Monthly Archives: May 2025

Maryknoll Sisters Invited you to Join Them

The SHARE Foundation and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) warmly invite you to join us in a celebration of the 45th anniversary of the martyrdom of Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean. We want to remember our sisters as they were then, and they are now — alive in the struggle for a better world. We remember them by continuing to walk with the people of God in El Salvador. 
Join our Pilgrimage to El Salvador, November 28th to December 6th, 2025 and to Honduras, December  6th to 10th. Walk on sacred land with the people of Ita, Maura, Dorothy, Jean, and Oscar Romero… The People of God. 
The pilgrimage will include visiting the site of the assassination of Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean, as well as the sites where Monseñor Romero, Elba, Celina and the 6 Jesuits were killed. We will visit a women’s health and cancer prevention project; we will have an opportunity to embrace and walk with deported women and their families in El Salvador and Honduras. Please apply at share-elsalvador.org.

DLC Intern Engages with Youth Voices at the Un ECOSOC YOUTH FORUM 2025

As the United Nations Headquarters welcomed the vibrant energy of spring, it also opened its doors to the powerful presence of young global leaders. From April 15–17, the ECOSOC Youth Forum brought together youth delegates, advocates, and changemakers from around the world to engage on critical global issues. Representing the Dominican Leadership Conference, our UN intern attended key sessions of this year’s Forum, themed “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” Her reflections from the event—particularly on mental health in the digital age—offer valuable insight into how young people are shaping the global conversation and pushing for justice, dignity, and well-being for all.

 

As Spring approached, UNHQ was bustling with new events, programs, and conferences From April 15-17, Youth V oices, primarily between 18-25 filled UNHQ for the ECOSOC Youth Forum. The Youth Forum allowed a space for youth voices to engage with Member States, NGOs, and other stakeholders on their perspective of the world. This year’s Youth Forum theme, focused on “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science-and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind”

As my time as an intern with the Dominican Leadership Conference rapidly comes to an end, I’ve wanted to deepen my understanding of the United Nations even further with diversifying the types of event I’ve been attending. As a young person myself, the Youth Forum is, I believe, integral to the United Nations, which is what encouraged me to check out some of the events during the Youth Forum. On April 15, I attended the Youth Forum Event titled “From Anxiety to Resilience: Strengthening the Mental Health of Young Persons in the Digital Era.” The event included Youth Delegates from Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Hungary, and the United States, who were focused on SDG 3 especially “Good Health and Well-being.”

From the get go, the event speakers asserted that mental health is a matter of dignity and human rights, which was a large theme presented at this event. I was able to listen to a representative from the UN Youth Office who is working on initiatives to deepen the participation of Youth Voices, that is both meaningful and just. Another speaker, Ava Smithing (USA) is a representative for the Young People’s Alliance, where she focused on the technological constraints of how tech companies collect our data, which can be detrimental foryoung people. Smithing used an example that Social Media polarizes us into different echo chambers, that intentionality isolates young people, contributing to the feeling of hopelessness.

From a different perspective, a Youth Delegate discussed why young voices don’t speak up–and it was never because they didn’t want to speak up but because mental health can hinder a person’s potential to speak up, noting that mental health is not a mere “side element,” but a crux of advocacy on the international stage. It is important to create a system of mental health support, especially as we advance technologically as a society.

As an intern, it was inspiring to walk into UNHQ during the Youth Forum and see so many young people.

Associate Spotlight – Elizabeth “Betty” Meyette

Community
By Elizabeth “Betty” Meyette, Dominican Associate 

“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned
 that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”
~ Dorothy Day

When I meditate, I use the Loving Kindness Meditation. I start with “May I be kind. May I be grateful. May I be open. May I be healthy.” Then, I broaden my prayer, first to family and friends, then to local groups, expanding to state, nation, world, cosmos. But as I ponder Community, I reverse that and first think broadly, then I narrow to groups that are closer to my everyday life.

In the past, when I heard the word, “Community,” my first thought was of civic organizations like Feeding America or the United Way. But since I became a Dominican Associate in 2018, I have a deeper appreciation of the concept of Community and its connection to the other three pillars: Prayer, Service, and Study.

My husband Rich and I recently participated in the “Hands Off” rally. It was inspiring to be surrounded by others who fought for justice and who gathered that day to create a common voice. Almost every day I call my Congressional representatives and the leaders of the House and Senate using the 5calls.org app. These are two ways I work with the broader Community for social justice.

Moving to smaller communities, I am blessed to be a part of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids Sunday Assembly at Marywood. Worshiping with the sisters and members who attend has been a major step in my spiritual journey. This inclusive community with its sharp focus on social justice includes many courageous people who have walked the talk at the risk of punishment, even incarceration. They have inspired me to do the same.

Two groups that I am so grateful for formed during COVID. One I call our “Little Church,” and one I call “Anam Cara.” When Sunday Assembly could no longer meet in person, a group of us met via Zoom to pray and discuss how that Sunday’s reading affected us. Our Little Church grew very close, as people do with deep and meaningful conversation. We continue to meet regularly and have supported each other during times of celebration as well as times of illness and death. 

