The Call
Vocations find their true meaning in Christ
Three young men share their stories as they are just days away from receiving an irreversible grace of being ordained priests. They speak about how they were influenced by others and how they could not avoid the call from God to be men who serve others.
Click here to see their video.
Keeping the Light Burning
Your prayers, service and donations help us to keep the flame of Dominican Vocations bright in the Western United States. Please do consider making a regular contribution for future preachers for the salvation of souls.
Saint Jude Shrine
Shrine of
St. Jude Thaddeus
2390 Bush Street
P.O. Box 15368
San Francisco
California 94115-0368
415-931-5919
www.stjude-shrine.org
Category List
Fr. Conlan from Rabinal
Fr. Timothy Conlan again shares with us his experiences in Rabinal. His construction project seems to have brought joy, yet there are always deep concerns with the violence that permeates the culture. Read his letter in PDF format.
Catholic Education
In a pluralistic society, often at odds with any notion of absolutes in matters of faith and morals, it seems reasonable to encourage a faithful adherance to the teachings of the Church in our own educational institutions. That can sometimes be difficult to obtain, especially in institutions heavily dependent on government aid, or where the authority of the Church has been compromised by secular inroads. In his recent talk to American bishops on their "ad limina" visit, Pope Benedict reaffirmed the need for attention in this area. The following article from the Vatican Information Service contains the core of his comments.
St. Vincent Ferrer, OP
The Angel of Judgment
With zeal and grace, St. Vincent Ferrer brought many to conversion of mind and heart during his 58 years as a Dominican friar. Read some of that life by clicking on the title of this post.
What? You don't say ...
The following article is borrowed from the DOMINICANA E-Magazine of the Eastern Dominican Province. Dominicana is a publication of the Dominican Students of the St. Joseph Province, who live and study at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. The blog is updated every weekday, and the journal appears twice a year. To contact the editors of Dominicana please write to dominicanadhs@gmail.com.
Yiayias Nagging Morals
Last year a Greek food company produced a series of creative and wildly popular ads that juxtaposed modern young people doing what modern young people do—cohabiting, dressing immodestly, and being a stay-at-home dad—with a wizened old Greek grandmother (Yiayia) laying down the law in a brief but forceful way. (My favorite line: “Are you two married? But you living together, eh? You are going to hell!”)
In the wake of the Obama mandate on contraception, a chorus of Catholic bloggers produced a distinctly Yiayia-like solution to the widespread problem of Catholics flouting Church teaching on a host of moral issues: tell them they are going to hell.
Ordinarily level-headed writers conjured gleeful idylls in which bishops descend upon their dioceses like Rambo, laying public sinners and heresy to waste with rapid-fire excommunications, and priests replace their homilies with booming pulpit declamations against their congregations’ wicked ways. Some commentators thought the Obama mandate was a sign that the time for carrots has passed, and that the primary solution for the Church’s moral problems should now be the stick.
Both Yiayia and these bloggers have made some important errors about the Christian life. There are deeply and critically true things in what they are saying, of course; morality does matter, the Church and its ministers do have an obligation to care for souls by moral guidance, and sometimes a short, sharp shock does awaken people to the temporal and eternal consequences of their actions.
But we would do well to attend to the errors. The scold assumes that people who are acting badly will change their ways if they just hear the truth told to them often enough. This is not true. Telling a cohabiting couple that they are going to hell will only convince them to change their ways if they already believe that hell exists, that it’s possible to go there, that their action in the world can influence whether they go there, that the Church has the authority to rule on what sends people there, and that you have the authority to speak to them about their personal decisions. Of these five necessary beliefs, many people only hold the first with any certainty, reserve the second and the third for Hitler, Stalin, and people who smoke, and reject the fourth and the fifth without much consideration.
Thus we have been led back to the deeper problem that undergirds the first. A certain kind of Catholic assumes that the fundamental problem in the Church today is a crisis of morality. This is not true. Behind the crisis of morality lies a deeper crisis: a crisis of faith.
