Introduction to the Provincial Formation Program

Lay Dominicans are formed to be missionaries on the front lines of the New Evangelization in whatever situation or apostolate God has called them. According to Pope Benedict XVI, the New Evangelization is…

“new” not in its content but in its inner thrust, open to the grace of the Holy Spirit which constitutes the force of the new law of the Gospel that always renews the Church; “new” in ways that correspond with the power of the Holy Spirit and which are suited to the times and situations; “new” because of being necessary even in countries that have already received the proclamation of the Gospel…

Human beings of the third millennium want an authentic, full life; they need truth, profound freedom, love freely given. Even in the deserts of the secularized world, man’s soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

According to the most recent International Congress of Lay Dominican Fraternities (Fatima, 2018), Lay Dominican formation is manifested in four areas:

A.) Human Formation: Each fraternity/chapter is a small community of faith where human formation takes place, manifested through: Growth in self-knowledge, discovering talents and limitations, learning to dialogue by listening and responding to others, working together respecting diversity, exercising evangelical compassion, and experiencing and spreading Christian joy.

B.) Spiritual Formation: It consists in caring for the personal and communal prayer of the Word of God that challenges us to study it, contemplate it, and preach it (Cf. Rule No. 10)

C.) Theological Formation: to give reason for their hope as Christians, the Dominican laity must have basically: solid theological formation, knowledge of the human sciences, documents of the Church, and of the Dominican tradition.  The study of a fundamental or spiritual theology course is recommended.

D.) Apostolic Formation: The preaching is exercised in the daily encounter with the person, within the fraternity/chapter and in the fields of life and action, listening, sharing, and practicing compassion and mercy (Cf. Rule No. 12). The Congress encouraged the promotion of Catholic Social Teaching, as well as the promotion of the “unity of Christians and dialogue with non-believers”.

Healthy formation as a Lay Dominican is well-rounded, overlapping these four areas.  It requires reflective reading, prayer, discernment, and spending time with one or more Dominicans in community who share their own lives with those in formation.  It also presupposes self-formation as well, particularly as those in formation discern their own apostolates.  Foremost, formation depends on the work of formators who, attentive to the Holy Spirit, work in the trenches with those in the discernment process, responding to their discernment needs.

1.) Initial Formation (Inquiry and Candidacy)

The approved formation programs of the Province of St. Martin de Porres are designed to lighten the burden of finding and arranging formation materials for inquirers and candidates. They are linked at the bottom of this page. Most of the actual formation topics mandated by the Lay Provincial Council are included in the modules of the program.  However, the modules will be updated over the next few years in order to better incorporate all of the formation topics listed below.  For now, the modules of the program may be used as they are.

The modules provided by the Province are recommended but are themselves not mandatory. Formators have freedom to substitute, supplement, or adjust the materials as needed, while being careful to cover all of the required topics during the appointed time frames.  The required topics are listed in the tables below.

2.) Ongoing Formation (Temporary and Perpetual Promise)

The Rule of the Dominican Laity, General Declarations, and the Particular Directory for the Province of St. Martin de Porres make a distinction between the Initial Formation required for inquirers and candidates and Ongoing Formation required for all promised members, both temporary and perpetual.  Careful attention should be paid to the differences between Initial Formation and Ongoing Formation. According to the Section III.B.5.d. of the 2021 Particular Directory:

The integrity of the three-year period of the temporary promise must be protected from burdens beyond those expected of the perpetually promised members. The period of initial formation ends with the conclusion of the candidacy phase and the making of the temporary promise.

Once a member has made a temporary promise, they have promised to live the life of a Lay Dominican according to the Rule, just as perpetual promised members do. As such, the nature of their ongoing formation is different from that required of the inquirer or candidate.  Their formation is no longer measured strictly by homework and formation class attendance but in how well or thoroughly they have committed themselves to living the Rule in their own lives.

Sections 12 and 13 of the Rule refer to the goal of our ongoing formation as well as principal sources:

Every Dominican must be prepared to preach the Word of God. Through this preaching, Christians, baptized and strengthened by the Sacrament of confirmation, exercise their prophetic office. In our present world, preaching of the Word of God must encompass in a special way the dignity of the human person, as well as defend the sacredness of life and family . The Dominican vocation also includes the promotion of Christian unity and dialogue with both non-Christians and non-believers.

The principal sources of Dominican formation are: the Word of God and theological reflection, liturgical prayer, the history and tradition of the Order, more recent documents of the Church and Order, awareness of the signs of our times.

The first responsibility of formation for the promised member is to form themselves in what is necessary to facilitate their own apostolic efforts directed by the goal and sources listed above.  How is God calling them in service in their lives?  This may encompass chapter life, family life, parish life, as well as life in their broader communities and organizations.

Second to this is the support the province and each chapter ought to provide for the ongoing formation of promised members drawing from the sources listed above.  This could optionally involve common study and discussion of material pertinent to the lives of Lay Dominicans, a common chapter apostolate, and/or providing opportunities for individual or group preaching and reflection, while also giving freedom to promised members to cultivate their own apostolic endeavors, as God calls them to do so.

3.) Formation in the Liturgy of the Hours (everyone)

The Section IV.A.3.c. of the Particular Directory for the Province states:

Instruction is to be provided in the Liturgy of the Hours so that members may pray with ease the Church’s universal prayer.

In addition, section I.A.4. of the Particular Directory states:

In accordance with the Rule (#10.d.) “Celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in union with the entire Dominican Family” refers to the minimum goal of praying Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours each day. Private prayer is also an essential element of Dominican life. Meditation and the Marian Rosary are examples of how one might incorporate this private prayer.

Chapters ought to work to ensure every Lay Dominican is instructed in how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the “minimum goal of praying Morning and Evening Prayer” each day.  Formators have freedom to use the many resources at their disposal in doing this, but what is most formative about this is the simple invitation to others to join in the prayer, allowing them to be guided by others in the community.

To help facilitate prayer as a community, rubrics are available that provide a guideline for praying of the Liturgy of the Hours in community.

Finally, as Dominicans, we have a rich calendar of Dominican saints and blesseds (most recently promulgated in 2019) whose memorials, feasts, and solemnities are observed throughout the year.  Several publishing companies provide Dominican supplements to the Liturgy of the Hours with proper prayers for these events according to the most recently approved calendar.  Individuals and communities are encouraged to observe these with all due devotion!

3.1.) Other approved forms of the Divine Office

Like the Holy Mass, the Divine Office is a form of public liturgical prayer.  It is critical that Lay Dominicans be formed in the approved liturgical books of the Church, which are presently in use by all members of the Order.  Lay Dominicans ought to be instructed in how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, which is important for chapter meetings and other Dominican events and gatherings.  They are also invited to pray the Liturgy of the Hours privately when not in community.

The form of the Divine Office prayed privately by Lay Dominicans may vary as long as it is a form that is also approved for use by the Church.  For example, Lay Dominicans who are also members of the Anglican Ordinariate may pray the liturgical books approved for use by the Ordinariate (“Divine Worship-Daily Office”).

Though traditionally prayed by Lay Dominicans in the past, Lay Dominicans may not substitute the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary for praying the Divine Office, although it may be prayed as a supplemental devotion.

Do not forget your call as formators to form Lay Dominicans who, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will change the world. Thank you for your love, dedication, and sacrifice in willing to form others!

Grace to you and Peace,

Mr. Alan Phipps, OP

Lay Provincial Vice-President and Formation Director