Sisters celebrate transition of leadership

Sister Arlene Antczak, OP, former prioress (far left), and Sister Patrice Werner, OP, prioress, share a moment during the Mass of Transition. Photo by Pushparaj Aitwal.

Caldwell Dominicans

On Sunday, June 28, Mass was celebrated in the motherhouse chapel to mark the transition of leadership for the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, New Jersey. The newly elected Prioress Sister Patrice Werner, Vicaress Sister Elsie Bernauer, and Councilors Eileen Ivory and Patricia Tavis formally accepted their new leadership roles within the context of Mass joyfully celebrated by Rev. Carl Arico and many attendees, including sisters, associates, friends and family members. View more photos from the Mass on the Caldwell Dominicans’ Facebook page

July 1, 2015

Sisters host interfaith prayer vigil for Charleston victims

Houston Dominicans
By Ceil Roeger, OP

The Dominican Sisters of Houston co-hosted an interfaith prayer service June 19 at the Dominican Center for Spirituality in response to the shooting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Houston organized the event.

The previous Sunday, Pax Christi-Houston and the Dominican Sisters had collaborated with the Center for the Healing of Racism in screening “White Like Me.” “White Like Me” is a documentary featuring Tim Wise and acclaimed anti-racist educator and author. Wise explores race and racism in the U.S., through the lens of whiteness and white privilege. He offers a look at race-based white entitlement programs that built the American middle class and argues that our failure as a society to come to terms with the legacy of white privilege continues to perpetuate racial inequality and race-driven political resentments today even though following the election of President Obama, many tried to imply we lived in a post-racist society.

As information about the shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, unfolded, it confirmed that racism is very much alive in America. So when Mustafaa Carroll of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) contacted the Dominican Sisters of Houston seeking their participation and the use of the Dominican Center for Spirituality to convene the vigil, their response was yes.

At 4 p.m., members from the Islamic, Jewish, Hindi, and Christian faiths gathered to show their solidarity with the people of Charleston. P.K. McCary, founder and host of Think Peace Radio and longtime ecumenical and interfaith activist, presided. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee came from a Juneteenth Celebration in Galveston after learning of the vigil from the press release. She described the actions from Capitol Hill on Thursday. Congressional representatives joined together to pray and offer words of condolences not as Republicans and Democrats but as Americans. The shooting in Charleston affects all of us. She offered a prayer for healing. As she closed her remarks, she reminded us that this is a time for action. Hers was the first of many that day. While our grief was expressed along with our prayers, many agreed that this is a time for action.

In his statement, Dave Atwood, a member of Pax Christi, said, “My friends, we have to recognize and come to grips with the fact that as a society we have a number of serious problems… And until we address them, violent acts will continue in our society.” As we were preparing for the closing prayer, a teenage Muslim boy asked to speak. He said that in his 15 years studying his faith, he has learned when we see a wrong taking place, we are to act. Too many of the problems people face today are because people just “stood by” and did nothing. He challenged each of us not to be “bystanders.”

June 17, 2015

Faith and Film: Far from the Madding Crowd

Adapted from the 1870 Thomas Hardy novel, “Far from the Madding Crowd” is the story of Bathsheba Everdene, an independent Victorian-era woman pursued by three suitors. First, there is Gabriel Oak, a farmer and shepherd. Gabriel proposes to Bathsheba early in the film. Bathsheba likes Gabriel, but does not love him, and says she is too independent to marry him.

Soon afterward, Bathsheba inherits an estate owned by her uncle. She moves to take charge of the estate. Bathsheba surprises most of the workers and her neighbors when she announces that she plans to manage the estate herself. Gabriel turns up at the estate and she immediately hires him. Bathsheba also meets William Boldwood, the owner of a neighboring estate. William takes a liking to Bathsheba, and is soon asking for her hand in marriage.

In the meantime, Francis Troy, a soldier, is preparing for marriage. He arrives at the church, but his fiancée does not show up. Mistakenly, she has gone to the wrong church! Thinking that his fiancée has jilted him, Francis wanders aimlessly throughout the region. He comes across Bathsheba’s farm. Bathsheba finds Francis to be dashing and handsome in his uniform, and falls for him.
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June 17, 2015

Sister’s story inspired “Orange is the New Black” character

Global Sisters Report

Sister Ardeth Platte, OP (Grand Rapids) is mentioned briefly in Piper Kerman’s memoir “Orange is the New Black.” Kerman and Platte did yoga together when they were serving prison sentences at a federal correction facility in Danbury, Connecticut. But the character inspired by Sister Ardeth’s story, Sister Jane Ingalls (played by Beth Fowler) has a larger role in the television series based on Kerman’s book. Jamie Manson of Global Sisters Report interviewed both Sister Ardeth and Beth Fowler for a recent article. Read more

June 17, 2015

News from the Eco-Justice Center

Racine Dominicans

The Racine Dominicans’ Eco-Justice Center recently received a full-color, four-page spread in Country Woman magazine. The article, titled “Faith in Farming,” was featured in the April/May issue. Read article The Eco-Justice Center also recently named Racine native Allison Thielen as its new executive director. Sister Janet Weyker will continue to live and volunteer at the center.