Read all this article at its source on the
Eastern Dominican Province Dominicana blog
Saint Hyacinth, OP
Saint Hyacinth of Poland*
Friar and Priest
Memorial of the Order
This Dominican Saint is called the Apostle of the North. He was the son of Eustachius Konski of the noble family of Odrowaz and was born in the year 1185 at the castle of Lanka, at Kamin, in upper Silesia, Poland (now Prussia); died 15 August, 1257, at Cracow.
A near relative of Saint Ceslaus, Hyacinth made his studies at Cracow, Prague, and Bologna, and at the latter place merited the title of Doctor of Law and Divinity. On his return to Poland he was given a prebend at Sandomir. As a canon of the cathedral of Krakow he subsequently accompanied his uncle Ivo Konski, the Bishop of Cracow, to Rome, where he met St. Dominic. Attracted by the holiness and preaching of St. Dominic, he was one of the first to receive at St. Dominic's hands (at Santa Sabina, 1220) the habit of the newly established Order of Friars Preachers.
The Dominican Church of the Holy Trinity in Krakow contains St. Hyacinth's relics. See this article from The New Liturgical Movement for more information.
For the continuation of his life, click the title to this article.
Carrying the Cross at ASU
Witness of Faith
This 3 minute video shows how our Newman students at Arizona State University pray the stations of the cross and witness their faith publicly on campus.
Poster it up
Reel Religion
Museum of Biblical Art in New York exhibition reveals God was in the details of vintage Bible-based-movie advertisements, features Fr. Michael Morris, OP.
'Reel Religion' puts movie posters in a sacred light
Museum of Biblical Art in New York exhibition reveals God was in the details of vintage Bible-based-movie advertisements.
March 06, 2009|Religion News Service
In the beginning, there was light. And soon after, it seems, there were movies.
And with movies came movie posters -- the "heralds" that drew people into movie theaters, particularly during the Golden Age of Hollywood: the 1920s through 1950s. This was a time "when fantasy architecture made its visitors feel as though they were entering into a sacred space," says the Rev. Michael Morris, a Dominican priest, film scholar and avid movie poster collector.
But the posters -- some of them as monumentally designed as the films they were advertising -- could be miniature masterpieces in their own right. And, in fact, some were superior to the films showing inside the theaters....continue reading at the Los Angeles Times
In cognito
Spot the Dominican
Br. Emmanuel is interviewed on television at the Univeristy of Oregon during a viewing of the Inauguration.
There are two tabs one for the article and one for the video. Can you spot Br. Emmanuel in the video?
Lent with St. Paul the CoSI way.
2009 Lenten Catalog
This Lent is a great time to discern and prepare to fulfill our God-given mission and these resources will help you do just that! Lent begins in four weeks.
http://welcome.greatbigfish.net/COS/
They touched me deeply
A Nairobi Christmas
Br. Daniel Thomas, a Dominican missionary of our province, reports from Africa on Christmas and the state of affairs.
http://brotherdaniel.opwest.org/ direct link broken
$60 Million Project Update
Building Project Update
All Saints Catholic Newman Center
Tempe, Arizona December 2008
Our staff and many volunteers have been working very hard this past year preparing for a new facility and I’d like to update you on the status of our building project.
The Newman Center exists to “…complement the secular education provided at Arizona State University by providing a home where students and members of the university community can strengthen their faith, develop their gifts, and grow into passionate, faithful Catholic leaders.” This mission is exactly why we are working so diligently on this expansion project.
As you know, the scope of our project has expanded to include a Catholic residence hall and parish and campus ministry facilities that include an expanded social hall and kitchen, office space, classrooms, a library, and new student lounge areas. We are grateful for this expansion of the project and believe it is an incredible opportunity to fulfill our mission and desire to literally become a “home away from home” for our students.
However, the current economy has impacted our ability to realize this vision. The residence hall portion of the project lost partial funding due to the market downturn, causing a delay in our timeline. In response to this loss, Domus, the developer, is working to secure additional financing.
I want to assure you that the original plans of our new Church and Adoration Chapel are in no way compromised by the expansion plans. We have back-up plans ready to build the worship spaces without the additional facilities. However, we’re very optimistic that the entire project will move forward as planned.
