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Volume 44, Issue 2
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PROMOTERS' PAGE
by Fr. Jim Motl, OP,
Provincial Promoter for the Dominican Laity
Greetings from St. Dominic's Priory in St. Louis! I have completed my move to a new community. My new address, phone number and e-mail address are:
Fr. James R. Motl, O.P.
St. Dominic Priory
3601 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108-3393
Personal phone: 314-977-7336
E-mail address: motljr@slu.edu
This is a time of new beginnings for me. I had been at my previous assignment for seventeen years and felt that it was time to move on. Itinerancy is a way of life for the Dominican preacher. It is the readiness to pull up stakes and move on to preach God's Word in a new place. For Dominic that meant moving from Spain to France to Italy. It meant willingness to go where the Word of God needed to be preached. It also meant being open to change in more ways than changing locations. Dominic started out as a canon. That is, he was a diocesan priest living and working with his bishop in what we might today call "the chancery office," the administrative center of his diocese. When his bishop, Diego of Osma, was sent by the pope on a diplomatic mission, Dominic was the one chosen to accompany him. This journey opened Dominic's eyes to the needs of people in another place, another culture. Because Dominic was open to need for preaching of the people of southern France and was willing to alter his life to respond to those needs, the preaching charism, that we Dominicans claim as our own, was born.
Each of us at the time of our call to the Dominican Family made a move to a different way of living our Christian commitment. This was, of course, an interior call, but it may also have been a response to recognizing that the world around us was in need of some gift that God had given us, a gift that the Dominican way of life could help us use for the benefit of others. As we grow in that calling, we should become more and more attentive to the needs of our families, friends, communities, and nations. Some spiritual literature focuses on the opposition between our need for God and our need for "the world." We must always remember that "the world" in this sense means the world deformed by sin. But, by the very fact that it is marked by the absence of God's love, it is all the our prayers and our efforts to heal the wounds of sin by our words and deeds. For that reason I see the Dominican vocation as one of discerning what the world around us really needs and doing what we can, making the necessary transitions, to answer those needs. Fr. Jim Barnett, O.P. is joining this month in New York City with other Christian people alarmed at our national readiness to go to war as they pray and fast for peaceful solutions to the crises that face our nation and our world. I invite you to join with them in prayer and fasting for peace.
If you have Internet access, you can follow this and other Dominican news stories on a new daily news page named Dominican Life Online Magazine developed by Don Kania, a Dominican student here in St. Louis. The address of this web page is http://www.domlife.org.
THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY:
FAST FOR PEACE AND NONVIOLENCE
Organizing Committee: Sr. Jane Abell, OP; Fr. Jim Barnett, OP; and Fr. Brian Pierce, OP
Our world is very vulnerable in this moment in history. Indiscriminate violence, the immoral marketing of arms, acts of terrorism unheard of in the past and a pervasive ideology of war as a means of resolving conflict all seem to be tearing apart the fragile tapestry of our global community. The small, but significant steps toward peace through international dialogue and multilateral negotiations are being overshadowed by a new outbreak of unilateralism. The advances made in recent years toward reducing the threat of nuclear war seem to be disintegrating. Some even speak of taking the war game into space. Every day we hear of new frontiers of war and violence, and we have become accustomed to the phrase, "War on Terrorism."
Since Sept. 11 many of us living in the United States of America still wake up in the middle of the night to nightmares filled with billowing smoke, burning buildings and the cries of innocent children. We share those nightmares with displaced families of Afghanistan; sick and hungry children in Iraq; the permanently maimed of Rwanda, Burundi and Cambodia; peasants in war-torn Colombia; school children in Northern Ireland; people riding in buses in Israel and those living in refugee camps in Palestine. The list goes on. War destroys the human heart and desecrates the sacred earth that is our common home.
There must be another way.
To make the situation worse, our world lives bombarded daily by words of violence. The war of words is as destructive as the bombs, which fall from the sky. Every government, every army, every terrorist organization, every religion claims to have the whole truth. We stuff radio talk shows, television, the Internet and newspapers with crafty words of self-serving arrogance and "respectable hatred." We are destroying one another with words.
