Vocation Discernment
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Vocation Office
Western Dominican Province
5890 Birch Court
Oakland, CA 94618-1626
(510)-596-1821
Our Vocations require a great deal of support, from the first moment they begin their novitiate until the last moments of their retirement. Please do conside visiting our donation page and helping form and sustain the priests and brothers who will serve you in the future, serve you now and have served you in the past.
Saints and Blesseds
The Order of Friars Preachers,
The Dominican Order,
has a beautiful history of learning, service and holiness manifested in its saints and blesseds of every age since its foundation by St. Dominic de Guzman. Do enjoy the periodic postings of such stories as are available from various sources, especially our own archives.
Religious Retirement
Our elderly and infirm friars receive the best care we have available to us, as in any family. We rely heavily on the donations of others for our own existence and thus when one of our own becomes incapable of further ministry due to age or infirmity, those same donations help us support the sometimes necessary special care required by such members of our communities.
We prefer to care for our elderly and infirm in our own houses so that the life of a religious community can be a part of a friars life as long as possible. This is also the most economical in many ways. We strive to use donations wisely. But sometimes a care facility is essential. As we, as a Province, do not benefit from the national collection for retired religious, we ask that you assist us in caring for these friars who have prayed, taught, served and ministered for so many years amomg the people of the Western United States and beyond.
Please, in your kindness, consider assisting us in this work of brotherly love.
Many thanks in advance.
Catholicism
It's just the right thing
Fr. Alvarus Emmanuel Joseph, OP
Father Alvarus Emmanuel Joseph was born in Spanishtown, CA now called Half Moon Bay. His parents were John and Mary Joseph, and their first son Antone immigrated to Spanishtown in 1867. They were part of the original pioneers not just of Spanishtown but also of Our Lady of the Pillar Parish. The Parish's first church was completed in 1868. John and Mary Joseph were born on Flores Island of the Azores Island Chain, Portugal. They gave birth to 13 children by 1900 only 6 of those children survived and florished. One of those was Alvarus, he was the youngest. He had two older sisters and three older brothers when he entered the seminary in 1901.
What can make someone change? For Fr. Joseph it was a debilitating illness, and the mercy of the Order. Fr. Joseph was entrusted by the Order to minister to the large Portuguese population in many of our parishes at the turn of the twentieth century. He was able to minister to the local Portuguese wherever he was assigned. However, during his ministry he experienced significant personal challenges.
In 1932, Fr. Joseph became ill and had heart problems. He found solace with the Dominican sisters where he received care and offered assistance where and when he was able. Perhaps it was the illness, perhaps it was the prayer of the brothers, but he had a re-conversion of faith late in life. From 1932 until his death in 1942 he worked with the sisters and with the children they served. In 1935 he writes, "My office, meditation, rosary and other devotions have been said every day. I do thank God for the opportunity I have now to make up for all my deficiency of the past." Let us pray for the repose of his soul.
Credit: the content of the first paragraph submitted by Fr. Alvarus' great nephew, Patrick Harris, 12/8/07
|
Date of Birth |
Date of Profession |
Date of Ordination |
Date of Death |
|
November 19, 1881 |
November 1, 1901 |
June 24, 1907 |
December 28, 1942 |
XII: 100