LAY DOMINICANS Central Province USA

Information and Communication Center

Happenings around our province:

For information or links to events, educational or retreat opportunites, consult the Calendar Page.

If you'd like to leave a comment, please do.

Click on the link for: Video Introduction to New Officers 11/09   Meet the Provincial Council officers, promoter, some of the committee chairs, representatives, delegates and visitors. 

Formation Directors: Take part in the conversation on 'your page' --- Forming Preachers
Check the calendar for educational, retreat and travel opportunities.
Congratulations to all who are being received, making promises or celebrating anniversaries this month.
Help our fellow Dominicans working in Haiti. See the information below.
SCROLL DOWN FOR PROVINCIAL NEWS ITEMS. Keep us informed. Send us your news updates.

 

 

 

 

    Submit Challenge news items and chapter information to:                                                     Challenge Editor

 

MS Karen Sabourin, provincial president

Mr. Joseph Komadina, provincial vice-president

Rev. J. Matthew Walsh, provincial promoter

MS Jill O'Brien, Interprovincial council delegate

Prayer requests are at the top of the news items below.

 

Prayer Requests--

2/23/10  Brothers and Sisters:
     Our brother Gary Tilstra is very ill and in the hospital.  Word is that he is on a breathing tube, and that when they tried to remove it recently, they had to put it back in.
   Please keep Gary in your prayers...there seems to be some serious concern for his future.    Anna Marie Byrne

3/1/10
Please pray for the repose of the souls of our Lay Dominican brothers:  Mr. Tom Bogdon, OP (Kansas City) who died on January 16, 2010, and Mr. Don Mika, OP (Private) who died in February 2010.
 
Also remember our Dominican Friars:  Fr. Lewis Shea, OP who died on February 9, 2010 and Fr. Francis Crowe, OP who died on February 16, 2010.                                      Karen Sabourin, OP

Final Promises at August Day of Reflection for Grand Blanc MI Group

Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010
     I will be making my final promises with the St. Catherine of Siena Lay Dominican Pro-Chapter on August 14, 2010 at our day of reflection which is being held in Mt. Morris, Michigan.  I am the Vice-Moderator of the group.
    We started the group in 2005.  We meet at Holy Family, but my final promises are going to be made at our Day of Reflection at the parish where I am DRE--St. Mary's Mt. Morris, where we are hosting the Day of Reflection.

God bless,
Janet Cassidy
 
ED.: Congratulations to. Janet and the Grand Blanc group

OPEN HOUSE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPTER FARMINGTON HILLS, MI

July 8, 2010  from Terry McSweeney, Chair of the Provincial Formation Committee

 JUNE 13, 2010   We had 18 Inquirers attend our Open House with several others to attend our July meeting. We had a full agenda laying out the Lay Dominican way of life. Many of our members participated in an enjoyable presentation. We also had an array of delicious food for all.

Preparation is the key for a successful day. We advertised in the Archdiocesan paper and in Parish papers. Our website (www.dominicanlaity.ning.com) and appeal to groups helped. Follow-up with info gathered at the meeting is very important.

Check out our YouTube video by searching-Blessed Sacrament Chapter- or the address: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-hOIV_5oR4

Perhaps every Chapter should have a yearly OPEN HOUSE. We need ‘new wine’ to mix with the ’old wine.’

River Forest Chapter June 2010 Elections, Reception and Professions

July 4, 2010  St. Vincent Ferrer Chapter Lay Dominicans - River Forest, Illinois

Professsions, June 12, 2010

The following people made professions:                                                                                                                                                                                  (1) C1 Candidate:  John Fratamico
(3) Temporary Professions:  Lorrie Ferenzi, Vic Ferenzi, Mary Jane Bear.                                                                                                                          (1) Final Profession:  Carmen Rodriguez

 
Election of Officers for the Next Three Years:
Kathleen Simpson - Moderator
Mary Kubacki - Vice Moderator/ Asst. Secretary
Cathleen Koss - Secretary
Kathleen Weber - Treasurer (2nd Term)
Thank you.
God Bless,
Mrs. Kathleen Simpson, OP
 
Congratulations to all!

Madison WI Informal Group Update

June 22, 2010  from Sharon Huizinga

Madison Wisconsin. Blessed Sacrament chapter (New chapter in formation) Meetings are held at the Blessed Sacrament parish in Madison from 1-3 pm on the second Saturday of the month. Interested persons may contact Ms. Sharon Huizenga, OP Formation Director, at sharon.huizenga@sbcglobal.net or 414-774-4241.

