July 1, 2018

Faith and Film: First Reformed

Movie Review by Fr. Tom Condon, O.P.

First Reformed is the story of Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) who pastors at a small church in upstate New York. First Reformed Church dates from the time of the Revolutionary War and is about to celebrate its 250^th Anniversary. For the time being, its ministry is supported by a small gift shop, the occasional tourist, and mainly by a large, neighboring mega-church called Abundant Life, pastored by Rev. Joel Jeffers (Cedric the Entertainer).

One Sunday morning after conducting his service for a small congregation, Toller is approached by a young congregant named Mary (Amanda Seyfried). Mary confides in Toller that she is pregnant. She asks Toller if he would talk to her husband Michael, a radical environmentalist who seems depressed and is not excited about her pregnancy. Reluctantly, Toller agrees. Toller finds out that Michael has been arrested several times for protesting at environmental sites. Michael asks Toller if God will forgive people for what they have done to his creation; Toller says he doesn’t know. Toller and Michael agree to meet again and talk further.
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June 18, 2018

Photo of the Week: ‘Dominican Sisters of Peace Stand with Immigrants’

Dominican Sisters of Peace Shawn Fitzpatrick, OP, staff member Gaye Reissland, and Sister Barb Kane, OP, at the “Families belong Together” rally in Columbus, OH, on June 14, 2018.

“On June 14, 2018, people of faith throughout Ohio took part in rallies to bring attention to the issue of family separation enacted by the Trump administration. The event, titled ‘Familias unidas no dividas’ (Families belong together), was part of a national day of action to protest the administration’s policy of separating children and their parents at the southern border of the country […]” Read more

June 18, 2018

Dominican Sisters of Springfield: New Director of Jubilee Farm

Sister Rose Marie Riley, OP is the new director for the Dominican Sisters of Springfield’s eco-spirituality center, Jubilee Farm. Sister Rose Marie will begin here new role as director of Jubilee Farm in August. Read article

June 18, 2018

‘Dominican Sisters of Sparkill and Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine Formally Enter Covenant Relationship’

Sisters Mary Murray, OP (left) and Veronica Mendez, RCD (right) signing the Covenant Relationship documentation on June 7, 2018.

SPARKILL, NY, June 7, 2018 – Two congregations of women religious based in Rockland County, NY, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill and the Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine, formally entered into a Covenant Relationship today. This Relationship is a commitment and a promise between the two religious institutes to face the future together, as one institute completes its journey and the other assists in that completion. In planning for their future, the members of the Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine determined that due to their demographics they needed assistance with governance and the management of the day-to-day and future affairs of their members and ministries. In a process that began years ago, the Sisters sought out a partner congregation to work with them in these areas of leadership and administration. The Christian Doctrine and Sparkill Congregations were a strong fit for this relationship, each with a similar founding mission (to work with immigrants, particularly women and children, in New York City) and being located close to each other with many of their Sisters having known each other and worked together over the years.

June 18, 2018

Dominican Sisters of Sparkill Celebrate Commitment of Associates in St. Louis, MO

On May 6, 2018, the Sparkill Dominican Community gathered to celebrate the congregation’s Foundation Day, as well as to celebrate the commitment of three Associates. Dominican Associates Margaret Bush and Colleen Calhoun renewed their commitments for fives years, and new associate Gwen Tresch made her first commitment to the congregation. Read article