There must be another way.
In the Hindu Scriptures is a verse which says, "Every being is an abode of God, worthy of respect and reverence." The Judeo-Christian tradition points to a similar truth in the belief that human beings have been made in the image and likeness of God.
The Buddha once said, "Conquer anger by love. Conquer evil by good. Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an essential law."
In the Holy Q'uran we read the words, "Whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks." Jesus, a Palestinian Jew from the town of Nazareth, said in his Sermon on the Mount, "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."
Many great spiritual teachers and prophets have shown us that war and violence are not the only way to resolve conflict. There is another way: the way of mutual respect, loving kindness, forgiveness and compassion. These form the way to true and lasting peace.
Yes, there is another way.
We, the core community of this Fast for Peace and Nonviolence, are Catholic Christians and members or affiliates of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans. For us, prayer and fasting are time-honored traditions of seeking spiritual clarity and focus. Jesus Christ taught us that prayer and fasting lead us on the path to nonviolence and peace. On Sept. 1, we will embark on an open-ended, water-only fast as a way of acknowledging our need for personal and communal conversion. We do so with the hope that others from across the country and across the world will join with us in saying through silence and prayer, "There must be another way."
We do not claim to have the answers to the world's political tensions and problems. We do applaud all who work sincerely and honestly toward peaceful solutions. Our action at this moment is to wait on God, to return to our deepest center, our Ground Zero, where all beings dwell in the God who is Love. We wait in silence and in contemplative prayer as a gesture of healing and reconciliation for our world, and in memory of those who have died in the acts of terror and war of this past year.
We believe in the transforming power of non-violence, prayer and fasting. We choose to be emptied of our own violent inclinations, and to feel the pain of hunger as an act of solidarity with the millions of people in our world who live the violence of hunger every day of their lives. War will never be a remedy for the hunger and suffering of our world. Peace is the only way. We believe in a God of peace. We believe that there is another way, and that God will show us that way if we would only have the emptiness and purity of heart to listen.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon which cuts without wounding and ennobles the one who wields it. It is a sword that heals." Our world desperately needs to be healed. And in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of humankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction." We invite political and religious leaders to set aside once and for all the words and weapons of war, and to embark on a path of nonviolence that will lead to lasting world peace.
Besides the core group of the Fast for Peace and Nonviolence who will gather on Sept. 1 in New York City, we invite others to join in, as well. We welcome people of any faith tradition or of no faith tradition, individuals and communities, families, churches, sangas, synagogues, mosques, ashrams and temples to join in this spiritually motivated Fast for Peace and Nonviolence.
Together let us search for another way.
We invite you to be in solidarity however you are able:
- Fasting and praying one day a week in your home, workplace or religious community;
- Organizing a prayer vigil for peace;
- Joining this Fast for Peace and Nonviolence for a day or more in New York city during the month of September (the exact place to be announced);
- Gathering for interfaith prayer and meditation;
- Promoting reconciliation and nonviolence in your daily life.
- Lighting a "candle for peace" in your window each evening in September;
- Sharing this statement with friends, religious and political leaders.
We invite you to join the fasters for interfaith prayer each day at 7:30 a.m., noon and 6:30 p.m., either at the fast site or in your local area. Thank you for being part of this spiritual pilgrimage for peace. We cannot relinquish our hope for a just and peaceful world to those who have opted for the way of violence and war. In the words of the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Nanh, "To prevent the next war, we have to practice peace today." Let us begin, then, today.
For information or sharing with them the ways you choose to be in solidarity, go to http://www.dominicanfastforpeace.org
COMMUNITY AS GIVING AND RECEIVING
by Ruth M. Kummer, OP, Central Province President
Recently George Bernard Shaw's expression of community was given to me. As one of the pillars of the Dominican Way of Life, Shaw shares an interesting depth of community. He states:
I am of the opinion that my life belongsHow much of my life belongs to the whole community? Do I consider it my privilege to serve the community? What a reward when the "harder I work the more I live." Is life for me a "brief candle to burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations?"
to the whole community, and, as long as
I live, it is my privilege to do for it what
ever I can. I want to be thoroughly used
up when I die, for the harder I work the
more I live. I rejoice in life for its own
sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a
a sort of splendid torch which I've got
hold of at the moment and I want to make
it burn as brightly as possible before
handing it onto future generations.
