The Dominican Vocation: Lay Dominicans

I had occasion over the weekend to attend some of the deliberations of the Annual Conference of the Lay Dominicans in Ireland in Emmaus Retreat Centre in Swords, Co. Dublin. The Lay Dominicans form part of the Dominican Family in Ireland and throughout the world - and their vocation as lay men and women following the path of Saint Dominic in their daily lives is a strong witness of being Dominican in the world. In Ireland, chapters (groups) of Lay Dominicans can be found in Dublin, Cork, Tralee, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Belfast, Newry, Drogheda, Waterford, Athy and Youghal. Lay Dominicans are engaged in prayer groups, meet to reflect and pray regularly in their local chapters and are involved in all sorts of apostolic activity from hospital and prison visitation to working with drug addicts and helping those with learning disabilities. It is heartening to hear that there are plans underway to attract new young members to the Lay Dominicans attached to some of our priories.

The Lay Dominicans in Ireland are part of a network of other Lay Dominican fraternities throughout Europe. This group has a very helpful website which is: http://www.ecldf.net/ For further information on the Lay Dominicans in Ireland, you can easily make contact with the local Dominican priories and convents throughout the country or alternatively you can contact the President of the Lay Dominicans in Ireland, Geraldine Flanagan at gerflanop@gmail.com

I really enjoyed being with our Lay Dominicans over the weekend and I thank them for their kind invitation to attend. I hope that the continued collaboration between all the various entities of the Dominican family in Ireland will continue to bear fruit in the mission of preaching.