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. Thomas Leo Halloran, OP
Leo Halloran was born in Bismarck, North Dakota on July 23, 1890. While attending Conception College in Missouri he applied to enter the Dominican order, but was unsure because of the possibility of being drafted. He was required to show evidence that he was studying for the priesthood before war was declared (May 18, 1917). He also received a dispensation from Rome, because he did not complete four full years of secondary school, due to an appendix operation. He then worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in order to earn enough money to start the novitiate. After his draft exemption was granted, he entered the novitiate in 1918, taking the name Thomas.
After formation at the Dominican House of Study in Washington, DC, (and a year of English at Catholic University of America) he was ordained on June 29, 1925 at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Bismarck, North Dakota. He continued his studies for one year at St. Thomas College in Ross after ordination. He began his ministry in Ross as Master of Postulants and procurator. He moved around the province, usually as procurator, becoming Procurator of the Province in 1935. He continued in that office until 1943, when he was elected prior of Ross (he resigned just over a year later). On Christmas eve 1945, he was assigned as an assistant pastor in Logan, Utah. While there, he was elected Socius and went to the 1946 General Chapter (electing Suarez) in Rome. Unfortunately, he did not have much opportunity to travel since Europe had only begun to recover from the horrible destruction of World War II. In 1947, he was assigned as assistant pastor at St. Elizabeth's parish in Richfield, Utah. He died there from a fall down the stairs while bringing food to a homeless person on May 23, 1950. In 1974, a statue was erected in his memory at St. Elizabeth's Parish.
|
Date of Birth |
Date of Profession |
Date of Ordination |
Date of Death |
|
July 23, 1890 |
June 10, 1919 |
June 29, 1925 |
May 23, 1950 |
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