Many thanks to all the Friars who have been involved in the renovation of the Laity Office within the Provincial Office on Ashland Avenue in Chicago. Cleaned, with new carpet, artwork of our patroness, St. Catherine of Siena and other wall hangings, and a new phone system to be learned will soon make the office functional again. After the hanging of the wall enhancements, certainly a celebration is indeed required. [Continue to send mail to our Racine, WI mailing address.]
As a guest to the North American Dominican Commission on Peace, Justice and Care of Creation in Denver, the Laity had a presence. In spite of the forest fires, high temperatures, and the visual limitations of the mountains, Marycrest Retreat Center housed us in a working atmosphere with Provincial Promoter of Social Justice Fr. Dennis Woerter, OP as our host. Dominicans and Justice information is on the Internet at www.un.op.org. If you are interested in peace and justice issues, please let us know because Laity is being called to participate.
Members of the Minneapolis Chapter are to be commended for their caring and celebration of Fr. Jim Motl's 40th Anniversary of Ordination. Father Jim's special day, with Liturgy, family biological and Dominican, and friends, completed the celebration. Another celebration is needed for one of the oldest gatherings of Lay Dominicans, the Minneapolis Chapter.
While in Chicago in June, I met with Sr. Ann Willits, OP, from PARABLE and Sr. Nona McGreal, OP, with Project OPUS. Sr. Ann, Sr. Nona, and Anna Donnelly, OP, addressed the Dominican Laity Inter Provincial Council in July. Sr. Ann's presentation on "Dominican Family" included the challenge to "get on with it" (being a Dominican Family). Project OPUS' Sr. Nona and Anna shared Dominicans at Home in a Young Nation: 1786-1865. Sr. Nona told us regretfully that very little information is available regarding the history of Dominican Laity in the United States. Anna Donnelly stressed the importance of chapter minutes being good historical documents.
From July 25-28, the Dominican Laity Inter Provincial Council met in Wisconsin at the Racine Dominicans' Siena Center. The DLIPC is composed of the Provincial Promoters, Presidents, and Delegates, the International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities Delegate, as well as the Promoter General of the Dominican Laity. The Milwaukee, WI Chapter provided hospitality daily. A summary of the minutes will be in the next issue of Challenge.
Your chapter moderator will be receiving material regarding Fr. Jim Motl, OP and I visiting each chapter. We look forward to being with you for a Dominican weekend.
FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF LAY DOMINICAN FRATERNITIES
by Laurie Biszko, OP, North American Delegate, Immediate Past President of the Eastern
Province
Rome, Italy- Today [May 28, 2002] marked the conclusion of the first annual meeting of the International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities (ICLDF.) Meeting here at Santa Sabina, the representatives of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America discussed global issues common to Lay Dominican mission and spirituality. Facilitating the meeting was Fr. Gerald Stookey, OP, Promoter General of the Dominican Laity. The delegates and their respective provinces/continents were: Emmanuel Afrifa, Nigeria/Africa; Rowena Gonzales, Philippines/Asia; Patricia Robinson, England/Europe; Laurie Biszko, USA Eastern/North America; and Pedro Tomes, Mexico/South America.
Welcoming the Council to Santa Sabina, Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Costa, OP, Master of the Order, embraced the delegates and gave them keys to the house. He emphasized that they were "home" and as members of the family were welcome everywhere within the priory. A welcoming reception was held in the afternoon to introduce the council members to the community.
Highlights of the week included shared daily prayer with the community; the solemn celebration of the Translation of St. Dominic; meetings with Fr. Yvon Pomerleau, OP, Promoter of the Dominican Family; Sr. Margaret Ormond, OP, Dominican Sisters International, with a closing address by Master of the Order Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Costa, OP.
