For five days in May, 20 students, 11 mentors, and 12 presenters from all over the country and representing 9 Dominican Colleges, gathered together to learn about the Dominican Charism and traditions of the Order. Participants learned about the Dominican Saints, Justice Issues of the Order, the strong Interfaith Mission of the Order, and the other members of the Dominican Family: namely, Associates, Lay Dominicans, Dominican Young Adults, as well as the Sisters, Friars and Priests.
During the conference, one of the first things asked of the participants was to be open to the Spirit– be open to the ways that God is calling you to be a “Dominican Preacher” and the ways you can be a “Dominican Influencer”; that is one who experienced the Dominicans, liked what he/she saw, caught the charism and now is called to bring it to others! They took on the challenge and left the conference knowing they had a mission.
For five days the participants gathered together learning about the Dominican Saints, Justice Issues of the Order, the strong Interfaith Mission of the Order, and the other members of the Dominican Family: namely, Associates, Lay Dominicans, Dominican Young Adults, as well as the Sisters, Friars and Priests. They were given opportunities to try leadership roles in planning prayer, creating prayers, and preparing reflections and thought-provoking questions for their groups, all the while becoming aware of their own gifts as leaders.
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https://www.dymusa.org/post/ncpiac2023
Zoebelle Bean from Aquinas College Captured the Essence of the College Conference
“To my new Dominican family,”
To my new Dominican family:
We must remember not to lose hope
for the sincerity of spirit and soul.
Laudato Sí
The good we see in others
is God
His love
made manifest.
Live with an appreciation,
see passion in the little deeds.
Live a zealous life,
use actionable words for actionable good.
To preach is an inherent call,
laid there in our hearts from the moment
God thought of us, of our existence- that spark.
And today we must acknowledge the
communal sparks around us, existing
not to talk over them, their unique voices
but encourage, as God does us.
Ask for stories about the
stained glass windows
of the lives we know
very little about
Do you feel Dominican enough
to run with the hound yet?
Can you see the flames flaring
and accept the call?
How many times will it
take you to sit and listen
to the lives of others
before you decide to write your own?
Because you know that those who have less
have not heard what you have
find them, under the rocks and mud,
and show them how to grow an orchard
and a well.
Social responsibility is
compelling, opportunistic.
Take each moment as it comes,
disregarding nothing.
C’est importante que
vous etes realize
le change cree
de les petites
moments uniques.
I want you to be aware
that you neighbor is in pain.
They ache to live prosperous lives-
free them through His word.
Force, fraud, coercion.
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare.
Have you ever made a change
in your community?
How deep can you cut?
How far can you go?
Further?
What do you have to lose?
I look deep into the reflection
of your eyes and see not
only you but also
ourselves-
establishing a bond like no other.
We are His greatest work of art.
Creators of sacred space.
Beauty is the visible form of God,
and in being beautiful we
cast away the worldly things while
living in the world.
We are stardust.
We are fire.
We are nature itself.
We are conscious, thinking
beings who can talk, act
speak for those who can’t.
Isn’t it incredible that we can
think and talk and contemplate,
all at the same time?
We have a saying here.
Veritas.
That’s v, e, r, i, t, a, s.
Do you know what it means?
Truth.
Are you true?
Never forget your personal promise.
Never forget your action plan.
Follow through.
In the words of St. Dominic,
as he took his
final breath:
Begin.
