Photo of the Week

Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation (U.S. Province) elected new leadership at their provincial chapter in April. Sisters Mary Jude Chamberlain, councilor (at left in photo); Therese Demers, prioress (center); and Monique Belanger, councilor (right) will take office July 1. Sister Therese lives in Lewiston, Maine, and is presently a chaplain at Central Maine Medical Center. Sister Mary Jude lives in Staten Island, New York, where she teaches at St. Rita’s Catholic School. Sister Monique lives in Lewiston, Maine, and is a pastoral musician for Prince of Peace Parish.

Dominican Sisters Conference
2012 May Gift Sharing Raffle

The deadline for purchasing tickets for the Gift Sharing raffle has been extended to May 6. You have more than 30 chances to win great gifts donated by Dominicans all over the country, and your purchase supports the mission of the Dominican Sisters Conference. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25. Download Gift Sharing brochure

Aquinas Institute of Theology
Dominican sister honored, will speak at commencement

Sister Mary Catherine Hilkert, OP (Peace) will be the featured speaker at the May 11 commencement at Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, Missouri. Sister Mary Catherine, professor of theology and director of the Master of Theological Studies program at the University of Notre Dame and one-time faculty member at Aquinas Institute, will be awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of Humane Letters). Read more

Tacoma Dominicans
Sisters, associates and friends participate in day of study

In March, Tacoma Dominicans were joined by Dominican sisters from Racine and Sinsinawa as well as friends of the community in the Northwest to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Montesinos and Dominican preaching in the Western Hemisphere. Presenters were Vincent J. Pastro, OPA, author of “Enflamed by the Sacramental Word: Preaching and the Imagination of the Poor”; Sister Teresa Montes Lara, OP, a student in the D.Min. program at Barry University; and members of the Tacoma Dominican Immigration Study Committee. Read article by Ann Marie Lustig, OP

Sinsinawa Associates in the News
Georgia Bulletin features story on Dominican associates

The Georgia Bulletin, the newspaper for the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, published a story on April 26 titled “Lay Associates Deepen Faith with Dominican Sisters.” Staff writer Andrew Nelson spoke with Sinsinawa Dominican associates Cathy Perry, Kerry McGrath and Karla Ruggiero, part of a group of Dominican associates that meets regularly in Atlanta. Read story

Dominican Young Adults
St. Catharine College students commit to spiritual growth

A recent article in The Record, the newspaper for the Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, featured a story on Kentucky's first chapter of Dominican Young Adults at St. Catharine College (sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Peace). Mary Sue Barnett, St. Catharine College’s campus minister, also recently became an associate of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Read story

Sister in the News
Sister speaks on ‘Spirituality in the Second Half of Life’

Sister Carla Mae Streeter, OP, a professor emerita of systemic theology at Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, Missouri, recently presented “Spirituality in the Second Half of Life,” at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows and at Incarnate Word Parish in Chesterfield, Missouri. Read story in St. Louis Review

Coming Events
Learn more about summer programs, retreats

Visit DomLife’s Coming Events page for the latest schedule of summer retreats, programs, and educational opportunities. If you know of an event and would like to see it published, please send the information to editor@domlife.org.

Dominican University
12th Biennial Colloquium is June 14–17

What is distinctive about Dominican higher education?
The 2012 Biennial Colloquium of Dominican Colleges and Universities hopes to engage that question by exploring the significance of the Dominican contemplative tradition in American higher education. Plenary session presenters include Richard Woods, OP, professor of theology at Dominican University; Laurie Brink, OP (Sinsinawa), associate professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union; Patricia Walter, OP (Adrian), associate professor of Systematic Theology at Aquinas Institute of Theology; and Paul Murray, OP, president of the Spirituality Institute at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Read more

McGreal Center
In Our Keeping conference is June 28–July 1

The Mary Nona McGreal Center for Dominican Historical Studies at Dominican University will host the 2012 In Our Keeping Conference: “For the Sake of the Preaching” June 28–July 1. Keynote speakers include Ann Willits, OP (Sinsinawa); Mary Thomas Michalek, OP (Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament, Farmington, Michigan); and Ellen Skerrett, Chicago historian and author of “Born in Chicago: A History of Chicago’s Jesuit University.” This year’s conference will have a special celebration in honor of the Parable Conference for Dominican Life and Mission. Read more

Books
Dominican Province of St. Joseph announces new releases

Fr. Walter Wagner, OP, pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Church in New York City, has published “Dominican Life: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Augustine.” Read more Fr. Augustine Thompson, OP, professor of history at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, California, has published “Francis of Assisi: A New Biography.” Read more

Ministry Opportunity
Spirit Mountain Retreat seeks executive director

The board of directors at Spirit Mountain Retreat, a non-denominational spirituality and meditation center in Idyllwild, California, is now accepting applications for the full-time position of executive director. The current executive director, Sister Esther Kennedy, OP (Adrian), will retire in June 2013. For more information and an application form, contact admin@spiritmountainretreat.org. Deadline to apply is July 15.

Dominican Sisters Conference
Registration, Market Place

Register now for the first annual Dominican Sisters Conference (DSC) Convocation Oct. 4–7 at the Westin Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois! Speakers Timothy Radcliffe, OP and Judi Neal will address the theme “Edge Walkers: Unfolding the Fertile Unknown.” The convocation will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, and will close Sunday, Oct. 7 at noon. To download registration materials (PDF 1.6 MB), click on the graphic or click here.

The Market Place is an opportunity for promoters of preaching, justice, young adult groups, eco-farmers, artists, bakers, booksellers and other special groups or vendors to promote their programs, products or services. Download Market Place application form (MS Word document). Download Market Place flyer (PDF)

Previous updates:

The next Dominican Life | USA update will be published on Wednesday, May 16. Deadline for submission of articles/photos is Friday, May 11.