Issues common to the global family included formation, promotional materials, conformity of statutes/directories, establishment of the legal entity [of] ICLDF to afford professed laity representation with the Order, budget/finance projections, terms of office, location of future meetings, support network for ongoing development of new professed laity fraternities, peace and justice commission, preaching, and collaboration within the Order
WHY ARE DOMINICANS INVOLVED IN JUSTICE AND PEACE?
by Joyce Calagos, OPL, Social Justice Committee, St. Albert the Great Chapter, Oakland, CA
During my thirteen years of Catholic grammar and high school education in the 1950s and 1960s, I remember learning about the six corporal works of mercy, the six spiritual works of mercy, and the Eight Beatitudes. However, "Justice and Peace," were not part of my vocabulary. As I was to learn later, the fairly recent movement to work for Justice and Peace is based on Scripture, and the aftermath of the 1971 document by the Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World. It occurred to me that many members of our Dominican Family don't realize that Justice and Peace is indeed one of the priorities of the Dominican Order. The rest of this article attempts to give a brief overview to answer the [title] question.
Some definitions include: JUSTICE -- The moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), Second Edition, #1807, p. 885.
PEACE -- One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 ... defined by Augustine as "the tranquility of order," and which is the work of justice and the effect of charity. CCC, #736, 2304, p. 892.
As preachers of the Word of God, we can preach by following Jesus' actions. One of the classic Scripture selections used for Justice and Peace is taken from Luke 4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free." Jesus fulfilled that Scripture reading in the audience's hearing. In Luke 4:33-36, 40, Jesus drives out a demon and heals those who were sick with various kinds of diseases. With the Spirit's graces, how does Jesus call us (individually and collectively) to walk in his footsteps and drive out demons of prejudice and unjust discrimination in our neighborhood, in our workplace, and in our world?
The 1971 landmark document, Justice in the World, by the Synod of Bishops, declared that: "Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the gospel, or, in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation." (n. 6). As a result of this statement, working for social justice is considered part of the mission of the Church and of preaching the gospel.
Justice in the World was proposed as a priority for the whole Dominican Order at the 1977 General Chapter at Quezon City, Philippines. The Quezon City General Chapter reiterates Justice in the World, in saying that Justice is a constitutive part of the preaching of the gospel, and that if we are to be faithful to the preaching charism of the Order, we need to preach the gospel in all its dimensions, especially in its implications for justice in the human community (see LCO 132, I). We also must work for a just society at the national and international levels. The General Chapter of Quezon City also commissioned the Master of the Order to appoint promoters for Justice and Peace at the regional levels.
Finally, in August 8, 2001, in Appendix One Relatio de Statu Ordinis found in 6.2 of the Acts of the Elective General Chapter of the Friars of the Order of Preachers, p. 215, [Master of the Order] Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, wrote that another focus for collaboration coming out of the General Assembly in Manila, 2000, was a common commitment to Justice and Peace among the four branches of the Dominican Family.
Hopefully, some of the answers above will have answered [my title] question.
2002 NORTH AMERICAN DOMINICAN CALL TO ACTION: "There Must be Another Way"
by North American Promoters of Justice, Peace and Care of Creation
Denver, Colorado- The 2002 North American Dominican Call to Action was prepared by the Dominican Justice Promoters of the Congregations and Provinces of North America at their annual meeting in Denver, June 28 - July 3. It outlines the priorities for the coming twelve months and invites your participation and action in the implementation of the justice agenda.
Statement: By what justice and by what rights? At the Denver meeting, promoters issued a statement that echoes [Fray Antonio] Montesinos' 16th century cry: BY WHAT JUSTICE AND BY WHAT RIGHT? The statement expresses a deep concern about the fundamental shift in U.S. policy that contradicts basic values of respect for life, commitment to peace and the norms of the conduct of war. In the statement, promoters declare that this shift in U.S. policy results in a massive loss of life, untold human suffering and irreparable damage to the environment. For the promoters, this fundamental shift is increasing violence and warfare in the world.
The statement is addressed to President Bush, the members of Congress and the citizens of the United States and was released on July 4, 2002. The promoters conclude their statement by calling upon the people and the leadership of the United States to turn from a culture of war and violence to a culture of peace and reconciliation.