Fr. Radcliffe on Unity -- a timely message

May 10, 2010  from Karen Sabourin

Should I Stay or Should I Go?  by Timothy Radcliffe, OP  -  Originally published in the Tablet and reprinted in America and other places.

Joliet Group Receives Three, Professes Four

May 9, 2010  from Karen Sabourin

Our Mother of the Rosary Lay Dominican community in Joliet Illinois:  On April 17, 2010, Mrs. Rose Hensley, Mrs. Linda Montour, and Ms Moira Olvetti were Received.  Mrs. Veronica Ramirez-Moreno, Mrs. Mary Michalski, Mrs. Christina Baron, and Mrs. Leticia Azar made their Temporary Promises.  The ceremonies took place during Mass and was followed by supper in the Parish Hall.  Karen Sabourin, OP was present at this happy occasion. 

St. Catherine of Siena -- Interview with Fr. Tom McDermott on EWTN

4/29/10  from Fr. Jim Motl

I have embedded the YouTube video of Fr. Tom on EWTN. You can see it here: http://www.domcentral.org/fr-thomas-mcdermott-on-ewtn/#more-582

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Andrew McAlpin, O.P.

Inquiry Group Forms in Madison WI  and Recruitment Event in East Lansing

4/5/10   from Karen Sabourin

St. Thomas Aquinas parish in East Lansing, Michigan had a Lenten Soup and Substance program during Lent.  For the March 3rd program, Mr. Michael Andrews, OP was asked to speak on the Lay Dominicans.  The program was well attended and members of our Lay Dominican group that meet there also attended and shared their call to be Lay Dominicans.

A new Lay Dominican group is starting in Madison, Wisconsin.  In response to a request by two private Lay Dominicans, our Promoter, Fr. Matt, made arrangements to have an informational meeting at Blessed Sacrament Parish on March 21st.  The meeting was well attended.  Karen Sabourin (PC president), Jim Steffens (Dubuque chapter), and Sharon Huizenga (Milwaukee chapter) attended and spoke about the  Lay Dominican vocation.  Sharon has agreed to work with this new group.  Their first meeting will be April 10, 2010.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Gospel in Action -- International Dominican Video Project

3/25/10   compiled by the editor     The following is information from a letter forwarded by  Fr. Walsh, our Provincial Promoter.  It was a general letter from  Frs. Prakash Lohale op (Socius for Apostolic Life) E-mail: apostolatus@curia.op.org   and  Márcio A. Couto OP (Socius For Intellectual Life) E-mail: studium@curia.op.org . 

The letter was a general reminder of the international video project and and an invitation to paricipate.  The website to consult for details is  http://internet.op.org/gospel-in-action

Co-Promoter of Preaching Enrolled in Doctoral Program

 3/18/193
3/18/10 3/
Received from Virgil Kolb, 3/19/10 
On February 24, 2010, Laura Dejmek Co-Promotor of Preaching in the Province, received word that she was accepted into the Doctoral Program of Preaching in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools.
 
The message read, "On behalf of the ACTS Doctor of Ministry in Preaching Program , we congratulate and welcome you to the class of 2013!"
 
We all congratulate Laura on this wonderful news.    
From Laura Dejmek on 3/27/10
I thought the Province might be interested.  I have been accepted into a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program.  The program is sponsored by seven seminaries in Chicago.  (Unfortunately, a Roman Catholic seminary is not among them.  But good preaching is good preaching, and is often found in the other faith traditions of our Christian sisters and brothers).  I am going through Chicago Theological Seminary.
 
The program is a three-year program.  I begin the "residency" part this June.  However, we have already received our reading lists, to be completed before June--18 books!  Before our residency begins, I will be videotaped at a parish where I preach, as well as a short essay on one of the readings is due.
 
I am very excited about participating in this program.
 
