Photos of the Week

Rosaryville Spirit Life Center Nun Run celebrates 75 years of Dominican presence On Saturday, May 10, Rosaryville Spirit Life Center, Ponchatoula, Louisiana, held its first annual “Nun Run, a race like NUN other” amid thunderstorms. Heavy rains on Friday increased speculation of cancelling the run and moving the celebration indoors, but miraculously, the deluge stopped for the event and returned after everything was over. Families were invited to participate, with younger children given craft projects, while parents and older siblings chose to run or walk along a 5K or a one-mile route on Rosaryville’s beautiful grounds. The NUN RUN was part of a year-long celebration honoring the Dominican Sisters’ contributions to area churches, schools and hospitals over the past 75 years. The retreat center is a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

Dominican Volunteers USA Silent auction raises $24K, honors Georgia sisters Dominican Volunteers USA held its third annual Silent Auction at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, on April 26. More than $24,000 was raised to support the post-graduate service program sponsored by 18 congregations and provinces in the U.S. Dominican Family. The event was attended by 150 people including the joint boards of DVUSA, friends, family, sisters, friars, with more than 30 alumni and current volunteers present. Above: The Fourth Annual DVUSA Mission Award was presented to Penn Community, five Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa in Atlanta, Georgia, who have opened their hearts and home to Dominican Volunteers for 24 years. Four of the sisters attended the silent auction and received video tributes from volunteer alumni.

Houston Dominicans Dominican Family ‘walks side by side’ with the sisters On April 27, the Dominican Sisters of Houston and members of the Dominican Family gathered to celebrate commitment and re-commitments of Dominican Family members. The program, initiated in 2008 by Sister Carol Mayes, OP (Houston), involves a two-year formation process. The group has a mission statement and leadership structure. At the ceremony, 11 people made their First Commitment for one year. Each made a brief comment on which of the Dominican pillars of Prayer, Study, Community and Preaching resonated with them, and how they would live the Dominican life. Read more

Sparkill Dominicans
Sisters host ‘Catch the Fire’ Youth Day

The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, New York, hosted their first youth event at the Dominican Convent on Sunday, April 27. The gathering, titled “Catch the Fire” Youth Day, welcomed nearly 50 seventh and eighth grade children from local parishes in the Rockland County area for an afternoon of conversation, celebration, and mission. Sister Margaret Palliser, OP, who led the committee that organized the event, commented, “We wanted to create an atmosphere where the children could interact informally with the sisters, asking whatever questions they wanted. We were very excited because their conversations revealed that the children were indeed very curious about who sisters are, what they do, and why they choose to become sisters.” Read more

Hope Dominicans
Mount Saint Mary College will miss Sister Catherine

Sister Catherine Walsh, OP, was elected to the leadership team of the Dominican Sisters of Hope at the congregation’s chapter last month. She will be retiring from her post as professor of Communication Arts and chair of the Division of Arts and Letters at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. Jillian Torre, co-managing editor of the Mount Messenger, penned a farewell. Read letter

Sinsinawa Dominicans
Heritage exhibit opens June 7

Sinsinawa Art Gallery presents the Ninth Annual Sinsinawa Dominican Heritage Exhibit June 7–Aug. 8. This exhibit features art work by Sinsinawa Dominican Sister artists, as well as various works from the motherhouse collection. In addition, this summer’s show will feature delightful interpretations of the life of Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, created by first, second, and third graders from Blessed Sacrament School in Madison, Wisconsin.

Sister in the News
Sister feels ‘humbled’ by call to be ‘healing presence’

San Rafael Dominican Sister Mary Kieffer, OP, is vice president of mission integration at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recently talked about her ministry and her vocation to vowed religious life with a reporter from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Read article

Faith and Film
Heaven is for Real

“Heaven Is for Real,” based on the best-selling book of the same name, tells the story of Colton Burpo, son of a Protestant minister, Todd, and his wife, Sonja. This small movie has become a surprise hit. It appeals to both Protestant and Catholic Christians. The movie has the feel of a cable TV movie, made on a modest budget. In a way, this works in the film’s favor: it’s simple and straightforward, without dazzling sets or special effects. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Previous updates:

The next Dominican Life | USA update will be published on Wednesday, June 4. Deadline for submission of articles/photos is Friday, May 30.