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. Bernard Patrick Condon, OP
Born in County Tipperary in the village of Clonmel, Bernard Patrick Condon began his life during a very troubled time in Ireland, which was then struggling for liberation from its subjection to England. Young Patrick was a courier for Earnon de Valera in the fight for Irish freedom. His older brother, James, emigrated to the United States, and, after becoming a U.S. citizen, sent for his younger brother. Their sister emigrated to Spain, and the Condon brothers settled in San Francisco.
After working in San Francisco for a few years, Patrick attended Drew School to further his knowledge of Latin, in the hope of entering the seminary. He was accepted as a Dominican novice in 1936, and made his first profession in 1938 at Ross to then Provincial Very Reverend Leonard Callaghan, O. P. Brother Bernard continued his studies at St. Albert's Priory in Oakland, and made solemn profession in 1940. After ordination, he became an Assistant Pastor at Holy Rosary, Portland, serving three years there.
Showing promise as a preacher and as a director of Sisters, he was assigned to the task of retreat master for Sisters and also gave retreats for the laity with great success. In 1948, he was elected Prior of the Dominican Novitiate in Ross, Marin County, where he was esteemed for his kindness and charity. He later served as Assistant Pastor at Holy Rosary, Antioch, for four years, and became Pastor of the new church in 1966.
When he completed his assignment there, Fr. Condon became Pastor of Our Lady of Limerick in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. In spite of failing health, he continued to serve the Church in the northwest, with his last parish located in Republic, Washington. An exemplary Dominican and priest, he served the Church to the very end of his life, dedicated to the service of the people he deeply loved and in their desire to be nourished with the authentic teaching of Christ and his Church. He died peacefully in his sleep the night of August 21, 1986, and is buried with his Dominican brethren in St. Dominic Cemetery, Benicia.
--Fr. Joseph P. Sanguinetti
|
Date of Birth |
Date of Profession |
Date of Ordination |
Date of Death |
|
January 8, 1904 |
September 12, 1937 |
June 13, 1942 |
August 21, 1986 |
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