Domus has invested over $800,000 in this project and remains committed to finding a financial partner in order to proceed with construction. They are negotiating with two reputable firms interested in financing the project. Both parties recently visited our Center and met with ASU leadership. We are optimistic that one of them will sign a contract with Domus within the next 30 days, allowing the project to move forward.
To be honest, sometimes the last 17 months have seemed like an eternity to me. But, I am reminded by others involved in this project that it is a $60 million undertaking, requiring time and patience. In some ways, this unexpected gift of time is a blessing, allowing us to rework our space plans to better accommodate the needs of our growing ministries. Additionally, a talented group of artists and architects from the Newman Center are creating the liturgical design for the chapel. This group has worked tirelessly over the past eight months to create an inspiring sacred worship space designed around the theme of “All Saints”.
In the meantime, our campus ministry staff, students, and permanent community members remain active in building up the Body of Christ. Our ministry is growing and we are serving record numbers of students. This community reminds me daily that our mission is so much bigger than this building project. I want to thank you for your support and patience as we work towards building a community that invites more hearts to Prepare Him Room.
Blessings this Advent.
Fr. Fred Lucci, O.P.
Director and Pastor
Citation: All Saints Catholic Newman Center Weekly Bulletin for Dec. 28, 2008
ASU Newman Center Home Page
http://www.asucatholic.org/
Prepare Him Room Campaign
http://www.preparehimroom.org/
with spiffy artistic rendition of student tower and new church design
Latest News of the Campaign
http://www.preparehimroom.org/Latest_News.html
April 2008
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Share the joy of the December roses with a friend.
Human Rights Matter
Join other Catholics and concerned people of the world to
petition the United Nations for a new recognition of the sanctity of life.
Deadline Dec. 9
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The Rosary Light & Life - Our Father, part 4
Fr. Reginald Martin, O.P. continues his series on the Our Father.
See the latest addition, as well as the archives.
Current novena prayers included.
The Rosary Light & Life - Vol 61, No 6, Nov.-Dec. 2008
THE OUR FATHER, PART IV
Thy Will be Done on EARTH as It Is in HEAVEN
By Father Reginald Martin, O.P.
The Gift of KnowledgeKnowledge, which is capacity to live a good life, is among the gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit. In the Lenten sermons he preached in 1273, St. Thomas Aquinas remarked that the greatest proof of knowledge is our willingness to learn from others. An old joke says that a professional who consults no one but himself has a fool for a client; St. Thomas Aquinas shares this opinion. "...those who cling to their own judgment," he said, "so as to mistrust others and trust in themselves alone, invariably prove themselves fools and are judged as such."
Knowledge and HumilityTo learn demands humility, the frank acknowledgment that we are neither the source of our talents and gifts, nor the sole guide by which we lead our lives. St. Thomas uses the example of a doctor and patient to describe this humility. "...[W]hen a sick man consults a physician...he takes the medicine...because it is the will of the physician. If he took only what he willed himself, he would be a fool."
The Imitation of ChristIn our moral lives, of course, we can have no greater teacher than God. Thus, we pray that God's will be done - that is, that we may fulfill His plans for us. We may use many different words when we pray, but ultimately every prayer is - or should be - the simple request that we adapt our will to God's. In this way we imitate Our Savior, who said, "I came down from heaven to do, not my own will, but the will of Him that sent me" (John 6:38). ... More
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Marriage Matters to Kids
Help protect marriage for our society and children.
Three US bishops and others give their feedback.
Can you spot the Dominican friars?
Then they make a terrifying discovery....
Fr. Dominic Delay, OP presents his film
where three presidential candidates are mysteriously trapped in a room.
The last thing they remember is being at their final debate.
Then they make a terrifying discovery....
Red Terror on the Amber Coast
What happened under Soviet oppression?
This film documents the fifty-year-long struggle
between the people of Lithuania and the Soviet KGB and their predecessors
to impose Soviet control on a free and democratic, Western republic.
La Capilla del Rosario Video
Br. Lupe Gonzalez, OP helps to film a documentary on
Holy Rosary Chapel, Puebla, Mexico.
