Vocation Discernment
Are you being called to become a priest or brother?
Click here, and discover what it means to become a preacher of truth!
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
Mission West
The Western Dominican Province 1850-1966
by Fr. Fabian Stan Parmisano, OP
If you are instead looking for the Development Office Newsletter, Mission West, click here. Otherwise,
Welcome to our story! Mission West is the historical account of the foundation of the Dominican friars in the Western United States. These Catholic priests and brothers set out to preach for the salvation of souls and it wasn't without sacrifice, hardship, and even turmoil among the friars. Some will ask, why did you stop at the year 1966? The answer is easy, this story only speaks of the past and not the friars who are alive today. The living will tell their story one day, but for now we hope you enjoy our history, our account of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Chapters available online are in Adobe PDF format.
Chapter 2: Alemany and Vilarrasa: Uneasy Partnership
Chapter 3: Testing the Waters: Monterey
Chapter 4; Settling In: Benicia
Chapter 5: Brothers In Conflict
Chapter 6: Fin de Siecle: New Horizons
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Chapter 7: The Great St. Dominic's: Monks & Ministry
Chapter 8: Moving Out and Up: Portland and Seattle
Chapter 9: A Province at Last!
Chapter 10: New Foundations: Los Angeles, Berkeley, Oakland, Ross
Chapter 11: St. Albert's, Mid-Century: The Light and the Dark
Chapter 12: Around the Province: Ministry Old and New
Chapter 13: New Ventures: Home and Abroad
Epilogue
Toward the Future
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Mission West: The Western Dominican Province 1850-1966
All rights reserved, copyright © 1995
Western Dominican Province
Oakland, California
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