The
past year has been very busy for vocations ministry at the vocations office of the Irish Dominican friars. I am happy to report that
the vocations office has received over forty new enquiries in the past twelve
months. Those who make contact with us do so for a variety of reasons and these
range from looking for basic information about the Order to wanting to enter a
process of vocational discernment. All enquirers at met individually and during
the year almost twenty people have entered into a period of accompaniment with
the vocations director.
The
promotion of vocations is central to the work of the vocations director. This
is done in a variety of ways – from using internet, blogs and social media
platforms to visiting third level educational institutions throughout Ireland.
This promotion is important because the vast majority of enquiries still come
from the digital sphere while many others come from personal contact as a
result of spending time at various vocation fairs and engaging with students in
their colleges and institutes.
Apart
from the promotion and discernment aspects mentioned above, there have been
some other notable events and happenings that took place in 2013 which are
notable.
·
Our
ongoing prayer initiative for Dominican vocations entered its second year. This
initiative uses the specially commissioned icon of Saint Dominic as a focus for
prayer has proved to be very successful. I am happy to report that there are
now many new groups of people throughout Ireland praying for vocations to the
Order. This prayer campaign will continue into 2014.
·
Dominican
vocations to the Irish province featured worldwide as a result of an article in
the New York Times and The International Herald Tribune in
April. This coverage resulted in a surge of interest and enquiries.
·
Three
of our student brothers were ordained deacons in February. Four brothers made
first profession in September while eight other brothers renewed profession in
the same month. Happily, two men began their novitiate with us during the year
as well.
·
The
vocations website www.dominicanfriars.ie was given a new
look and continues to be the primary source of information for news and events
in the Irish Dominican province as well as the location for the most up to date
news on vocation matters.
·
In
conjunction with the Dominican sisters, contemplative nuns and lay Dominicans
in Ireland, we hosted the fifth annual Dominican family vocations day in Dublin
last March. This annual event goes from strength to strength and is an
important showcase for vocations to the Dominican family in Ireland.
·
Dominican
Connect –
the newsletter of the vocations office of the Dominican friars in Ireland began
its second year of publication. The publication continues to grow in popularity.
·
The
vocations director was invited to give some talks and presentations to diocesan
groups, religious orders and other organisations concerned with vocation
promotion in Ireland.
·
There
were four vocation ‘live-in’ weekends organised for serious enquirers in the
past 12 months.
This
brief review gives me an opportunity to thank the many people involved in
assisting the promotion of Dominican vocations in the past year. May you be
blessed in abundance for so doing.
First published in the Christmas-January 2013-14 edition of 'Dominican Connect' - from the Vocations Office of the Irish Dominican friars.