Call to Action issues In recommending issues for the Dominican Call to Action, promoters suggest that congregations, provinces and individuals consider a number of activities that could be carried out in solidarity with and in support of others. These could include: fasting for peace and non-violence, prayer, awareness and education, lobbying and voting, and building relationships and networking with other Dominicans worldwide around justice issues.
Human rights situation in Colombia Marta Ines Toro, OP presented an update on the human rights situation in Colombia. She mentioned the ever-growing power of the paramilitaries; huge inequalities and a violent repression of peaceful efforts on behalf of social change; the ongoing conflict in Colombia which has grave effects on the people with 40 violent deaths per day, an average of 10 kidnappings per day and more than 2 million internally displaced people.
We recommend:
- to continue raising awareness of the changing situation in Colombia and the consequences of U.S. policies on the people in that country;
- to use every means available to influence legislators so that human rights become a priority in the decisions affecting Colombia;
- in view of the fact that there are thousands of Dominicans in Colombia, to take advantage of every opportunity to express to them our support and solidarity.
We recommend:
- that each province and congregation research the issue and determine appropriate action;
- the formation of a committee to coordinate information and action on the trafficking issue;
- sharing of resources on the issues through the North American Justice Promoters.
Focus on Africa We will maintain a focus on Africa responding to the uniqueness of the 52 countries on that continent and recognizing the complexity of the issues and our responsibility to respond.
We will:
- encourage congregations and provinces to join Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) and Catholic Relief Services Africa Rising;
- continue to cooperate in responsible investing with African intermediaries;
- strengthen the relationships with sisters and brothers in Africa through existing structures with the International Commission of the Order on Justice, Peace and Care of Creation, Dominican Sisters International (DSI) Congregations and provinces with a presence in Africa;
- follow up with [Sr.] Margaret Ormond the suggestion of Sr. Pétronille for a meeting in Africa in 2003;
- continue the Justice promoters' working group on Africa to coordinate activities and invite other membership.
Human Rights violations in Vieques, Puerto Rico Following the visit to Vieques in Puerto Rico of an international delegation of Dominicans, in June 2002, the NGO, Dominicans for Justice and Peace declared that they will raise the question of human rights violations of the people of Vieques at the United Nations….
Vieques is a 54 square-mile island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is one of Puerto Rico's municipalities with a population of about 9,400. It has been used by the U.S. Navy for the past 60 years for testing of munitions and for target practice. Bombing has been carried out as much as 200 days a year, and at all hours of the day or night. Among some of the effects, the cancer rate is very high among the residents, the marine life is destroyed and the air is polluted.
Philippe LeBlanc, OP conveyed an invitation from Vieques to justice promoters to visit their island, as a small Dominican delegation from North America. Five promoters hope to travel there in January 2003.
The humanitarian situation in Iraq We continue to focus our concerns on the humanitarian needs of our Iraqi brethren and sisters. We are painfully aware of the current political climate that threatens to erupt in violence.
We pledge on-going support as outlined in the three-year plan developed in September 2001, by:
- sharing with the membership a summary of the three-year plan [and] the names of the steering committee;
- ensuring that elements of the plan which include prayer and advocacy be put in place as soon as possible;
- ensuring that the committee includes a political/advocacy component.
Immigration and human rights The issue of immigration and human rights was raised especially concerning the legalization of the status of the working poor, border issues, racism and class discrimination, and civil, political and economic rights.
As the U.S. Bishops stated in their document Welcoming the Stranger Among Us, "Perhaps the greatest obstacle to welcoming the stranger is that many Americans have forgotten their immigrant past."
Actions suggested were:
- to work toward ending harsh immigration laws and practices;
- to join forces with the Religious Task Force on Central America and Mexico.
"There Must Be Another Way": Fast For Peace and Nonviolence Jane Abell spoke to us about the September fasting for peace and non-violence, There Must Be Another Way, to be held at the U.N. plaza or at Sacred Heart Church in New York. The organizing committee includes Jane Abell, OP, Jim Barnett, OP and Brian Pierce, OP.
