Dominican Sisters of Peace Celebrate Formation Milestones

Three Women Enter Novitiate, Two Make First Profession 

From left, Sisters Terri Schell, Paula Danforth, and Shingai Chigwedere are welcomed to the Dominican Novitiate by Dominican Sisters of Peace Prioress Sr. Pat Twohill, OP, in a Columbus, OH, ceremony.

Columbus, OH – The Dominican Sisters of Peace celebrated the Feast our Founder, St. Dominic, by marking milestones in the formation of five of the newest members of the Dominican family. 

On August 2, Shingai Chigwedere, a human resources administrator and native of Zambia, accountant Paula Danforth, from Vermont, and North Carolinian Terri Schell, an environmental educator, were accepted into the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate. The three have since moved to Chicago to begin their canonical year at the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate. 

On August 6, 2023, as the Church celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Dominican Sisters of Peace also celebrated the First Profession of Vows by Sister Cathy Buchanan, from New Jersey, and Sr. Tram Bui, a native of Vietnam. As she continues her formation, Sr. Cathy will minister as the Coordinator of Dominican Ministries and Service at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven CT.

Sr. Tram, a physical therapist, is using her extensive medical training in service to her Sisters at the Columbus, OH, motherhouse.

Members of the Leadership Team of the Dominican Sisters of Peace with the Congregation’s new novices. From left, Novice Sister Terri Schell; Dominican Sisters of Peace Prioress Pat Twohill, OP; Sr. Cathy Arnold, OP; Sr. Anne Lythgoe, OP; Sr. Susan Leslie, OP; Sr. Carol Davis, OP; Novice Sister Sr. Shingai Chigwedere; Novice Sister Paula Danforth.
From left, Sr. Tram Bui and Sr. Cathy Buchanan make their Vows of Temporary Profession, witnessed by Dominican Sisters of Peace Prioress Pat Twohill.

“We continue to be grateful to God for the blessing of vocations to consecrated life,” said Sr. Pat Twohill, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. “Each of these women brings a diverse set of gifts to the service of God’s church and God’s people. We look forward to seeing Shingai, Paula and Terri deepen their faith and their knowledge while in the novitiate, while we thank God for the on-going service of Sr. Cathy and Sr. Tram in our ministries.”

The Dominican Sisters of currently have three Sisters in the Novitiate and five having made First Profession. Sr. Margaret Uche made her final vows in 2022.

Single Catholic women who are interested in learning more about religious life are encouraged to visit the Congregation on their website at OPPeace.org, or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.