Lay Dominicans at Queens University Belfast receive new members

 

 Left to right: Francis McCaughan (president), Sorcha Nic Bhloscaidh, fr Gerard Dunne OP, Karen Gilloway and Lisa Hanna (secretary).

A newly formed lay Dominican chapter in Belfast received two new members at a special event in the Catholic chaplaincy at Queens University Belfast last night (May 8th, 2013). The chapter which is just eighteen months in existence and under the patronage of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is the youngest chapter of the lay Dominicans in Ireland.

Karen Gilloway and Sorcha Nic Bhloscaidh are both teachers and were received into the chapter during the celebration of the Eucharist at the Catholic chaplaincy in Elmwood Avenue. They have spent the past number of months in preparation and have undergone a formation programme prior to being received. They join the present members Francis McCaughan and Lisa Hanna in the new chapter which has as it's mission the reflection on Dominican and church documents and the regular prayer life of other such lay Dominican chapters around the world. The chapter has already run a number of successful events to mark the Year of Faith.

The Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati chapter is indebted to the Catholic chaplaincy at Queens University Belfast and the chaplain Fr Gary Toman for facilitating their presence and also for his tremendous support. The author of this blog is the spiritual promoter of the chapter.

The vocation of the lay Dominican is an important one in the life of the church and the Order. Lay Dominicans make a significant contribution by the witness of their lives as Dominicans and are a source of support to the local church. For more information on the lay Dominicans in Ireland visit their website: http://new.laydominicans.ie/home and for news of the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati chapter in Belfast you can follow them on Facebook under Lay Dominicans QUB chapter

A note from Belfast....

The Catholic chaplaincy chapel at Queens University Belfast.

Question: Where on the island of Ireland would you get over 3,000 students (generally aged 18-25)attending Mass on Ash Wednesday and who would queue up for confession throughout that day?

Answer: At the Catholic chaplaincy at Queens University in Belfast!

That is where I have been these past few days at the invitation of the Catholic chaplain at QUB, Fr Gary Toman, to preach the annual Lenten retreat for the Catholic students. This is my seventh time to preach the retreat in the past ten years and it is both a humbling and edifying expereience. Dominican friars have been fortunate to have been asked to take on the task of preaching this retreat here for almost the past thirty years.

For Dominicans, universities have been important places. From the beginnings of the Order, the friars were sent to universities to receive the best education possible and with the growth of the Order, many of the friars took up key positions as professors in the disciplines of theology and philosophy throughout Europe. They made a significant contribution - in fact many vocations emerged from the university system because of the influence of the brethren.

Given that many vocations come to the Order generally, and to the Irish province of friars from men who have been through the university system, it has been an important task of this vocations director to try and promote vocations at third level colleges, institutes and universities. The new thinking generation of men (and women) of Catholics who are emerging from these institutes and colleges regularly ask for a more visible presence of religious to help them in their faith journeys but also to challenge them in discerning their vocations in life.

This is a crucial work for vocations personnel and we would be negligent if we did not respond to this need!

For more information on the Catholic chaplaincy at Queens University, Belfast, please visit www.qubcc.org

New Lay Dominican Group at Queens University Belfast

 Left to right: Francis McCaughan, Fr Gerard Dunne OP and Lisa Hanna

Yesterday, January 30th 2012,  I had the honour of attending and preaching at a Mass in the Catholic chaplaincy at Queens University in Belfast to formally receive two new members into a newly formed lay Dominican chapter in the university campus. Lisa Hanna and Francis McCaughan were received and formally became members of the 'Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Lay Dominican chapter'.

Francis and Lisa, along with others who have an interest in becoming lay Dominicans, have decided that this newly formed chapter will have an intellectual and reflective outreach as part of the ministry of the group. This coupled with prayer and regular meeting will form the basis for their initial first steps as a new lay Dominican chapter.

Left to right: Dr Gaven Kerr, Francis McCaughan, Lisa Hanna and Fr Gary Toman

Fr Gary Toman, the Catholic chaplain at Queens University, Belfast celebrated the Mass during which the new chapter was instituted and the new members formally received. In his remarks, he warmly welcomed this new Dominican presence at the chaplaincy and expressed his delight that the chaplaincy will be able to facilitate the new group there. There was a strong presence of Dominican sisters from the Belfast area at the event along with members of other Belfast based lay Dominican groups. The two new members, Lisa and Francis, were presented by Dr Gaven Kerr for acceptance as lay Dominicans. Dr Kerr is a lay Dominican attached to the Falls Road chapter.

This new beginning of lay Dominicans attached to this university in Belfast is both an encouraging and inspiring event. The fact that there are young lay men and women who are captivated by the Dominican charism of preaching and teaching is a sign of the enduring call of Saint Dominic throughout the generations. The event which we celebrated yesterday is also a sign of hope for the Dominican family and will further the Dominican mission in Ireland.

 Francis and Lisa pictured with the newly commissioned icon of Saint Dominic

Irish Dominican Vocations wishes to congratulate the two new members of the 'Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Lay Dominican chapter' and thanks them for their patience during the time of preparation for this event over the past number of months and looks forward to working with them into the future.

For more information on the lay Dominicans in Ireland, please visit www.laydominicans.ie