From your Lay Provincial Executive Council Members concerning the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dear Brothers and Sisters in St. Dominic,
There is naturally an element of fear of COVID-19. This is, after all, a pandemic, a worldwide epidemic caused by a new agent to which nobody has been exposed before, and therefore, no one has previous immunity. We encourage all Lay Dominicans in our province to heed the health authorities’ recommendations to stay at home as much as possible.
Many of us experience deep spiritual sorrow due to our inability to attend public Mass and receive the Eucharist. We should certainly treasure the memory of our last public mass, but let us also avail ourselves to livestreamed liturgies on Facebook or similar media.
As Dominicans, we can keep our daily lives holy by living out the Four Pillars of Dominican Spirituality:
Through the pillar of Prayer, we can deepen our readings of the psalms and prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours, and deepen our meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary. We can also rediscover forgotten prayers and novenas.
Secondly, we can Study. We can read about Dominican Saints and refamiliarize ourselves with the details of the Rule. We can read the books and articles we finally have time to read.
Thirdly, we can find safe, creative ways to exercise the pillar of Community. Perhaps the Lord has given us extra time to call our senior relatives, our estranged relatives, our children, and those we haven’t called in a long time. Let’s keep in touch with the members of our chapter/group that we haven’t heard from. We care for each other, and we remember and pray for those who are sick.
And finally, let’s not forget to Preach! We preach by using our words, our actions, and by reaching out. So, we are always evangelizing others in our family, workplace, and neighborhood.
Our Provincial Promoter, fr. Dave Caron, O.P., has shared some words with us in the link just below (“The 4 “P”s of Spiritually Thriving During the COVID-19 Pandemic”). We encourage everyone to read them and apply them. Make a Plan, Pray, and don’t forget about the People; also Play!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FR. DAVE’S THOUGHTS
As St. Martin de Porres took care of the sick of his time, may we also be a source of care and healing for the people of our time, in imitation of Jesus, our Divine Physician.
Please know that you and your loved ones are remembered in our prayers.
May God bless you,
- Dr. Joaquin Wong, OP
- Ms. Cynthia Donnelly, OP
- Maj. Gordon Pfeil, OP
- Mr. Alan Phipps, OP
- Mr. Trey Mirenda, OP
- Mrs. Lisa Janusa, OP
Please consider development of an online formation program as they are doing in Europe. Please. I live too far from the nearest Group for in-person formation, and during this time of “no contact” we cannot meet anyway. I developed an online group meeting format for our Consecration to St. Joseph program during this time, and it is working well. Although none of us in this group are Lay Dominicans, we are still living out the four pillars in our program: Prayer, Study, Community and Preaching! I believe that a similar program could be used to develop and grow vocations for the Lay Dominicans, and I would be more than happy to help.
Hello Stephen; thank you for your comments and suggestions. Physically meeting as part of the pillar of community in a physical Chapter is essential to Dominican formation, and although the temporary COVID-19 restrictions present some temporary exceptions to our ability to form people, as a rule, an online formation program will not be developed at this time, and members must be physically connected with a group or chapter. Unfortunately, it is a challenge for those who are far from a group or chapter, but we can also watch areas like yours to determine whether an area of interest for a potential new group or chapter might be possible.
Good Afternoon, I would like to know if after the pandemic situation, is there a chance in which I can go for a week to know exactly how the cloister life is. I am 42 years old , and I don’t know what exactly God wants for me. Thank you.
Hi Monica! Depending on where you are located, my advice would be to reach out to a cloistered Dominican community and ask. This website has a list of those within the United States: https://cloisteredlife.com/dominicans