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. Vincent Andrew Serpa, OP
"I come from Hayward, CA, a suburb of San Francisco and have been a Dominican Friar for thirty-eight years. During this time I have had the honor of being a contemplative preacher which is what Dominican Friars are. This has meant that while living a semi-monastic life, I have also had a weekly radio program, been an Associate Pastor, a Superior, a Pastor and more recently, a Novice Master. It seems like my life has gone full circle because I am about to enter into radio ministry again!
Actually, as a Dominican my life is always going full circle in that we friars listen to the Lord in prayer and then allow this experience to affect everything we do, from preaching in church, hearing confessions and counseling in the parlor, to the way we relate to each other as brothers in community. All this we bring back to the Lord in prayer. It's full circle; it's the way Saint Dominic lived and it 's the life I live....and love." [updated: March 8, 2000]
Photos: 1998 (thumbnail) | Laying On of Hands
Work with Marty Nemko, Radio host Marty Nemko interviews Fr. Vincent and Br. John Evans about religious life, the priesthood, and the idea of vocation, KALW 91.7 FM. Spring 1997