New Vocation Director
On July 1, 1997, Fr. Louis Morrone, O.P., began as the new Promoter of Vocations for
the province. He replaces Fr. Jesse Cox, O.P., who held the position for the past five
years. Fr. Jesse has relocated to Detroit, MI to work for the Archdiocese of Detroit in the
Office of Evangelization. Our prayers and best wishes to him in his new ministry.
Fr. Morrone relocated to River Forest, IL (Chicago area) where the office is located. He has worked in campus ministry since his ordination in 1992. From 1992-95 he was at Edgewood College and High School in Madison, and the past two years he served at Regis University in Denver, where he also was the prior of the community at St. Dominic's.
The vocation director is responsible for coordinating those who are interested in joining the Order, distributing information on the Order, promoting the vocations of religious life in our parishes and priories and beyond. He is the direct contact to admission into the Order.
If you or someone you know would like more information on the Dominican Order, you can contact Fr. Morrone via the information below:
|
Fr. Louis Morrone, O.P. Vocation Office 7200 W. Division St. River Forest, IL, 60305 (708) 771-7254 E-mail: lmorrone@dominicans.org |
Initial Formation
The initial formation program for the Dominicans is the years of study, prayer and
preparation for full-time ministry as a priest or a brother in the province. After a candidate
has been through the admissions process and is accepted into the Order he continues his
discernment and begins his first year as a novice. The novices live in the novitiate at St.
Dominic's Parish and Priory in Denver, CO. This is a year of prayer, community life,
study, and ministry. At the end of this year, the novices profess first or simple vows for
two years. They are assigned to the studentate in St. Louis to begin their formal academic
study in preparation for ministry. After two years of study, the student brother renews his
simple vows for two more years and begins a pastoral year at one of our parishes in the
province. After his pastoral year he returns to St. Louis and continues his studies. At the
end of this year he professes solemn vows. If he is a priesthood candidate, he is ordained
to the deaconate in his fourth year of study and to the priesthood at the end of his fifth
year of study. The initial formation period ends at ordination for priest candidates and at
solemn vows for brother candidates. All earn their masters degrees.
Currently in our novitiate are: Brs. Robert Ard, Timothy Corbley, Doug Legman, and Paul Rhode. Those who are in our studentate are: Brs. Andy Pavlak, Roman Shemayev, Rodney Adams, Ken Kuechler, Matthew Strabala, Michael Porterfield, and Arthur Cavitt. Br. Brendan Curran is on his pastoral year in Chicago at St. Pius V Parish.
Please keep these young men in your prayers as they prepare to serve in the Dominican Parish communities and other apostolates in the province and the Order.
...In Memory
On November 4, 1997 our dear brother Duane Anthony Brown, O.P., 29, of
Lafayette, LA went in peace to the fullness of the kingdom after leukemia had overtaken
his body in a matter of months. Br. Duane was in our studentate and professed solemn
vows this past summer. All who knew Br. Duane, knew him as a preacher, in song, in
word, in deed, and most profoundly from his sick bed in the last weeks of his life. Br.
Duane is greatly missed by his Dominican brothers and sisters, his friends, and his dear,
dear family. As he now lives in God's perfect peace, may he pray for us!
The Dominican Friars of the province of St. Albert the Great communicate the Word of God through preaching, theological education, and the promotion of justice and peace. This mission in the body of Christ demands a vowed community life, liturgical prayer, and life-long study. |
Congratulations!
Our congratulations to Fr. Paul Whittington, O.P. and Fr. Dennis Woerter, O.P. who
were ordained to the priesthood on May 10, 1997. Fr. Paul is teaching Theology and
English at Fenwick High School in Chicago and Fr. Dennis is the associate pastor at
Blessed Sacrament Parish in Madison, WI.
Congratulations are also in order for Br. Scott Steinkerchner, O.P. who professed solemn vows on August 30, 1997 in St. Louis and was ordained to the deaconate on October 26, 1997 in Chicago. Br. Scott is also teaching at Fenwick High School and will be ordained as a priest on May 31, 1998.
1998 Anniversaries
Our brothers who are celebrating anniversaries this year are listed here. You might
want to share a good word, card, or wish to those whom you might know:
| Profession | |
| Br. Henry Denier, Denver, CO | 60 years |
| Fr. Thomas Donlan, River Forest, IL | 60 years |
| Fr. John O'Connell, Minneapolis, MN | 60 years |
| Fr. Charles Malatesta, St. Louis, MO | 60 years |
| Fr. Ambrose Windbacher, Nigeria | 50 years |
| Fr. Robert Pieper, Palatine, IL | 50 years |
| Fr. Kevin O'Rourke, St. Louis, MO | 50 years |
| Fr. David Santoro, Windsor Heights, IA | 25 years |
| Fr. Thomas Jackson, Chicago, IL | 10 years |
| Fr. Edward Leahy, Minneapolis, MN | 10 years |
| Fr. Kevin Niehoff, Rome, Italy | 10 years |
| Fr. Jose Santiago, Denver, CO | 10 years |
| Ordination | |
| Fr. Jacob Joerger, River Forest, IL | 50 years |
| Fr. Benedict Ashley, St. Louis, MO | 50 years |
| Fr. Robert Barry, Champaign, IL | 25 years |
| Fr. James Marchionda, Oak Park, IL | 25 years |
| Fr. Hugh Wreisner, Madison, WI | 10 years |
| Fr. Clinton Honkomp, Springfield, IL | 10 years |
| Fr. Michael Monshau, St. Clare Shores, MI | 10 years |
| Fr. Pastor Parnagua, Bolivia | 10 years |
| Fr. Andres Earnara, Bolivia | 10 years |
We congratulate these brothers and thank them for their many years of faithful service to the Province and the Church!
Blessed Father Dominic, preacher of God's gracious love,
you promised to assist us even after death.
Intercede before God that more men and women
will follow your way of life,
and ask the blessings of fidelity and zeal
for all Dominicans. Amen
PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR AND ENCOURAGING
VOCATIONS TO THE
DOMINICAN ORDER!
