Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Dominican Connect - November 2013 edition published


The November 2013 edition of "Dominican Connect" has been issued from the Irish Dominican Friars' Vocations Office.

The November edition features the recent national Dominican pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, County Mayo, a report from an International Thomism Conference in Washinton DC during the summer.

Notice of Advent Retreats, the visit of the Master General of the Order and the Patronal Feast at the Irish Dominican church in Rome - San Clemente - are just some of the upcoming events which are mentioned.

The featured friar this month is Fr Maurice Colgan OP who, although originally from Dublin, now lives and works in Cork.

Follow this link to download an electronic copy of November 2013's "Dominican Connect":  http://dominicanfriars.ie/Dominican_Connect/volume02/Dominican_Connect_v02n03nov2013.pdf

Saint Dominic and the Dominican Vocation



An interesting excerpt from a talk on Saint Dominic and the Dominican vocation by Fr Dominic Legge OP to a group of men interested in joining the Order in the Dominican house of studies in Washington D.C. in 2009.

Fr Dominic is a member of the Eastern Dominican province in the United States.


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Vocations prayer initiative arrives in Athy, County Kildare.

Saint Dominic's church, Athy, Co Kildare
The ongoing prayer initiative for vocations to the Dominican Order in Ireland has reached the midland town of Athy in County Kildare. The vocations director preached at all Masses in the Dominican church dedicated to Saint Dominic over the weekend. The icon of Saint Dominic which is the focus for the prayer campaign was of particular interest to those who worship in the priory church because of the significant devotion to the saint in the town.

The first foundation of Dominicans in the small town date back to the mid thirteenth century and the current community have a busy devotional church along with a thriving lay Dominican presence. The friars act as chaplains to the local hospital and support the work of the local parish.

The vocations prayer initiative will move to Saint Mary's Dominican priory church, Tallaght, County Dublin at the end of November.

Paul Murray OP on Saint Thomas Aquinas - Talking to God



Irish Dominican friar Paul Murray OP gives a contribution on Saint Thomas Aquinas 'Talking to God' to the international gathering of Dominican friars conference on Thomism during the summer in Washington DC, USA.

Fr Paul currently lives in Rome and teaches at the Dominican University of Saint Thomas - "The Angelicum".

New Book: 'How to Pray the Dominican Way'

A recently produced book from Paraclete Press will interest Dominicans and those interested in the Dominican vocation. Entitled 'How to Pray the Dominican Way' (ISBN: 978-1-61261-165-5) it is based on the nine ways of prayer of Saint Dominic. Those familiar with the 'nine ways' of prayer of Saint Dominic will know that the founder of the Order used the entire person - body and soul - in prayer.

This book then explores and helps readers understand prayer in some surprising new ways - and is a practical and profound introduction to Christian prayer. We know that Saint Dominic always spoke to God and about God and we are fortunate to have a record of the different ways that he prayed. The author of this book, Angelo Stagnaro, uncovers the richness of this spiritual tradition and shows how we can learn from Saint Dominic whose one desire and life mission was to speak of the love and mercy of God.

This is an easy read and is highly recommended. It is available from Amazon and Veritas in Ireland

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Dominican pilgrimage to Knock

Interior of basilica Knock shrine Co Mayo

Irish readers of this blog will be interested to know of the annual Dominican pilgrimage to Our Lady's shrine at Knock, Co Mayo. It takes place tomorrow Sunday October 13th.

You would be welcome to join us in the usual pilgrimage programme associated with the shrine. The rite of the anointing of the sick takes place at 2.30 pm followed by the celebration of the Eucharist. The homilist this year is Fr Larry Collins OP. The rosary procession follows the Mass.

This year, the Dominican province of Ireland will be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the provincial of the Dominican friars - Fr Gregory Carroll OP. The consecration coincides with the consecration of the world by Pope Francis in Rome tomorrow.

