Who They Are

For over 150 years, the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (CPPS) have provided compassionate ministry to people in need, especially the poor. Based in Missouri, they serve communities in the United States, Bolivia, and Peru.

The congregation’s ministries are grounded in the Eucharist and personal prayer. Their mission is to

Continue the mission of Jesus by striving to be, and to experience, Christ’s redeeming presence as [they] affirm and empower one another and those [they] serve, especially the poor.

The CPPS sisters live out their charism of reconciliation through ministries in the arts, care for the elderly, education, social services, and more. They also collaborate with lay people to “be instruments of peace at home, in ministry, and in our Church.”

Their Story

In 1845, the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood was founded in Steinerberg, Switzerland. Under the guidance of Reverend Karl Rolfus, young German women joined the contemplative community for the perpetual adoration of the Precious Blood.

The early days of the congregation were marked by religious persecution. The Swiss government outlawed strictly contemplative orders — communities devoted entirely to prayer and worship, without active ministry in the wider world — so when Reverend Rolfus invited them to teach in his parish school, the sisters took up the call. By the summer of 1848, growing hostility forced the community to seek refuge in France. Their new home allowed them to continue their contemplative lifestyle, but they were prohibited from teaching due to their German heritage.

In 1857, a group of sisters with a more apostolic calling chose to answer a need for teachers in Gurtweil, Germany, establishing a second branch of the community. They combined art and education ministries by teaching the students how to create Church vestments. The Ecclesiastical Art Department remains a core part of their ministry today.

Like their previous homes, Germany soon became unwelcoming to the sisters. After the country expelled all religious congregations, they migrated to Belle Prairie, Illinois. In 1875, Mother Augusta Volk led part of the community to O’Fallon, Missouri, where they established their current motherhouse.

During the early twentieth century, the CPPS sisters continued to focus on education and the ecclesiastical arts. They founded or sponsored several schools for teachers and young girls in O’Fallon.

In 1939, they established an English school in Finland. Later, they expanded their ministries to Peru, Bolivia, Estonia, and Italy.

The 1960s brought even more change to the congregation. Inspired by Vatican Council II’s call for reform, the sisters began offering parish services and prison ministry. They also became hospital chaplains and cared for the elderly and ill, ministering through prayerful presence.

Today, the congregation frequently collaborates with community partners to advance its mission of reconciliation. They created CPPS Partners in Mission, which allows both men and women to participate in their work.

Contributions and Legacy

Ecclesiastical art ministry is a unique part of the CPPS Sisters’ mission. After leaving Germany, they brought their talents to the United States. They created vestments for churches around the world, including a stole and mitre for Pope John Paul II’s visit to the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1999.

They also shared their knowledge of ecclesiastical embroidery and vestment making with other congregations. They trained Sisters from Ghana, and, more recently, the Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. Both communities used their newfound skills to open their own Ecclesiastical Art Departments.

Education is another pillar of the sisters’ ministries. In 1878, they established a Normal School for Teachers, which later became St. Mary’s College of O’Fallon. They also founded St. Mary’s Academy, a private Catholic girls’ high school that operated until 1990.

The CPPS is also dedicated to ministering to the elderly. Since 1981, it has opened seven adult day care sites in the St. Louis metropolitan region. These centers provide compassionate, faith-based care for older adults, people with special needs, and their families.

The congregation’s ministries also include pastoral services. They founded the Sanguis Christi Spirituality Center to share their spirituality with adults, especially the poor. It offers meditative prayer, desert days, and other opportunities for spiritual and personal growth.

Together, these activities support the sisters’ goal of providing mutual support and serving as a “reconciling presence in a world that is broken, fragmented and violent.”