On September 1, 2002, they will embark on an open-ended, water only fast as a way of acknowledging our need for personal and communal conversion. They invite others to join in, as well.
They also invite us to be in solidarity with this endeavor in whichever way we are able, by:
- fasting and praying one day a week in our home, workplace or religious community;
- organizing a prayer vigil for peace;
- joining this Fast for Peace and Nonviolence for a day or more in New York city during the month of September (the exact place to be announced);
- gathering for interfaith prayer and meditation;
- promoting reconciliation and nonviolence in your daily life.
DOMINICAN WEB SITES OF INTEREST
Main Dominican web site http://www.op.org. From there you can link to the web site for the 2001
General Chapter of the Dominican Order at Providence, RI
http://www.dominicains.ca/providence/
Central Province http://www.op.org/domcentral/
Western Province http://www.op.org/opwest/
International Commission for Justice, Peace and Care of Creation
http://www.op.org/curia/jpc/jpeng.html
Dominicans for Justice and Peace at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland http://un.op.org/
Dominican News Service http://news.op.org/
The Dominican Leadership Conference has a NGO Representative at the UN in NYC
http://www.op.org/dlc/ngo@un/default.htm
Dominican Alliance http://dominican-sisters.net/alliance/
8th Day Center http://www.8thdaycenter.org/
Dominican Life Online Magazine http://www.domlife.org
Dominican Family Worldwide http://groups.msn.com/DominicanFamilyWorldwide/
"There Must Be Another Way" Fasting/Prayer, September 2002 http://www.dominicanfastforpeace.org
HAPPENINGS AROUND THE CHAPTERS
ALBUQUERQUE, NM NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LAS MONTAÑAS PROCHAPTER
Sick: Gloria Sotelo's mother-in-law, Elena
Beverly Israel publishes a members' monthly newsletter with meeting minutes, Dominican
history, and upcoming events. The chapter continues its study of Carmelite St. Teresa of Avila
a.k.a. St. Teresa of Jesus.
DUBUQUE, IA ST. ROSE OF LIMA CHAPTER
Catherine Heinz told members about the Madonna of the Streets at their August 16 meeting.
Sing a New Song by Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP is the chapter's continuing study, guided by Sr.
Margery Race, OP.
MILWAUKEE, WI QUEEN OF THE ROSARY CHAPTER
Sick: Marcie Boyer; Winnie and Belvin Dahle; and Pat Walters
The chapter has begun its study of Mary's Song by Sr. Mary Catherine Nolan, OP.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN HOLY ROSARY CHAPTER
Congratulations: Spiritual Director Fr. Cletus Wessels, OP; newly-elected Moderator
Anna-Marie Byrne; Vice-Moderator Mary McAuliffe; Secretary Evelyn Kelly; and Treasurer
Frances Byrne
RIVER FOREST, IL ST. VINCENT FERRER CHAPTER
Congratulations: Provincial Council Delegate Virgil Kolb; 1st Alternate Bess Torralba; and 2nd
Alternate Lois (Toby) Andersen
Fr. Joseph Ruiz, OP, led a September 21 Day of Recollection on the topic of contemplative
prayer.
ST. LOUIS, MO QUEEN OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHAPTER
Congratulations: Newly-elected Moderator Joe Komadina; Vice-President and Treasurer Wes
Lohr; Secretary Cynthia Ricard; Formation Director Dorothy Elliot; and Provincial Council
Delegate Noel Holobeck
Monthly meeting minutes and Dominican saints are featured in a chapter newsletter edited by
Cynthia Ricard.
Way of the Preacher by Fr. Simon Tugwell, OP is the chapter's study. Along with our Provincial
Promoter Fr. Jim Motl, OP, Wes Lohr represented the Dominican Laity of the Central Province
at the funeral Mass for Fr. Jerry Stookey's father, Michael Stookey.
SPRINGFIELD, IL OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART CHAPTER
Deceased: Richard P. Short (professed April 29, 1973) on April 4, husband of Chapter
Moderator Carolyn Short.