Please pray for the Irish Dominican province as this act of consecration entrusts our life and ministry to Our Blessed Mother - patroness of the Order.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Video of recent vestitions and professions



The video above has been produced by the Dominican student brothers of the Irish province - www.dominicansinteractive.com - and it features the vestition and profession ceremonies in Cork recently and includes some of the testimonies of the brothers

The significant formation events which usually occur every year in mid-September are followed in the video.

Some of the newly professed brothers speak about how they see their lives as Dominicans.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Creating a Culture of Vocations - part one


Today, I will be giving a presentation to a meeting of diocesan clergy on the theme of vocations and creating a culture where vocations can be nurtured. The text below will introduce the theme of the talk and I will post the remainder of the contribution on this blog in the coming days.

There is a good bit of talk in our Church and in the secular media about a “Vocations Crisis”. There are growing numbers of Catholics and shrinking numbers of brothers, sisters, and priests. The reality of these numbers is true and it is a cause for concern, yet the reality of the crisis is not always well represented. The crisis is not that there are no vocations to the priesthood and religious life today, the crisis is that the vocations to the priesthood and religious life are not being nurtured and encouraged as well as they could be. The crisis is not just one of numbers; it is a crisis of culture. There are many who are being called, yet for a young person today it can be very daunting to acknowledge such a thing and pursue it.

The task of many who are working in the arena of vocation promotion is to help build up a “Culture of Vocations”. This is the work of encouraging all young and not so young Catholics to remain open to the possibility that they are called. It is also the work of encouraging all Catholics to invite and encourage those in whom they see a potential vocation to consider the religious life or priesthood. There are aspects of our popular culture that promote values and ideals that dissuade anyone who might consider getting actively involved in the Church, much less give their life to service of the Church. Such forces create an environment that causes young people to think that the religious life or priesthood will ask too much of them or will have them miss out on what normal people should experience. This then leads young people who have thought about the religious life or the priesthood to hesitate or avoid the reality that they may be called.

The good news is that much work has been done to begin to create a culture of vocations to point to the transcendent and profound good that comes to the individual and the world when an individual embraces his/her vocation. Some dioceses and parishes and colleges are developing vocation programs or youth programs to encourage young people in their faith, helping them to realize that a relationship with Christ is a beautiful and powerful thing that is worth developing despite what the popular culture may say. Parents and peers are opening up to the reality that their child or friend may have a vocation and support them in it. There is a growing sense that when an individual is called, it is not something strange or oddly different, but quite natural and fulfilling for that individual. This growing culture that is open to religious and priestly vocations is helping to create an environment in which young people can feel comfortable in acknowledging that they may have a vocation and will support them in their desire to find out if Christ is truly calling them to follow Him. Where this subtle shift in culture is happening there is a discernible growth in young people stepping forward to acknowledge their sense of call and pursue it. Part of the work to be done then is to continue to build up this culture of vocations, this culture that encourages all people to pursue their relationship with Christ and encourages individuals to remain open to the call to the religious life and priesthood. There is also work to be done on the part of religious communities and dioceses to encourage this cultural shift, share the joy and fulfillment that is to found in the consecrated life, and to provide solid and inviting programs for discernment and formation.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Dominican Connect - October 2013 issue.


The latest edition (October 2013) of "Dominican Connect" focuses on vocations good news at the beginning of the academic year.

It features photos from the vestitions and professions in Cork during the month of September, the principal message is on the front page, also in the form of a picture, showing the large group of men in formation with the Irish Dominicans - 19 to be exact.

There is also news of a Franciscan profession, advance notice of the St Martin de Porres novenas in our churches and the 770th anniversary of the arrival of the Dominicans in Tralee
.
The featured friar is Fr Tom Lawson OP, a native of Dundalk and at present living in our mission in Trinidad.

Follow this link to download a copy of October 2013's Dominican Connect:
http://dominicanfriars.ie/Dominican_Connect/volume02/Dominican_Connect_v02n02oct2013.pdf