Province of St. Martin de Porres
Renewal of vows, simple profession in Texas

Brother Carl Joseph Paustian, OP (above), renewed his vows for two years at St. Albert the Great Priory and Novitiate in Irving, Texas Aug. 10. Br. Carl Joseph will petition for solemn (permanent) vows with the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Martin de Porres (Southern Province) in two years.

Brother Carl Joseph began his novitiate year in August 2011, and professed simple (temporary) vows for two years in August 2012. For the next year, he will be assigned to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Community in Lubbock, Texas, for a pastoral year. He will work at the Catholic Campus Ministry at Texas Tech University and at St. Elizabeth’s Parish.

On the evening of Aug. 10, the Province of St. Martin de Porres also celebrated the rite of simple profession of Brothers Joseph Paul Albin, OP, and Hugo Rafael Rojas, OP, at Holy Trinity Seminary Chapel in Irving (below).

Dominican Volunteers USA
New class begins year of service with orientation

Eighteen young women and men were commissioned as the newest class of Dominican Volunteers on Aug. 12 after a week-long orientation at Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters in Wisconsin. Read article by Michael Chapuran, DVUSA executive director.

Above: This year’s class of Dominican Volunteers with Sisters Marcella Connolly, OP and Mary Kremer, OP. In 1973, Sisters Marcella and Mary founded the Apostolic Volunteers program that grew into DVUSA.

Molloy College
Colloquium draws more than 200 participants

Molloy College, Rockville Centre, New York, was the host site for the 13th Biennial Dominican Colleges & Universities Colloquium in mid-June. More than 200 participants representing 14 Dominican colleges/universities across the country attended the conference. The theme of the event was “Inspiring Compassion, Fostering Engagement.” Sister Dorothy Fitzgibbons, OP, EdD, Molloy’s vice president for mission integration, served as colloquium coordinator. Keynote speakers were Gregory Heille, OP (Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great), professor of homiletics and academic dean at Aquinas Insitute of Theology; Margaret Mayce, OP (Amityville), NGO representative at the United Nations for the Dominican Leadership Conference; and Toni Harris, OP (Sinsinawa), international promoter for justice and peace for Dominican Sisters International from 2007 to 2013. The next colloquium will be held at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2016.

Maryknoll Sisters
Centenarian sister ministered in China

Sister Paulita Hoffmann, MM, a missioner to China, who spent time during that country’s early Communist era under house arrest, celebrated her 100th birthday Aug. 13. A private celebration with family and friends was held at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, near Ossining, New York. Read more

Mission San Jose Dominicans
Sister Dulce makes perpetual profession of vows

Sister Dulce Sarai Aguilar Rodriguez (right) made her perpetual profession to Sister Gloria Marie Jones, OP, prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, on Aug. 9 during a joyous Eucharistic celebration in the motherhouse chapel in Fremont, California. Sister Dulce graduated in June from California State University, Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, and will begin teaching fourth grade at Santa Teresita Elementary in East Los Angeles.

Dominican Family Build
Helping to rebuild homes, lives in the Rockaways

During the week of Aug. 17–21, 20 sisters, associates and young people from Amityville, Blauvelt, Sparkill, and Sinsinawa participated in the first Dominican Family Build in the Rockaways, Long Island, New York. Read article by Sister Gina Fleming, OP (Amityville)

Sinsinawa Dominicans
Sister Christin Tomy received into the novitiate

At her reception into the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, two weeks ago, Sister Christin Tomy reflected on the reasons she is saying “yes” to vowed religious life as a Dominican sister.

Houston Dominicans
Sisters recognized for human trafficking efforts

In July, the Dominican Sisters of Houston were recognized for their longstanding commitment to raising awareness of human trafficking. United Against Human Trafficking (UAHT), formerly Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition, held a gathering in July to announce a name change and thank volunteers, friends and supporters. The organization presented the sisters with the North Star Award “for your long-standing support in the fight for freedom.” Maria Trujillo, executive director of UAHT, noted that the Dominican Sisters were one of the first groups in Houston to raise awareness about human trafficking in the late 1990s, and the congregation was one of the first members of the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition.

Above from left: Houston Dominican Sisters Kitty Carter, OP; Jane Abell, OP; and Ceil Roeger, OP at the UAHT event.

Aug. 23 Letter from Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena

Aug. 18 “U.S. Dominicans praying, ‘agonizing’ for Iraqi Dominicans, villagers” (NCR Global Sisters Report)

Aug. 14 Master of the Order issues plea for urgent action on Iraq

Ways to help