Dominican Life 
USA
A web crossroads for the Order of Preachers
The Dominican Sisters of Houston, Texas, honored The Rev. Joseph Fiorenza (Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston) on the 60th anniversary of his ordination. The Rev. Joseph celebrated Mass with the sisters, followed by a festive dinner in his honor. He was taught by the Houston Dominicans in elementary and high school at St. Anthony’s in Beaumont, Texas.
More than 100 Caldwell Dominican Sisters and associates met in late June for a two-day pre-chapter assembly. Sisters Eileen Ivory, OP, and Lena Picillo, OP, chaired the event, which was marked by prayerful reflection on the present realities and future discernment for the congregation.
As part of the celebration for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Sister Lena was presented with the Dominican Sisters’ 2014 Peace Award. Sister Lena was recognized for her continuous dedication to justice and peace through her work with students, parents, and faculty at Aquinas Academy in Livingston, New Jersey; her efforts on behalf of trafficked individuals, her concern for the poor and marginalized, and her work with battered women and victims of sexual assault. Sister Lena accepted the award in tribute to her parents who led by example, doing good things for those in need. She also expressed her gratitude to her Dominican congregation for the many justice projects and opportunities to extend the message of peace.
Saturday’s session included a recognition ceremony for Link Community School faculty and staff. Link, founded by the Caldwell Dominicans in 1969 in Newark, New Jersey as a non-denominational missionary effort in response to the Newark riots and the resulting community devastation, will now move forward as a public charter school. Principal Maria Paradiso announced that a memorial tree will be planted in recognition of the Caldwell Dominicans’ contributions to the school’s first 45 years of existence. In return, the sisters offered the gift of a bonsai tree that will serve as a symbol of the sisters’ continuing prayers for the Link community.
The assembly concluded with a liturgy in St. Catherine’s Chapel and a picnic supper. Sisters and associates felt the assembly provided information, inspiration, motivation and education as they move toward Chapter 2015.
Grand Rapids Dominicans
A group of Grand Rapids (Michigan) Dominican Sisters and employees recently spent some time at the ballpark, enjoying an exhibition softball game between local priests and media to benefit Catholic Charities West Michigan.
Here’s a summer sequel I have been eagerly anticipating!
Four years ago, we were introduced to young dragon-tamer Hiccup and his companion Toothless. The first Dragon was an enormously entertaining animated film, full of fantastic soaring rides in the sky, swooning and dipping in 3-D. Dragon 1 also told a beautiful story about learning to deal with one’s fears and reach out to that which is different. Hiccup showed his father, Stoick, that dragons need not be feared. When treated well, they proved to be great companions to humans.
Dragon 2 takes up the action five years later. Hiccup is now a young man of 20, with a prosthetic leg from an injury he suffered in the first movie. Hiccup and Toothless are still soaring across the sky, along with Astrid and their other friends. Hiccup is worried that Stoick has chosen his son to be the next leader of their island, Berk. Hiccup is a peacemaker, and doesn’t know if he can be the kind of leader that Stoick wants him to be.
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Sister Janet Carroll, a missioner serving the people of China since 1956, received the American Missiology Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award on June 21. Sister Janet, a New York City native, served as the United Nations advisor to the Holy See Mission for the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN) and China from 1979 to 1987, and is the author of numerous articles on missiology and U.S./China relations. Read more
USA
A web crossroads for the Order of Preachers
