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. Joseph Gregory Rourke, OP
Fr. Rourke was a parish priest for Northern California ministering to the people of Contra Costa, Alameda, Marin, Solano and San Francisco Counties. He was born in 1870 to Patrick Rourke and Mary Ann McDonald soon after they moved from Boston to San Francisco. He was baptized at St. Brigid's Church, at that time a Dominican parish. He first went to Golden Gate public school and then to St. Ignatius' grade school, high school and college.
In 1886 he received the habit from Fr. Vilarrasa and a year later was simply professed to the same prelate. He studied from 1885 to 1894 at Benicia, California under such teachers as Frs. Wilson, Newell, and Shaw.
After being ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Riordan at Old St. Mary's, he went to Portland, Oregon for a month and then to St. Dominic's in San Francisco. While there he was appointed Procurator of the house and for the year 1907-1908 Procurator of the Province.
In 1908 he was elected Prior of St. Dominic's in Benicia. After his term he went back to San Francisco. From 1912 to 1931 he was Pastor of Holy Rosary Church in Antioch, California, St. Rose Church in Crockett, California and St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Vallejo, California. After 1931 he became the assistant in Benicia, Oakland, Pittsburg, and Ross. His last assignment was Prior of the formation community at Ross, California. He died peacefully after almost fifty years a Dominican priest. Please pray for his eternal rest in the Lord.
|
Date of Birth |
Date of Profession |
Date of Ordination |
Date of Death |
|
June 20, 1870 |
December 8, 1887 |
April 25, 1894 |
September 27, 1943 |
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