Peace,
Laura Dejmek, OP

 

Reception Ceremony in Farmington Hills, MI

1/20/10  sent by Romeo A. Diccion II

Four Candidates from the Catherine of Siena Group Farmington Hills Michigan were received into the Dominican Laity. (see photo montage)  Ruth Kummer, the past Council President administered the Rite of Admission to the Dominican Laity with Fanny de la Cruz, Romeo A. Diccion II, Jane A. Hier-Rose and Rita McCormick.  The reception ceremony was attended by Karen Sabourin, OP the present Council President, and was held in the Blessed Sacrament Monastery in Farmington Hills Michigan on Sunday 12 noon January 17 2010. Congratulations!

 

Haiti -- Situation report 1/16/10 -- Dominicans: all priests survived, one Sister wounded

1/16/10  Thanks to Fr. Jim Motl for forwarding this update:

AMERICA/HAITI - Dominicans: all priests survived, one Sister wounded

Port-au-Prince (Agenzia Fides) – Agenzia Fides has contacted the Secretary General of the Curia of the Dominican Fathers, who reported a recent communication with Father Manuel Rivero, OP (Vicar of Haiti) on the situation after the earthquake in the area of Port-au-Prince, where the religious work. In Haiti, there are 7 Dominican religious at work (including Fr. Manuel Rivero), and all the men are alive. The Dominican Family in Haiti also includes the presence of the Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, who have 2 homes in Haiti, one in Port-au-Prince (Maison Marie Poussepin) and another in La Plaine, “Notre Dame della Presentation.” The Secretary-General reported to Fides that one of the sisters was injured and the others were saved in the earthquake that completely destroyed one of their homes.
Fr. Manuel Rivero also reported that last night they managed to extract the body from the rubble of one of the pupils of the school run by the Dominicans, and transported the body on foot because roads were completely blocked. Many other children who survived have been taken to the house of the Sisters of Cluny, which has withstood the earthquake. The Dominican Family has been present in Haiti for 50 years and depends on the Dominican Province of Toulouse. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 16/01/2010)

Free trial subscription: get Fides daily news via e-mail


Jay Harrington, O.P.
St. Dominic Priory
3601 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO   63108-3393

Donating money to Haitian Dominicans -- The safest way to get it there

1/15/10 

 We have received the following from Fr. Matt and Karen Sabourin to assist those who wish to send financial aid to our fellow Dominicans in Haiti.  The second choice seems to be the safest surest way (ed.):

I am sending you this message from our Curia in Rome and Haiti -

and a second one about sending money through our Provincial Office -  

Dear Brothers,
 
I am being contacted by some local communities and individuals--including our Dominican Laity--for help making the wire transfer to Rome.  The Provincial Office business staff does this all the time.
 If you want, send your gift for Haiti to the Provincial Office and it will be sent to the Curia in Rome.  Please take care to CLEARLY mark your donation for Haiti.
 Thank you,
 Ed van Merrienboer
.  Please post both of them so our members can know how to get their money to Haiti quickly and securely.  We have all seen the great need.  Perhaps each chapter could send a single check to the provincial office for forwarding to the curia.  This would cut down somewhat on the paper work.  Fr. Matt

Update on Fr. Jagoe

1/15/10   (I think I didn't get this in before.  Sorry.  JK)
Wondering what happen to my message to you about Fr. Bede Jagoe written in December. Here's a repeat.
 
We wish to thank everyone for their prayers for Fr. Bede Jagor, OP. He is much better now and back at his home base in River Forest. May everyone have a good year.
 
In St. Dominic,  Bl Fra Angelico prochapter
 Love the news page Joe, the whole site is great.

Provincial Council Date and Location Announced

1/12/10

Happy New Year! 
 
Mark your calendars:
Our next Provincial Council meeting will be October 21-24, 2010 at the Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center, 513 Fullerton Parkway, Chicago IL 60614.
 
If your Lay Dominican community does not have a PC delegate, please elect someone who can attend this meeting.  It is important to have all communities represented.
 
Your sister in St. Dominic,
Karen Sabourin, OP

Michigan Inquiry Group to Receive First Members

 1/11/10      The inquiry group formed by our immediate past provincial president has sent the following:

Attached please find a photo of Catherine de Siena Farmington Hills Michigan Inquirers who will be received to Candidacy 1.
A day of prayers will highlight the ceremony on Jan 17th, Sunday,11:00 AM at the Blessed Sacrament Monastery 29575 Middlebelt Rd 
Farmington Hills, MI 48334.  We request your pious prayers.  You are all invited to come.

