Photo of the Week

Maryknoll On the Hill Approximately 80 individuals, including priests, brothers, sisters and laypeople joined the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic for this lobbying event on Capitol Hill, which included a briefing at the White House Conference Center on global issues of importance to Maryknollers, including women’s issues, immigration, the environment, and AIDS. Participants then met with their U.S. Congressional representatives and Senators to express Maryknoll’s concerns for poor and marginalized individuals, for immigration concerns, AIDS, and gaining increased support for economic endeavors that are also ecologically friendly in developing nations. The Maryknoll Sisters are celebrating their centennial this year. For a complete listing of centennial events, click here.

Springfield Dominicans
Sisters celebrate associate commitments May 20

In a Eucharistic celebration May 20 at Sacred Heart Chapel in Springfield, Illinois, 22 candidates formalized their relationship with the Dominican Family by making a public commitment to witness Gospel values as Dominican Associates. In doing so, they join more than 300 women and men in the United States and Peru who accompany the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois on a life-long journey of prayer, study and preaching. Read more

Adrian Dominicans
Sister from Iraq gives CTU commencement address

Sister Diana Momeka, OP, of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, of Mosul, Iraq, was chosen by her classmates at Chicago Theological Union (CTU) to give the graduate commencement address during the May 17 commencement ceremony, held in K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple, the oldest Jewish temple in Chicago. Sister Diana earned a Doctor of Ministry degree. Read more

UN Briefing
World Environment Day is June 5

Tuesday, June 5 marks the annual commemoration of World Environment Day. This is one of the primary ways in which the United Nations fosters worldwide awareness of the state of our environment, in the hope of enhancing political attention and action. Read article by Margaret Mayce, OP

Ordination
Meet Dominican friars who are preparing to become priests

Five brothers from the Dominican Province of St. Joseph are preparing for ordination to priesthood. Jerome Augustine Zeiler, OP; Jordan Joseph Schmidt, OP; Augustine Marie Reisenauer, OP; Michael Dominic O’Connor, OP; and Justin Marie Brophy, OP will be ordained in a Mass at historic Saint Dominic’s Church in Washington, D.C. Read more

DVUSA
Volunteers honor Sister Pat Howell with Mission Award

The board and staff of Dominican Volunteers USA recognized Sister Pat Howell, OP (Blauvelt) at its first annual Benefit and Silent Auction with a presentation of the second annual DVUSA Mission Award. Sister Pat Howell was an instrumental part of the planning process that made Dominican Volunteers USA a national collaboration of the 18 congregations/provinces of the Dominican Family. Read article by Michael Chapuran

Dominican Sisters of Peace
Sister Mary Vuong makes perpetual profession May 26

On Saturday, May 26, Sister Mary Vuong, OP, made her Perpetual Profession of Vows as a Dominican Sister of Peace at the Great Bend, Kansas, motherhouse. Sister Mary's friend Fr. Anthony Nguyen, a diocesan priest from Jackson, Mississippi, presided at the Mass. It was the vigil Mass of Pentecost, commemorating when Jesus' disciples were given the Holy Spirit and sent out to preach the Gospel, which proved the perfect theme for Sister Mary's profession weekend. Read more

Sinsinawa Dominicans
Sister honored for 42 years of service at technical college

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (SWTC) Basic Education Instructor Sister Dorothy Hughes, OP, received a standing ovation from SWTC staff as she was honored for 42 years of service to the college and southwest Wisconsin. Dorothy began teaching community outreach programs including sewing and foods in 1970 and has since taught basic education and High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)/General Education Diploma (GED) test preparation at the SWTC outreach site at Sinsinawa Mound. Read more

Dominican Sisters Conference
2012 May Gift Sharing Raffle: Winners announced

The raffle drawings have officially begun! This month, great gifts donated by Dominicans will be given away daily. Proceeds support the mission of the Dominican Sisters Conference. List of winners (updated weekly)

Coming Events
Learn more about summer programs, retreats

Visit DomLife’s Coming Events page for the latest schedule of summer retreats, programs, and educational opportunities. We have been making regular updates to this page, so please check back. If you know of an event and would like to see it published, please send the information to editor@domlife.org.

Dominican Sisters Conference
Registration, Market Place

Register now for the first annual Dominican Sisters Conference (DSC) Convocation Oct. 4–7 at the Westin Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois! Speakers Timothy Radcliffe, OP and Judi Neal will address the theme “Edge Walkers: Unfolding the Fertile Unknown.” The convocation will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, and will close Sunday, Oct. 7 at noon. To download registration materials (PDF 1.6 MB), click on the graphic or click here.

The Market Place is an opportunity for promoters of preaching, justice, young adult groups, eco-farmers, artists, bakers, booksellers and other special groups or vendors to promote their programs, products or services. Download Market Place application form (MS Word document). Download Market Place flyer (PDF)

Faith and Film
The Avengers

If you pay any attention to entertainment news, you’ve no doubt heard that the opening weekend of the latest comic book movie, “The Avengers,” was the highest grossing weekend in movie history. In its first two weeks, “The Avengers” has made over $300 million dollars. After seeing the film, its huge success seems a sad commentary on the state of movies today. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Previous updates:

The next Dominican Life | USA update will be published on Wednesday, June 13. Deadline for submission of articles/photos is Friday, June 8.