Dominican Connect - March 2014

The latest edition (March 2014) of Dominican Connect - the newsletter from the vocations office of the Irish Dominican friars has been published.

This month's issue contains a lead article on the rosary and there is news about upcoming events about vocations to the Dominican friars and the Dominican family in Ireland.

Our featured friar this month is fr Stephen Tumilty OP of our community in Newry.

The newsletter will be available in all our Dominican churches and other centres from this weekend and can be downloaded in electronic form by clicking on this link:
http://www.dominicanfriars.ie/Dominican_Connect/volume02/Dominican_Connect_v02n07mar2014.pdf

Year for Consecrated Life November 30th 2014 to February 2nd 2016 - the joy of vocation

More details have been announced about the upcoming year for consecrated life which will begin on the first Sunday of Advent this year and conclude on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord - almost fourteen months later.

In a letter released a couple of days ago by the Prefect and Secretary for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in preparation for the year, religious have been asked to reflect on the joy associated with the moment when they first realised that God was calling them.

The letter goes on to state that this 'rememberance' of joy of being called will make consecrated men and women better evangelisers and also better promoters of new vocations. The letter states that the 'crisis' of vocations and the crisis many religious are experiencing today represent a crisis of memory that renders many consecrated men and women incapable of experiencing true joy in being faithful.

The year for consecrated life will include meetings with religious orders of other Christian churches along with gatherings for younger religious women and men in Rome and various parts of the world.

As a vocations director it is very heartening that the first official communication about the year for consecrated life focuses on the notion of joy in one's vocation and the call to remember that so that in turn we may attract others to this radical way of life.

6th Annual Dominican Family Vocations Day

The sixth annual Dominican Family Vocations Day takes place in Saint Saviour's priory in Dominick Street, Dublin 1on April 5th next - beginning at 9.30 am and concluding at 5.00 pm.

The first vocations day event in 2009 coincided with the Year of Vocation organised by the Irish church and was a collaborative effort between the four branches of the Dominican family in Ireland - the contemplative nuns, the lay Dominicans, the friars and the apostolic sisters. The original event was an attempt to showcase the Dominican vocation in all its facets to women and men who were interested.

The event has grown year on year and is now in its sixth year. This year's vocation day will once again highlight the particular vocation of all the branches of the Dominican family and will include input on discerning a vocation in today's culture. Testimonies and vocation stories from a sister, nun, friar and lay Dominican will be given in order to give an understanding of each vocation.

As always, the day will be based around prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the celebration of the Eucharist - the pillars on which Dominican life stand.

Bookings should be made as soon as possible in order to secure a place and the person to contact is Sr Niamh OP (Dominican nuns, Drogheda) on opfamily.vocationsday@gmail.com or by contacting 041-9838524 with your details before March 28th, 2014

The event is open to women and men who have a genuine desire to know more about the Dominican life, charism and sprituality. You would be most welcome to join us.

Vocations prayer initiative in Saint Dominic's parish Tallaght

Our ongoing prayer initiative for vocations to the Dominican family in Ireland recently arrived at the parish church of Saint Dominic in Tallaght (pictured above). Saint Dominic's is one of three parish churches staffed by Dominican friars in the Tallaght area.

The vocations prayer campaign is now in its third year having visited almost all of the Dominican churches throughout Ireland since its launch in January 2012. While there is a strong emphasis on vocations to the friars in this initiaitive, no opportunity has been lost to promote the vocation of the Dominican laity, sisters and nuns - a fact that is appreciated by the Dominican family in Ireland I hope!

The specially commissioned icon of Saint Dominic which is the focus for this prayer invitation to all who attend our churches will remain in the parish of Saint Dominic's, Tallaght for the coming weeks.

Future locations for the prayer initiative include Saint Magdalen's, Drogheda, Saint Saviour's Dublin and Siena monastery in Drogheda where the initiative was launched.

Please pray for the continued success of this campaign of prayer which has captured the imagination of so many that men and women will be inspired to answer the call of the Lord to live the life of a Dominican in Ireland.

Icon of Saint Dominic - the focus of the prayer initiative

 

Unique vocations event at Siena monastery, Drogheda

A vocations event with a difference will take place at the Dominican monastery of Saint Catherine of Siena, Drogheda, County Louth on Saturday March 1st next. The event is unique in that it is a collaborative project of the Dominican nuns at Siena monastery and the recently arrived Franciscan sisters of the Renewal to the town of Drogheda.

The one day event is primarily for young women to spend a day of retreat and recollection to consider the call of the Lord in their lives. There will be testimony from both sets of sisters, time for Eucharistic adoration, input on the nature of religious life, question and answer sessions, celebration of the Eucharist and more.

To reserve a place for this important event you should contact Sr Niamh OP (siena3@eircom.net) or the Franciscan sisters on +353 41 9830441.