blood have a minimum of 90 hours of specialized training in the Catechesis of the Good Shepard. Some instructors have as many as 180 hours of training, Father Dunn said.

“I’ve never been in a situation where the Catechists are so excited,” Father Dunn said. “The excitement is contagious. It makes kids more apt to learn. Thanks to the Catechesis of the Good Shepard, students are so much more engaged, intrigued and interested.”

He said they had begun introducing the program, but did not have the space to fully implement it across all grade levels. The building will be ready for the new religious education session starting in September.

Father Dunn is also excited to see youth programs for older students expand, as well.

Joe Cipriano, director of youth ministry, works with middle and high school students at the parish. He said that the new youth center would also have tremendous benefits for older children, as well.

“Our new youth center will allow our groups to expand the times we are available to the youth,” he said. “In the past, our programming for older children would start at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. But now, we can have access to the building at 5 p.m., which will give them a safe place to play sports, do their homework and eat dinner before starting our ministry. The benefits of our new youth center will be far-reaching.”

Jerry Trevino, parishioner at Most Precious Blood, arrives at the parish hall for a celebratory send off before the Men's T.R.U.E. Presence Retreat. Fellow parishioners welcome retreat participants with hugs and "high-fives" as a way of making them feel welcomed and motivated for the retreat they are about to experience. Ervey J. Martinez, Most Precious Blood

Cipriano, who was a youth minister at a parish in Kentucky before joining Most Precious Blood, noted he has never experienced such a dynamic and bustling Catholic community as this one.

“We have anywhere from 150-200 teenagers actively involved in our youth groups, which is phenomenal,” he said. “Although, with a parish our size, we could stand to easily see those numbers double, so the new center could not have come at a better time.”

Meanwhile, Father Dunn explained he would like to see the future of the parish head toward increased involvement in corporal works of mercy.

“I’d like to see us put more emphasis in helping the poor. Whether it’s through reaching out to those at the Mother Teresa Day Shelter or a similar ministry. We need to do more to help the economically disadvantaged,” the pastor said

Those interested in religious education for children, retreats or volunteering at Most Precious Blood may contact the parish office at (361) 854-3800 or visit www.mpbchurch.org for more information.