Feast of Saint Dominic
Dominican congregations, groups celebrate feast day

Dominicans around the world celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers, on Monday, Aug. 8. Photos from different events, links to more information about Saint Dominic, and a reflection by Sister Margaret Ormond, OP (Peace) are featured here. Read more

Adrian Dominicans
Feast days bring celebrations of reception, professions

Sister Patricia M. Magee, OP, celebrated her Profession of Perpetual Vows as an Adrian Dominican Sister and a member of the Order of Preachers during a special liturgy marking the Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene July 24 at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Brighton, Michigan. Read more On Aug. 8, the Feast Day of St. Dominic, the sisters celebrated with a bilingual liturgy the first profession of vows of Sister Xiomara and the reception into the novitiate of Sister Joaquina. Read more

Houston Dominicans
Summer camp for girls is in its ninth year

“At the heart of all ministry, what is most important is relationship…” Sister Wanda Jinks, OP (Houston) writes about the annual summer camp the Dominican Sisters of Houston sponsor for young girls ages 10 to 14 at Circle Lake “in the piney woods of east Texas.” Sister Thomas Anne LaCour, OP, is camp director, and St. Pius X High School students serve as camp counselors. Read more

Sparkill Dominicans
Falling Waters Preserve opens to public

On July 24, about 100 members of the public joined representatives of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, Town of Saugerties and Esopus Creek Conservancy (ECC) and Scenic Hudson at a ribbon cutting to mark the opening of Falling Waters Preserve. Scenic Hudson reached an agreement with the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill to conserve the property and permit public access for five years. Read more

Dominican Sisters Conference
New communications/technology resource person appointed

Sister Aneesah McNamee, OP (Adrian) has been hired as communications/technology resource person for the Dominican Sisters Conference (DSC). Sister Mary Sue Kennedy, OP (Adrian), executive director of the DSC, extends a welcome to Sister Aneesah and expresses gratitude to Dana Brantley, outgoing communications/technology resource person. Read more

Friars in the News
Bishop Chris Cardone ministers in Solomon Islands

A Long Island, New York, native, Chris Cardone, OP, has ministered in the Solomon Islands for 25 years and is currently the bishop of Auki, one of three dioceses there. Bishop Cardone was featured in a recent article in the Long Island Catholic, titled “Long Island native finds missionary calling in South Pacific.” Read article

UN Briefing
Examining the request for statehood for Palestine

In 1975, the United Nations General Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People … At a recent meeting of this committee, Mr. Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer for Palestine at the United Nations, addressed Palestine’s completion of a two-year state-building program, and its determination to move forward with its request for recognition as the 194th Member State in the United Nations when the General Assembly opens in September. Read article by Sister Margaret Mayce, OP.

UN Report
Publication highlights 10 years of Dominican presence at UN

Fr. Philippe LeBlanc, OP, of the Dominican Friars of Toronto, has published a two-volume report titled “A Decade of Dominican Presence at the United Nations in Geneva: 1996–2006.” The work of the Dominican delegations was focused on raising awareness of human rights violations “in countries where our brothers and sisters were involved in the struggle for justice.” Read more

Obituary
Sister Jackie Hudson a fierce advocate for disarmament

Sister Jacqueline Marie Hudson, OP (formerly Sister Mary Venard) of Poulsbo, Washington, died Aug. 3. She was 76 years old and a Dominican Sister of Grand Rapids for 58 years. A memorial service for Sister Jackie will be held at Ground Zero Center in Poulsbo on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 1:30 p.m. Read more

Faith and Film
Harry Potter, The Help

Deathly Hallows II has been the best reviewed film of the series, opening to unanimous acclaim. However, I found it a little disappointing. This final episode is so dark that it seems to have lost its charm. Based on the best selling novel by Kathryn Stockett, The Help is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Photo of the Week

From Dominican Daily Aug. 8: “Thirteen men received the habit of the Order of Preachers today, the feast of St. Dominic, beginning their year-long canonical novitiate. Please keep them in your prayers.” Read more about the novices on the Dominican Province of St. Joseph web site.

Previous updates:

The next Dominican Life | USA update will be published on Wednesday, August 24. Deadline for submission of articles/photos is Friday, August 19.