‘Dominican Novices from Denver Visit Dominican Sisters of Peace’

Dining Room - ThomasGREAT BEND, KS – The Motherhouse in Great Bend had its own personal and very wonderful celebration for the 800th anniversary of the Dominican Family’s founding. The Dominican men from the Central Province Novitiate in Denver and their Director, Fr. Bob Keller, spent some fun and relaxing time with nearly 50 Great Bend area Dominican Sisters of Peace and Associates. The novices were on their way back home from their 4000+ miles of travel to Dominican sites east of Kansas. They told us what a great experience it was to meet priests, nuns, and sisters of the Family as well as to visit many of the parishes and institutions staffed by Dominicans.

Besides the celebration together of Mass, Morning and Evening Praise, two other events were memorable for both the Sisters and the Dominican men. A really delicious dinner with wine, dessert, and lots of visiting and storytelling helped the Sisters and Novices to get acquainted with each other and to put a celebrative note to the anniversary year. After supper and dishes, all gathered in the Motherhouse’s Heritage Room, where Fr. Bob and Brothers Mannes Trujillo, Stephen Peterson, Thomas Wagaman, and Dominic Ibok (who is already a priest) took turns introducing each other with serious and funny facts about each other. We sang “Joyful Friar” together and had time to ask questions and visit some more with the five of them. Of special note is that the four Novices comprise a really international group at the Novitiate. Mannes is from New Mexico, Steven from Trinidad, Dominic from Nigeria, and Thomas from Maryland. Delightful, intelligent, insightful, and well educated, these men come to the Order with stories of their already varied ministry and work experiences. Their home origins remind us of our own women in initial formation who are also an international group. We Sisters are certainly edified by this caliber of young Dominicans – both men and women – who will be a big part of the future of the ministry of the Holy Preaching. View Photos

Submitted by Sr. Elaine Osborne