This Baroque style chapel is beatiful.
La Capilla del Rosario es un documento artístico de estilo barroco que explica el misterio de Dios según la fe cristiana. Su arquitectura, así como sus pinturas y esculpturas sabiamente colocadas conducen de la mano al creyente cristiano a reflexionar y gozar de aquello que Dios hace por sus hijos. Cargado en la Fiesta de Santo Santiago.
Dominican Rite Solemn Mass
Dominican Rite Solemn High Mass
Through the generosity of readers of
Dominican Liturgy
we have photos, video, and more on this special Mass
celebrated August 8, 2008
at Blessed Sacrament Parish
Seattle, Washington
Check out YouTube for other Dominican Rite Videos
How to Fail Well
St. Peter, all of Judah, and St. John Vianney all have something in common. Fr. Dismas Sayre preaches on how they deal with failure.
How to Fail Well
Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest
Jer 28:1-17; Mt 14:22-26
Poor old Saint Peter. He probably gets the biggest bad rap in all the Gospels. He's hotheaded. He's stubborn. He's foolish. He can't seem to figure out what's going on right in front of him. And yet I, at least, and I believe Our Lord too, have a very big soft spot for Saint Peter. You've gotta give it to him. Peter's got initiative. Peter tries.
If he's afraid of failure, he's hidden it pretty well, considering all his other faults and failings are out in the open in the Gospels. In today's Gospel, he, not any of the other disciples, he alone dares to try to wander into the waters, so trusting in the Lord. And even when he fails, he knows what he has to do: he calls upon His lord to help him out of the mess he's gotten himself into.
In the first reading, ALL of Judah has failed. Miserably. What to do? Do like Peter and call on the Lord? The prophet Jeremiah tried to tell Judah how to fail and fail well, that is repent, but the false prophet Hananiah tries taking matters into his own hands, literally, and in effect telling the Lord to buzz off, and lying to the people, that Judah hasn't really failed that badly, and it'll be ok. In denying the failure of his people, Hananiah ironically fails badly...at failing.
Today's saint, Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, the curé of Ars, is a great example of what happens when we fail well. When he entered the seminary... let's just say he was NOT the brightest candle in the Church. He failed courses, and needed a lot of help. While in seminary, he was conscripted into the Napoleonic army, but he ended mixed up with a band of deserters, so he failed even at being a private in the army.
His father found a replacement for him in the army, so he was able to finish, barely, his seminary studies. He gets sent to this little town, Ars, as a parish priest. Not the springboard for ecclesiastical careers, shall we say.
But something odd happened. As he served the people of God, men and women, from the lowliest, to the most important in society, including bishops, they began to come to him for spiritual advice. He is especially well-known for hearing confessions, and worked many miracles in the confessional. St. John Vianney knew full-well what it meant to fail, but he always plugged ahead, driven by the Lord, who kept calling him forth. And because of his own failures and intimate knowledge of God's boundless mercy and love, I believe that this is why he was able to be such a beacon of love and hope in the confessional. This man who was such a failure in so many things that he had tried, even seminary, THIS man is now the patron saint of ALL parish priests. I think he failed pretty well, don't you?
Called and gifted you say?
The Catherine of Siena Institute helps
Ginny Moyer turn her charisms into a ministry
and become more fully herself.
Rare opportunity on August Eighth
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church of Seattle, WA will celebrate
the 100th anniversary of their foundation with the full dignity and glory of
a Solemn High Dominican Rite Mass.
You will not want to miss this!
Be sure to read the press release.
Then they make a terrifying discovery....
Fr. Dominic Delay, OP presents his film
where three presidential candidates are mysteriously trapped in a room.
The last thing they remember is being at their final debate.
Then they make a terrifying discovery....
The IRL comes to California
The Institute on Religious Life
meets to discuss the consecrated life,
obedience as contemplation,
and the evangelical councils
Dominican Friars: 100 years in Seattle
Blessed Sacrament (Seattle) Centennial Events
Over 25 major events are being celebrated
to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary
of of the Dominican Friars in Seattle.