Romeo

Condolences to the Blessed Sacrament Chapter and the Family of Amelia Weddle

1/5/10
     Prayers requested for the repose of the soul of Mrs. Amelia Weddle, OP who died on January 4, 2010.  For many years Amy was a very active member of the Blessed Sacrament chapter in Farmington Hills, Michigan.  In recent years, Amy had health problems that prevented her from attending meetings.  Chapter members kept in touch with her and her family.  Eternal rest grant to her, O Lord.
Karen Sabourin, moderator

 

The Gospel in Action -- A Video Project of the Dominican Family

December 09  A  Multimedia Project  is in progress.  The original film can be watched by a group as the basis for a discussion of Dominican ministry. Dominican family members are also invited to make their own videos to share with the whole order through a the website http://internet.op.org/

This challenge is proposed by the Master of the Order Carlos Azpiroz Costa OP as we  celebrate the Jubilee of 500 years in 2010 when the first friars from Salamanca went to Hispaniola (the new world) and evangelized it by preaching the good news.  

Fr. Jagoe Suffers Heart Attack

11/09 The Blessed Fra Angelico Pro-Chapter requests prayers for their Spiritual Assistant, Fr. Bede Jagoe OP. He recently suffered a small heart attack resulting from a bacterial infection and is recuperating at St. Pius Priory.
 
Sincerely.
 
In St. Dominic,   Virgil Kolb

 

A letter from the Promoter General

11/27/09    This e-mail was received from Fr. David Kammler, our Promoter General.

Dear sisters and brothers of the Province of St. Albert the Great,

one day after Thanksgiving I received here in Santa Sabina a letter,
written by your Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Mary Lee Odders,
informing me about the elections of the new Provincial Council. By Fr.
Matt Walsh I already learned that on October 24 it had been a very
good and effective meeting.
First I want to thank you, dear Ruth and the 'old' team so much for
you service during the last years. If you will compare the state of
laity from the time you started until now, you can be happy and proud
of the development of the self-awareness of the Lay Chapter members
being an integral part of our Order of Preachers.
I thank you, dear sister Mary, for your mail, that enables me to add
you, dear Karen, to my address list. I wish you good luck and, by the
intercession of my compatriote St. Albert the Great, God's blessing
for your term(s), and I am sure meeting you personally within the time
of my service as General Promoter! I promise to keep you and the new
team in my prayers.

Wishing you a blessed time of Advent             with fraternal hugs
  your brother      David

Provincial Council News Update

11/17/09      

The Provincial Council delegates elected Karen Sabourin of the Farmington Hills, MI chapter Provincial President, and Joseph Komadina of the St. Louis chapter as vice-president,  Father Matt Walsh who resides in Madison, WI became our new promoter by appointment of the Provincial Prior.  Jill O'Brien, was elected Interprovincial Council Representative and Beatriz Cisneros, alternate;

The following officers and committee personnel were appointed:  Ed Shea, Treasurer; Terry McSweeney, Formation Committee Chairman; Judith Price Green, Co-Promoter of Preaching (National); Kathleen Simpson, Recording Secretary; Mary Lee Odders, Corresponding Secretary; Teresal Cecil, Promoter of Justice, Peace, and Care of  Creation; John Heuertz, Challenge Editor; and Michael Andrews, Liturgy and Celebration Committee Chairman.  The president sent out letters of appointment to the Lay Dominicans who were not in attendance at the Provincial Council meeting last month.

Any of the above can be contacted through this website:  stlopl@brick.net.     

Temporary Promises in St. Louis

  11/15/09

    Sebastian Mahfood made his temporary promises on Nov. 1 after the Queen of the Holy Rosary Chapter meeting during Evening Prayer with the friars of St. Dominic Priory, the chapter members, family and invited guests present.  The chapter moderator, Michael Porterfield received the promises in the presence of James Motl, spiritual advisor to the chapter.  

  Left to right:   Fr. Motl, Mike Porterfield, Sebastian Mahfood.

 Photo by 

    Bro. Joseph Minuth, O.P.

Show Your Dominican Spirit and Support A Wonderful Organization: the DLC

Click on the link: http://www.domlife.org/PromotionalFiles/Promotional%20Products.html for information on two new ways to promote being Dominican:  a beautiful sterling sliver cross and a black, short-sleeved polo shirt.  Proceeds benefit the Dominican Leadership Conference.  For more info on the work of the DLC, see the website: http://www.domlife.org/