Their August 25 chapter meeting included a group discussion of Peter, the Rock.
OUR PRIVATE MEMBERS
Congratulations: Marion Keegan, Crofton, MD (formerly of Springfield, MO), on celebrating her
55th anniversary of profession; and Rita C. Ward, North Aurora, IL (formerly of River Forest,
IL), on celebrating her 45th anniversary of profession on Jan. 22.
Sick: Ruth Jubb, Grand Rapids, MI
PRAYERS REQUESTED FOR:
- a return to health for Br. Regis Hovald, OP former Provincial Promoter for the Laity and for all members of the Order who are ill
- an increase in vocations to all branches of the Dominican Order
- the repose of the souls of Jerome Aquinas O'Leary, OP and Michael Stookey, father of Promoter General of the Dominican Laity Fr. Jerry Stookey, OP Eternal rest, O Lord.
We commend to your prayers the soul of the father of our Promoter General of the Dominican Laity Fr. Jerry Stookey, OP. At the end of July after attending the Dominican Laity Inter Provincial Council meeting in Racine, WI, Fr. Jerry visited his religious brothers of the Central Province and his biological family in Lebanon, IL. Upon his return to Milan, Fr. Jerry was notified of his father's sudden death.
The Laity was represented at the funeral Mass by Central Province Promoter of the Dominican Laity Fr. Jim Motl, OP and Wes Lohr from the St. Louis Chapter. Please keep Fr. Jerry and his family in your prayers.
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October 2002 3- Bl. Dominic Spadafora, priest 4- Holy Father St. Francis of Assisi, religious (F) 5- Bl. Raymond of Capua, priest (OM) 6- 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Hours Week III 7- Our Lady of the Rosary (F) 8- Bl. Ambrose Sansedone, priest - Bl. Matthew Carreri, priest 9- St. Louis Bertrand, priest (M) 11- Bl. James of Ulm, religious 13- 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Hours Week IV 14- Bl. Marie Poussepin, lay Dominican 19- Bl. Agnes of Langeac, lay Dominican 20- 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Hours Week I 21- Bl. Peter of Citta di Castello, priest 22- Anniversary of the Dedication of a Church (S) 25- Bl. Peter Geremia, priest 26- Bl. Damian of Finale, priest 27- 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Hours Week II 30- Bl. Benvenuta Bojani, lay Dominican - Bls. Terence O'Brien, bishop, & Peter Higgins, priest; martyrs
November 2002
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8- Anniversary of all Deceased Dominicans* 10- 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Hours Week IV 14- Bl. John Liccio, priest - Bl. Lucia of Narni, religious 15- St. Albert the Great, bishop/doctor (S) 17- 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Hours Week I 24- Christ the King (S), Hours Week II 25- Bl. Margaret of Savoy, religious
December 2002
January 2003
(S) Solemnity (F) Feast
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AN OBSERVER'S OVERVIEW OF THE INTER PROVINCIAL COUNCIL MEETING
by Mary Lee Odders, Challenge Newsletter Editor
As a Milwaukee, WI Dominican Laity Chapter member, I was part of the hospitality team providing Wisconsin fare to our fellow Dominicans. What a pure pleasure! This was a gathering of the Who's Who of the North American Dominican Family: Central Province President Ruth Kummer, Delegate Sharon Huizenga, and Promoter Fr. Jim Motl; Eastern Province President Dorothy Murphy; Southern Province President Dru Chauffe and Delegate Bruce Trigo; Western Province President Karen Woods, Delegate Bill Rabalais, Promoter Fr. George Matanic, and Assistant to the Promoter Anne Regan; Dominican Laity Promoter General Fr. Gerald Stookey; and International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities' North American Delegate Laurie Biszko.
From July 25-28, topics addressed included formation; handling membership issues; developing new chapters; use of terms Fraternity, Order and Family; and reports on the International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities, Dominicans for Peace, Justice and the Care of Creation, Dominican Volunteers International, and the Order's General Chapter in Providence, RI. DLIPC members also visited the Dominican Ashram in Kenosha, WI.
