Dominican Life 
USA
A web crossroads for the Order of Preachers
Grand Rapids Dominican Sister Chela Gonzalez, OP, was a cheerful and welcoming presence at this year’s Religious Education Congress in Los Angeles, California. A day earlier, she attended the 15th annual Idaho Catholic Youth Convention in Boise, Idaho, which has grown in attendance from 300 to 1,650 high school students and chaperones. Sister Chela is the director of catechesis for the diocese.
By Sister Gina Fleming, OP
In March, 23 students from St. Agnes Academic High School, College Point; St. Frances de Chantel Parish, Wantagh; St. Rafael’s Parish, East Meadow; and St. John the Baptist High School, West Islip, came to St. John the Baptist High School to begin a weekend of prayer, study, and the forming of community. These students were the latest group who attended one of our youth preaching workshops. They learned how to bring to life their baptismal call to “preach the Good News” by using the gifts and talents that have been given to them by our loving God.
Due to the snow storm on Friday night, we began the weekend on Saturday morning at the Amityville Dominicans’ motherhouse. The participants enjoy the presentations on preaching through drama, art, music, and dance. They also have an opportunity to meet our retired sisters for an ice cream social on Saturday afternoon. This is a fun event for all who participate. These young people are seeking any opportunity to come closer to God. One need only listen to their re flections during our prayer times to hear the hunger in their hearts for rela tionship to the Divine! How blessed are we to be able to provide a venue to foster and ignite that relationship.
The weekends are completed with the Sunday liturgy at the motherhouse. The students use what they have learned during the weekend to be lectors, dancers, leaders of song, musicians and leaders of intercessory prayers. They take a very active role in the liturgy that morning. Following the mass, the students and their parents are invited to join us for lunch in our dining room, a wonderful finish to the weekend.
The participants continue to find the weekends very spiritual, prayerful and a great deal of fun. Most im portantly, many stay connected to us after experiencing the weekend. Some return as youth mentors and have the opportunity to lead a new group of young preachers, and some have volunteered at the motherhouse as part of their service requirements at school. Many of these same young people will attend this year’s National High School Preaching Conference in Michigan. However they choose to stay connected, we are grateful for their presence among us.
I am forever grateful for the continued presence and assistance with these weekends by Sisters Barbara Schwarz and Bernadette DeMayo as well as our former youth preacher Jessica Abejar, who has recently taken over the liturgical dance presentation. I am also grateful for the willingness of our sisters who reside in the motherhouse to come and join us for some quality time. I am sure that all would agree that these programs have been a blessing to the participants, and also to the congregation-at-large in whose name the programs continue.
If any group is interested in participating in these weekends, please email me. All high school age students are welcome.
Sister Gina Fleming, OP (Amityville) is director of the Dominican Youth Movement USA, Dominican Young Adults USA, and the National College Preaching Conference.
800th Anniversary of Dominican Order
The Sinsinawa Dominicans are honoring the 800th anniversary of the Dominican Order in 2016 by making available brochures that describe Dominican values, foundations, and charisms as well as ways to practice Dominic’s way. View brochures
Southern Province
Fr. Armando P. Ibáñez, OP (St. Martin de Porres), writer-producer-director, received two IndieFEST film awards—Award of Excellence and Award of Merit Special Mention—for his documentary, “South Texas Gentle Men of Steel – Los Padres.” Fr. Armando, a native of San Diego, Texas, is president of Pluma Pictures, Inc., which produced the film. He is also director and assistant professor of Radio-Television-Film (RTF) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
The film is a tribute to the last two Spanish Dominican friars—Fr. Benito Retortillo, OP, and Epifanio “Epi” Rodriguez, OP, who left San Diego, Texas, and returned to their homes in Spain last year, ending an 82-year presence of Spanish Dominican friars in central South Texas. The film is also about the great impact Dominican friars had on the lives of many Mexican Americans in South Texas, who struggled against poverty and discrimination.
“The film represents a chapter of the ongoing universal story of people grappling to understand and accept each other as equals,” says Fr. Armando. “It is a chapter that traces its roots to the Spanish Conquista—a wrestling match of greed and brutality against equality and salvation. It is part of the universal story that began with Cain slaying his brother Abel.”
Another San Diego, Texas, native, Emmy Award nominee Joe O. Barrera, is the documentary’s music composer and supervisor. In addition, award-winning editor, special effects and animator, Todd Schmidt, is the documentary’s co-producer. Neil de la Peña ia director of photography, and Alan Jouet is audio engineer.
Pluma Pictures, Inc., board of directors includes Dr. Thomas M. Hedberg, vice president, Fr. Christopher Renz, OP; Secretary, Ned Greene, Treasurer, Fr. Bruce Schultz, OP, Dr. James Moises, Laurie Scheer, Michael Paz, and Dr. Erlinda Grey.
The IndieFEST Film Awards recognizes film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. Information about the IndieFEST and a list of recent winners can be found at www.theindiefest.com.
Fr. Gregory Heille, OP, professor of homiletics and academic dean at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, has published “The Preaching of Pope Francis: Missionary Discipleship and the Ministry of the Word.” The book is described as “an inspiring and practical resource for priests, deacons, and anyone involved in the ministry of preaching. [Fr. Gregory] shares the pope’’s vision and example for the preparation and delivery of effective and engaging homilies and for laity invested in the church’s ministry of the Word in a post-Vatican II pastoral context.” The book is available through Liturgical Press.
USA
A web crossroads for the Order of Preachers