Anam Cara also formed during Covid. We are a small group of women who started meeting twice a month to share our spiritual journey. We also share what’s going on in our lives, what we are reading and events we might enjoy together. One of our group volunteers at In the Image, a no cost outlet for clothing, housewares, and furniture for people in need. We joined her as a volunteer team one day.

Being part of the Dominican Associates Community blends Community with the other pillars of Prayer, Study, and Service. When I attend meetings, I always discover new pearls of wisdom. It might be from a formal presentation, or it might be during small group sharing. At these meetings I meet Associates I didn’t know before, and I’m always amazed at how we connect at a meaningful level. An exciting thing that happened recently was how so many of us resonated with the presentation by three Aquinas graduates who want to establish a local Worker Home. Our enthusiasm to support this endeavor is emblematic of our desire to turn our Community, Prayer, and Study into Service.

When we moved to Grand Rapids in 2015, we did not know anyone but our daughter and her family. It was a stark contrast from our previous home where we were very involved and well known. Sometimes concepts are best described by their lack, and that feeling of isolation gave sharp contrast to being part of a community. Now we are blessed to once again be part of the gift that is Community.

About the Author: Elizabeth Meyette discerned and made her commitment to Dominican Associate Life with the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids in 2018. Earlier this year at a retreat for new Associates, she shared this reflection. She is a retired educator and an author of “a little mystery…a little history…a little romance” ranging from paranormal mystery to historical romance to children’s books. Her poetry has been featured in several literary journals. Her books are available at independent bookstores, Thrift Books, and Amazon. We are blessed by her presence. The opening quotation is from the book Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist

Sister Francis is the oldest Sister in the World

Amityville, NY — Sister Francis Dominici - a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville – turned 112 years old on Easter Sunday, 2025.   She is the oldest Religious Sister in the world.  She has served God as a Religious Sister for 94 years. 

Sister Francis has known many joys, but she is also no stranger to adversity.  When she was two years old, her left forearm was amputated.  Due to her disability, she was turned away from several other religious communities, before joining the Amityville Dominicans in 1931.   

As she told Catholic News Service, “Nobody has ever had to help me,” Piscatella said. “If anyone was helping somebody, it was I helping them. My mother made me completely independent. When I went to the convent, I had to prove to my superiors that there was nothing I couldn’t do.” 

She taught in many local elementary schools as well as serving 17 years in Dominican Commercial High School in Queens.  For 52 years, she worked at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, teaching and then serving in the Finance Office.  She retired at 84 years old.  She currently lives at the Motherhouse.  

“As a believer in the Paschal Mystery and a Sister of St. Dominic, what better way to celebrate your 112th birthday than to share in the joy of Easter,” said S. Peggy McVetty, Prioress of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville.  “Our Sister has outlived most presidents and popes, adapted to so much change, and never lost her joy!  Sister Francis Dominici has preached our Congregational goal to be a ‘sign of joy and hope’ for decades with more to go.”  

Noting that the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Dominic is more than 170 years old, Sister Peggy explained that Sister Francis has lived through more than half of their community’s history!  

“Sister Francis represents the living story of our Congregation,” Sister Peggy continued.  “We are humbled and blessed by her life of constant prayer, meaningful relationships, selfless giving, and tenacious spirit!”   

An article was published by Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) and written by Kurt Jensen with photos by Greg Shemitz. For the full article, go to https://www.osvnews.com/oldest-religious-sister-in-us-turns-112-her-presence-her-joy-is-real-says-prioress/.  

Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella had wonderful birthday parties with family and friends on Easter Sunday, as well as a party on Easter Monday with the Congregation (along with other April birthdays of sisters at the motherhouse).  She also received a visit from her friend Bishop Andrzej Jerzy Zglejszewski, an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. She also appeared on News 12, and has other media interviews planned. 

Click the link below to watch a Currents News interview with Sister Francis

https://netny.tv/episodes/currents/long-island-nun-is-now-the-oldest-in-the-world/

Fr. Brendan A. Curren, O.P., Featured in NBC Article: “Can Pope Leo XIV, Influence the Nations Immigration Debate?”

Fr. Brendan A. Curran, O.P., North American Dominican Co-Promoter for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation and a member of the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace, was recently featured in an NBC National News article titled “Can Pope Leo XIV Influence the Nation’s Immigration Debate?”

In the interview, Fr. Brendan reflected on the hopes of immigrants and Catholics in Chicago, expressing how Pope Leo XIV’s strong ties to both the U.S. and Latin America could position him to speak powerfully against policies that marginalize immigrant communities. His comments highlight the critical role of faith leaders in advocating for justice, dignity, and human rights.

Image Credit: NBC NEWS

Click here to read the full article

« Older Entries

Copyright ©2025 | Sponsored by the Dominican Sisters Conference | Contact Us

Dominican Life USA

A web crossroads for the Order of Preachers


Email Newsletter SignupRSS FEED