Barb Smith, ASC, a member of the Regional Leadership Team of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ – U.S. Region, has been elected to serve on the international congregation’s five-member General Council. Sr. Barb is a 1977 Kansas Newman College graduate. She also worked with Campus Ministries and was director of Residence Life and Student Activities at Kansas Newman. Below is a portion of the news release from the ASC Mission Center:
The election occurred at the Adorers’ XX General Assembly, which took place July 7-31 in Mysore, India.
Elected to serve as the congregation’s general superior was Sister Mariamma Kunnackal, ASC, regional superior of the Adorers’ India Region. In addition to Sister Barb, the other newly elected general councillors were Sister Sonia Matos, ASC, a member of the Adorers’ Brazil Region; Sister Zita Resch, ASC, regional superior of the Adorers’ Schaan (Liechtenstein) Region; and Sister Nadia Coppa, ASC, a member of the Adorers’ Italian Region. All were elected to six-year terms. The General Council will be installed Saturday, Oct. 1, at St. Maria de Trevi Church, the Adorers’ Generalate church in Rome where their congregation’s foundress, St. Maria De Mattias, is buried.
Sister Barb wrote at the time of her appointment that saying “yes” to her new ministry was one of the hardest decisions she has had to make as an Adorer. “I had plans of finishing my ministry of Regional Leadership and then helping to live into a new dream for collaboration with the Precious Blood men’s communities at the mission in Crownpoint, N.M. That was my plan, but I guess it was not in God’s plan at this time.”
Sister Barb noted she said “yes” because she felt called by God and by the other General Assembly members to serve the congregation. “I gave my ‘yes’ as freely as I could,” she said. “I knew that it was the right response to give!” Sister Barb added she was grateful to the U.S. Regional Leadership Team members for the almost five years of ministry they have had together and their support in the past two years as she served on the General Assembly Preparatory Commission.
Sister Barb, 58, is a native of Bellwood, Neb., and 1971 graduate of Aquinas High School, in David City, Neb. She entered the novitiate of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in January 1973, and professed her first vows in August 1974 and her final vows in April 1980. In addition to her work on the Regional Leadership Team, Sister Barb ministered for 24 years as co-pastoral associate at St. Paul’s Mission in Crownpoint. She found great hope for the Church while serving on the Native American Diaconate and Lay Ministry Board for the Diocese of Gallup, N.M. She also served the Crownpoint civic community for 18 years as a volunteer firefighter. Earlier in her ministry, she assisted with Campus Ministry, and was director of Resident Life and Student Activities at Kansas Newman College (now Newman University) inWichita,Kan. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1977 from KNC.
In related news, for the next six years Sister Susan Welsby, ASC – U.S. Region, will continue her service as General Treasurer, and Sister Patrizia Pasquini, ASC – Italian Region, a member of the Rome Region Council, will serve as General Secretary.
The Adorers of the Blood of Christ is an international congregation of women religious established by St. Maria De Mattias “to be a reconciling presence to the poor in our midst.” Adorers are found throughout the world responding to the needs for healthcare, education and community service. More than 300 Adorers live and minister in the United States. The congregation sponsors or co-sponsors a variety of ministries, including Newman University, Center of Hope, St. Anne’s Retirement Community, St. Joseph’s Villa, Women’s Initiative Network, Villa Maria and Maria Court, and StepStone. The order’s Generalate is based in Rome. The U.S. Region Mission Center is in St. Louis. In addition to the United States, U.S. Adorers can be found serving in Bolivia, Guatemala, Korea, Liberia and Italy.
