Photos of the Week

Barry University Celebrating diversity at International Mass The campus ministry department at Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida, offered students the opportunity to participate in an International Mass for the Festival of Nations on Friday, Feb. 21. The Mass was held outdoors in the Landon Courtyard on campus. The Mass celebrated the diverse nations and cultures that make up the community at Barry University, a sponsored ministry of the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
Mount Saint Mary College Sister Jo-Ann lectures on the arts as preaching On Feb. 25, Sister Jo-Ann Iannotti, OP (Hope), art and spirituality coordinator at Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center in Litchfield, Connecticut, spoke to the Mount Saint Mary College community on how the arts have supported the charism of the Order of St. Dominic. “The early brethren studied the liberal arts—theology, literature, philosophy, science, history. For Dominicans, life is study, and study makes you better in your life. Education is very, very important as a ministry for Dominicans.” Read more
Racine Dominicans Congregation elects new leadership On Feb. 28, the Racine Dominicans (Racine, Wisconsin) concluded the process of electing the three women who will lead their community for the next four years. The new Executive Committee will take office July 1. Sister Maryann McMahon, OP (center) will serve as president; Sisters Agnes Johnson, OP (right) and Kathy Slesar, OP will serve as vice presidents.
Dominican Nuns of Summit, New Jersey Sister Mary Cecilia part of panel for NYU Vocations Night For the second year, Sister Mary Cecilia, an extern sister with the Dominican Nuns of Summit, New Jersey (Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary), attended the New York University Catholic Center’s Vocation Night. Sister Mary Cecilia was part of a panel of vowed religious who were available to answer student questions. For more photos from the event, visit the nuns’ web site.

National Catholic Sisters Week
Catholic sisters to be recognized March 8–14

The first National Catholic Sisters Week will take place March 8–14, 2014 as part of Women’s History Month. The purpose is to raise awareness of the mission and ministries of Catholic sisters. Women religious have made, and continue to make, vital contributions in education, health care, criminal justice, social justice, theology, the arts, and politics. The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters and Dominican Sisters of Peace are among many congregations of Catholic sisters in the United States whose stories are just waiting to be told. Read news releases from the Amityville, Sinsinawa and Adrian Dominicans | Visit NCSW page on the Dominican Sisters of Peace web site

UN Briefing
Social protection floors reduce inequality, create security

Today, Wednesday, March 5, we begin the season of Lent. We hear in the second reading from 2 Corinthians that “now is the acceptable time…” “Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of preaching the Gospel.” There is no time like the present to recommit ourselves to this worthy pursuit. As you begin this Holy Season, please take a few minutes to place yourself in solidarity with those who lack life’s basic essentials, and read and sign the Social Protection Petition. Read article by Sister Margaret Mayce, OP

Obituary
Sister Kaye Ashe worked for women’s equality

Sister Kathleen “Kaye” Ashe, OP (Sinsinawa), died Feb. 15 at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, La Grange, Illinois. Sister Kaye was a respected writer, lecturer, leader, and researcher whose work led to greater awareness of women in the Church and society. Sister Kaye is the author of “Today’s Woman, Tomorrow’s Church” and “The Feminization of the Church?” She worked in higher education for 28 years, primarily at Rosary College/Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. She also served two terms as prioress of the Sinsinawa Dominicans. Read more

Blauvelt Dominicans
Justice group hosts meeting on Trans Pacific Partnership

The Circle of Economic Justice of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, hosted a meeting of 25 sisters and associates to discuss the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and FAST TRACK. Participants watched a video interview with Lori Wallach of Trade Watch and listened to presentations by Sisters Cely Byrnes and Ceil Lavan. Read article, view photos from the meeting on the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt web site

Faitha and Film
The Lego Movie

The cleverest, funniest, animated movie in years has arrived with the most unlikely title of “The Lego Movie.” It sounds like a feature-length commercial for those building blocks we all used to enjoy playing with as kids. But it’s much more than that. “The Lego Movie” is a clever satire of modern culture, while at the same time an old-fashioned appeal for teamwork, imagination, and belief in oneself. The movie reminds us that what we learned in kindergarten is still relevant in the adult world. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Previous updates:

The next Dominican Life | USA update will be published on Wednesday, March 19. Deadline for submission of articles/photos is Friday, March 14.