We live in a two-story building facing Lake Michigan and a beautiful public park which has two miles of shoreline to enjoy. We have simple yet spacious rooms with private baths for guests. We gather together for sitting meditation in common, celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharist.
We invite you to share our contemplative life and prayer, in an environment of silence, solitude and simplicity. We practice silence and seek to maintain a quiet atmosphere. A more conscientious or solemn silence is observed in and near the chapel, as well as throughout the entire ashram following Evening Prayer until Eucharist the next morning.
We invite guests to join us each mid-day for the community dinner. The kitchen is available for pick-up meals in the morning and early evening, and there are small refrigerators in each room, if you wish to bring your own food.
Guests are asked to make a donation according to their means, and are likewise invited to make a contribution to help cover expenses for those who cannot.
The Bible speaks of friends of God (Wisdom 7:14, 27; John 15:14-15), also a favored theme among Christian mystics. Thomas Aquinas speaks of charity as the friendship between God and the human person. Dominican spirituality is exemplified by the 14th century network in the Rhineland known as friends of God associated with Eckhart, Tauler, and Suso. We attempt to keep alive that spiritual tradition today. The ashram is dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena: doctor of the Church, contemplative woman, prophetic mystic, and lay Dominican.
In accord with the Dominican tradition in spirituality, members of the community give themselves to the common life, a simple lifestyle, common prayer, regular observances, study, preaching and the pursuit of justice-always looking for their inspiration to Dominic, Thomas Aquinas, Meister Eckhart, Catherine of Siena, Bartolome de las Casas, Martin de Porres, Rose of Lima as well as many other Dominicans. One of the mottos of the Order of Preachers, contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere (to contemplate and to share with others the things contemplated), particularly guides the life at our Dominican ashram, where we seek integration of contemplation and solidarity with the poor. Available for phone calls 2-3 PM daily at (262) 658-1062.
Ed. Note: Fr. Jim Barnett, OP, one of the organizers of the Fast for Peace, lives at the Dominican Ashram
Remembering September 11th "...I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you…" Isaiah 41:10
E r r a t u m The Prayer for Renewal of the Church featured in Challenge, Summer 2002, omitted an additional source: The Western Province Dominican Laity newsletter Christ In The World!, May- June 2002, volume 13, issue 5. This editor apologizes for the oversight and thanks Western Province newsletter editor Karen Woods for discovering the prayer at a most fortuitous time.
2002 FUND DRIVE BEGINS
Dear Fellow Dominican Laity Member,
As we receive no subsidy from the friars, we depend on your dues payments and Fund Drive
contributions to cover our expenses. Our projected larger costs this fiscal year include: $3100 for
printing; $1100 for postage; $2000 Promoter's expenses; $1900 for the July InterProvincial
Council meeting, room and board; and $1800 for the October Provincial Council meeting, room
and board. We employ no one, with all labor being provided by volunteer Laity members. We
need your financial help and pledge that we will be responsible stewards of the same.
Would you please demonstrate a Dominican spirit of community and the possibility of making an individual donation to assist us in maintaining our current level of service to you? Please ask your chapter to submit a group donation.
Please send your check made payable to DOMINICAN LAITY to:
Dominican Laity Office
P. O. Box 85451
Racine, WI 53408-5451
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this need. Donor names will be featured in the
next issue of Challenge.
Yours in Saints Dominic and Catherine,
Mary Lee
Mary Lee Odders, OP,
Provincial Treasurer
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Thank you for your 2002 Fund Drive contribution, which supports our Province's Dominican
Laity work for your benefit. In gratitude, your name will be included in a contributors listing
featured in the next Challenge, unless you indicate otherwise below.
( ) I do NOT want my name included in the listing of contributors. I prefer to remain anonymous.
NAME__________________________________________________
ADDRESS_______________________________________________
CITY, STATE,ZIP_______________________________________________________________________
"...I see the Dominican vocation as one of discerning what the world around us really needs and doing what we can, making the necessary transitions, to answer those needs."
Mary Lee Odders
P O Box 85451
Racine WI 53408-5451