Dominican Nuns Drogheda launch new website

Our Dominican contemplative nuns in Siena Monastery in Drogheda, County Louth launched a new website for the community today August 8th- to coincide with the feast of Saint Dominic. You can find it here and it is well worth a visit!

The attractive website gives a very good insight into the life and ministry of the nuns. It boasts up to date information on upcoming events, vocations, preaching, reflections, the hospitality afforded to guests and much more.

The nuns are also Facebook (search for Dominican Nuns Ireland) and also host a blog - www,dominicannunsireland.blogspot.com

New international website for Dominican friars

The international website of the Dominican Order has been overhauled and relaunched. It is available in the three official languages of the Order - English, French and Spanish. The site was overhauled following the appointment of a newly appointed promoter general for social communication - fr Eric Salboir OP (province of France). The new website carries news from Dominican provinces around the world.

The website is a good resource for those wanting to know more about the life and work of Dominicans throughout the world. You can visit the website at http://www.op.org

New website for Vocations Ireland.

Readers of this blog will be familiar with Vocations Ireland, the umbrella body for the male and female religious vocations directors in Ireland. The organisation has a two-fold purpose: (1) to support and animate the various vocation directors and their congregations and (2) to help discerners who feel called to religious life to find an appropriate congregation or order that suits their talents and gifts. Vocations Ireland has been very active in recent years in promoting the call to religious life and has been particularly successful in its mission to supporting the vocations directors by means of renewal courses, seminars, organised local meetings and liturgical events.

The organisation has recently launched their new website http://www.vocationsireland.com/ and is worth visiting. Congratulations to all concerned and I hope that it will continue to help those who are considering a call to religious life in Ireland.

Making Ourselves Known

It is opportune to say a few words about the website for the Irish Dominicans. The site is an opportunity to let people know about the life and work of the Irish Dominicans. It is very much a work in progress, and now that it is 'up and running' it will be updated and improved as time goes on. It's fair to say that no website is ever perfect, but every website can be improved upon. And that is what we hope to do.


The vast majority of enquiries to me as vocations director for the province come through the website. In fact, 90% come from that medium - hence it is so important that we make ourselves known through the internet.


I was part of a team of people who worked on making the website. I am deeply indebted to them for their dedication, time and patience.


As part of promoting the website, I have visited all the communities in Ireland with new vocations promotion literature and took the opportunity to encouarge all the friars to promote our way of life as much as possible. One of our new vocation posters is pictured above.

A prayer for Dominican vocations.....

A new prayer-card has just been issued to promote vocations to the Irish Dominicans. The same prayer card is also an opportunity for people to learn more about the life and work of the Dominicans in Ireland by accessing the new website of the province. (More on this anon!)


The text of the prayer is:


Lord Jesus, as you once called Saint Dominic to preach the Gospel, so now send preachers into your harvest. Give them courage, wisdom and grace to make them faithful witnesses of your death, resurrection and return in glory. Through the intercession of Mary, patroness of the Order, may they bring true faith and light to brighten the darkness. You who live forever. Amen.


Readers of this blog who would like to have copies of this prayer card can message me through the comment facility on the blog or alternatively through the 'contact vocations director' section of the website of the Irish Dominicans.