Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, OP, Travels to Columbus to address Dominican Sisters of Peace Ministry Leaders

Columbus, OH, The Dominican Sisters of Peace welcomed Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, OP, as the featured speaker for their Founded Ministries Meeting in January. The visit to Columbus was his first trip abroad since being installed as a cardinal by His Holiness Pope Francis on December 7, 2024, in Rome, Italy.

Cardinal Radcliffe has had a close relationship with the Congregation for many years. The English Catholic priest and theologian served as the global Master of the Dominican Order and bonded with the assembly of Sisters since their beginnings in 2009. In his January 21 address, the cardinal referred to the Dominican Sisters of Peace as, “ancient, new and, like Abraham and Sarah (in the Old Testament) unexpectedly fertile.”

The domestic ministries of the Dominican Sisters of Peace represented at the meeting are varied and include ecology, education and learning centers, educational institutions, spiritual life, and health care centers.

The cardinal addressed the ministry leaders on Synodal Reciprocity, the dignity and interdependence between individuals, and the power of listening and learning from each other. The topic for his presentation was inspired by the Synod on Synodality, a multi-year process of dialogue and listening within the Catholic Church that concluded with a global assembly in 2024. At the request of Pope Francis, Cardinal Radcliffe served as Retreat Master for the 2024 pre-Synod retreat. 

This intimate knowledge of the Synodal process was a valuable gift to the Congregation’s ministry leaders, many of whom are lay people who support the work of ministry. They were able to take the Cardinal’s message back to their ministries including, “We have to rediscover mutuality… we are only alive with and for each other.” He continued, “This is what’s really new in the Synod – it’s the move from mutuality to reciprocity.”

“We flourish in relationships — and we are who we are only with, and from, and for each other,” continued Radcliffe. This is important to the Congregation’s ministry leaders, who work with and serve people from various backgrounds and cultures. 

Sr. Pat Connick, OP, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Sansbury Care Center, a care home in St. Catharine, KY, commented that she “is excited to live into that reality that Cardinal Radcliffe addressed and believes the universe has been doing this since the beginning.”

Dominican Sisters of Peace Prioress Pat Twohill stated her thanks for the address and added, “Dialogue is part of all of our ministries and Cardinal Radcliffe invites us to bring the Synod’s insights into the very fabric of how we lead our ministries and engage those we serve.” 

Finally, the artwork of Sr. Thoma Swanson, a collection of very different but happy faces, was presented to Cardinal Radcliffe. The work was inspired by Cardinal Radcliffe’s writing and was dedicated to him by Sr. Thoma with these words, “Each face a particular Word of God.”  

Radcliffe served as the global Master of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) from 1992 until 2001. In this role he travelled to every continent (except Antarctica) visiting Dominican Friars and all members of the Dominican Family. During his tenure he was very supportive of the founding of Dominican Sisters International whose first International Coordinator was Dominican Sister of Peace, Sr. Margaret Ormond. 

Fr. Timothy’s commitment to dialogue across cultural, social, and religious divides has made him a popular leader in the Catholic Church as well as a sought-after speaker and author.