On Tuesday the 29th of March we had the privilege of welcoming the Eucharistic Congress Bell during its tour of Armagh Diocese in preparation for the International Eucharistic Congress 2012. Here are some photos from the day:
Dominican Social Life
On Thursday the 3rd of February 2011 we had the great pleasure of entertaining our Dominican brothers for the afternoon, or rather I should say we had the pleasure of being entertained by them. Nine of the student brothers from St Saviours, Dublin, came to visit, together with their Student Master Fr Dineen, and provided us with an afternoon of music, drama and song. A highlight of the afternoon was their singing “Consider yourself one of the family” (from the musical ‘Oliver’) to welcome/congratulate Sr Mary Cathy who had received the habit the previous day. (We suspect they deferred their customary Christmas visit until the 3rd so as to be able to congratulate Sr Mary Cathy). It was a wonderful afternoon and ended with their joining us for Vespers.
Some photos from the day:
Dominican Social Life
Our New Novice
Wednesday the 2nd of February 2011, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and world day of prayer for Consecrated Life, was a wonderful day of celebration for our community as Sr Mary Cathy became a novice and received the habit of a Domincan nun. During the next two years she will participate more fully in our community life as she discerns if the Lord is calling her to profession.
Dominican Calendar for 2011 Published
As part of the ongoing effort of the vocations promoters of the Dominican Family in Ireland (friars, sisters, contemplative nuns and lay) to promote a greater awareness of the Dominican charism, we have published a Dominican Family Calendar for 2011 - which will be available in our Dominican priories throughout Ireland. There are many Dominican Symbols: the habit, the shield, the dog at Dominic’s feet with the torch in its mouth. However, there is only one distinctive mark, a sort of genetic code, for the members of the Order, for the Dominican Family. It is preaching for the salvation of humanity, the ministry of the Word, the mission of evangelisation. The General Chapter, celebrated in Rome wished to remind the whole Dominican Family, Nuns, Friars, Apostolic Sisters and the Lay Dominicans, of this sign of our identity as we approach the Jubilee of 2016. The nuns who dedicate themselves preferentially to prayer participate in the preaching ministry by listening to the Word, celebrating it and proclaiming the Gospel through the example of their lives. Similarly, co-operator brothers join in the preaching ministry through the faithful living out of their profession in the Order.
Prologue: Acts of the General Chapter, Rome, 2010
New Master of the Order
On Sunday, 5th September 2010, the General Chapter of the Order of Preachers elected frère Bruno Cadoré as new Master of the Order. He will lead us during the coming nine years as we continue our pilgrim journey towards the 800th Anniversary of the Confirmation of the Order in 2016.
Since the 2007 Jubilee Year of the foundation of the Holy Preaching of Prouilhe and the first Monastery of Nuns, the Order is engaged in a Nine Year Novena of Renewal under the theme ‘Woe to us if we do not preach the Gospel’ in preparation for the 2016 Jubilee. The theme for 2011 is ‘Preaching and Culture/Community Preaching’.
Sr Niamh's Solemn Profession
Monday the 31st May 2010, the feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, was a wonderful day of celebration for our community and indeed for the whole Dominican family in Ireland, as Sr Niamh Muireann made her solemn profession as a Domincan nun. She was joined by her parents, family, relatives and friends - many of whom travelled a long distance to be with her. Fr Larry Collins OP, vicar of the Master of the Order for our community, presided at the celebration and fourteen other priests (12 Domincans 2 Carmelites from Sr Niamh's home parish and 1 Benedictine Monk, Rostrevor) concelebrated the Eucharist - Fr Terence Crotty OP preached the homily. We were also happy that some of the Domincan students from St Saviour's, Dublin and novices from St Mary's, Cork, and a Benedictine brother could join with us. Many of the local lay Dominicans were also present.
Some Photos:
Prostration at beginning of ceremony when the sister being professed asks for God's mercy and that of the community.
Sr Mairead, Prioress, questions Sr Niamh regarding her readiness to make profession.
Sr Niamh makes profession
in the hands of Sr Mairead, prioress.
Sr Niamh's veil is blessed and she receives a ring.
Afterwards with some of our sisters and some Dominican friars
Our New Postulant
Our celebration of the feast of St Catherine is always a very joyful occasion for our community but this year our joy was even greater than usual - on the eve of the feast we welcomed Cathy into our community as a postulant. The postulants participate in the common life of the community and the novitiate and are gradually introduced to our monastic contemplative way of life.
Cathy received much of her spiritual formation from the Legion of Mary - a lay apostolic organisation founded in Dublin by Frank Duff - while as a member of the Legion she generously dovoted much of her free time to aposolic work. Her many friends in the Legion supported and encouraged her in her decision to embrace the way of life of a Dominican Nun. It is interesting that many of our sisters were members of the Legion of Mary before we entered the monastery. While no longer actively engaged in apostolic work we dovote ourselves totally to God while, following the example of our father Dominic, we bear in our hearts the joys and hopes of all people - especially the poor, lonely, the down-trodden and afflicted.
While we give thanks to God for Cathy's presence among us we pray that she will have companion postulants in the near future.
Dominican Novices visit us
On Saturday the 2nd of January 2010 we had the great pleasure of a surprise visit from 12 of the 13 Dominican novices from Pope's Quay Priory, Cork, with their novice master Fr Philip McShane OP. Unfortunately Br Conor had another engagement and was unable to come.
Over the past year or two we had met most of these young men when Fr Gerard Dunne, vocations director, brought them to visit us during their vocation discernment weekends. Indeed we have been remembering them all in prayer - so it was wonderful to meet them all again, clothed the the Dominican habit - now we are able to put names on faces and no doubt will double our prayer for them! At the end of the afternoon they joined us in praying Vespers.
Dominican Calendar for 2010 Published
As part of the ongoing effort of the vocations promoters of the Dominican Family in Ireland (friars, sisters, contemplative nuns and lay) to promote a greater awareness of the Dominican charism, we have published a Dominican Family Calendar for 2010 - which will be available in our Dominican priories throughout Ireland.
Visit of the Meath Harp Ensemble
On Wednesday the 28th of October 2009, Dearbhail Finnegan (Sr Niamh's Harp Teacher)and her pupils of the Meath Harp Ensemble treated us to a wonderful harp recital.www.meathharpacademy.com We thank them for a most enjoyable afternoon.
Jubilee Celebrations
On Friday the 24th April 2009 we rejoiced and celebrated with Sr Clare Marie, giving thanks to God for 50 years of religious profession. While we know that all her large family and extended family were united with her in spirit on this special day, Sister decided on a quiet celebration with the community.
Fifty years ago Sr Clare Marie made religious profession as a Mercy sister and engaged in a very fruitful apostolate as a primary and later secondary school teacher. However in her mid 30's, once again the Lord called and she generously responded to follow His guiding Hand which led her to our community. At no little cost to herself and her beloved Mercy Congregation she dedicated herself to our Dominican contemplative way of life, making solemn profession in our community on the 1st of January 1978.
When we celebrate anniversaries of professions all of us are led to reflect on the meaning of our own profession. Celebrating 50 years of fidelity of a sister in her vocation encourages us all to serve the Lord with renewed enthusiasm, with joy and thanksgiving.
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