On February 2, we join the global Church in celebrating World Day for Consecrated Life—a time to honor and pray for those who have dedicated their lives to God through religious vows. Their witness of faith, service, and love is a beacon of hope in our world.

At a time when many long for reassurance and direction, consecrated women and men embody the promise that God’s love is steadfast, and His mission endures. Their lives remind us that hope is not merely a sentiment but a calling—one that invites us to trust in God’s providence and become instruments of His peace.

As part of this celebration, LCWR, in collaboration with CMSM, CMSWR, the US Association of Consecrated Virgins, and the US Conference of Secular Institutes, is hosting a virtual gathering on Sunday, February 2, at 3:30 PM PST | 4:30 PM MST | 5:30 PM CST | 6:30 PM EST. Sisters, friends, and all who support consecrated life are warmly invited to join.

📌 Registration is required to receive the event link. Sign up here:
Register Now

Let us come together in gratitude and prayer for all those living the consecrated life, asking God to renew in them the joy and hope of their vocation. May their faith inspire us all to live with greater trust and boldness in God’s plan.

Dear Sisters and Associates,

 

As the UN NGO moves under the Dominican Sisters International Confederation I want to share with you the new email for the office.

 

The new email is: dsic.ngo@curia.op.org

 

Please feel free to contact me for any information regarding the UN. It will be important to stay in touch and for you to share information with me what is happening here in the U.S. that you believe would be important to share with sisters worldwide.

 

In March five sisters from around the Dominican world will attend the Commission on the Status of Women. I’m delighted that they are coming. We will be housed at the apartment where I live on the upper East Side. The commute will be easier and more relaxed.

 

The sisters coming to the Commission are:

 

Sister Linda Christine Korie Nkechi, OP

Yaoundé Cameroon

Sister Patricia Dougherty, OP

San Francisco, CA

Sister Carmen Rosa Quispe Parillo

Peru

Sister Monica Marco, OP

Dominican Sister from Spain

Sister Genevieve Lazaro

Dominican Sister of Philippines

I’m so looking forward to welcoming them to this wonderful gathering of global women.

Please pray for them while they are here March 8-22^nd.

 

With gratitude and in peace

Sr. Dusty Farnan

Statement Article and Images shared from Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois.

 

Among the congregations of Catholic sisters and brothers in Illinois whose members participate in Sisters and Brothers of Immigrants (SBI) is the Domincan Sisters of Springfield, who support this statement of solidarity with immigrants published by SBI on December 19, 2024.

 

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY

 

In accord with Catholic Social Teaching, we believe that each person has an inherent dignity and is made in the image of God.

The present situation around the globe is such that people are forced to leave their homelands to escape violence, hunger, discrimination, and even death. The political unrest, uncertainty, physical and emotional suffering and fear, brought thousands through treacherous journeys to our shores where the promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is the hope they were reaching for, and expecting to find.

For sisters and associates who are interested in obtaining a gently used copy of Dominican Praise, this beautifully crafted book serves as a treasured resource for prayer and reflection. It includes morning and evening prayer, psalms, hymns, and readings that deepen one’s connection to the Dominican spiritual tradition.

There is no charge for the books. If sisters wish to make a donation to help with mailing costs, they are welcome to do so, but our main goal is simply to place these books in the hands of those who want and appreciate them.

To request a copy, please contact Sister Pat Leonard from the Adrian Dominican Sisters  in one of the following ways:

 

📞 Phone: 517-266-3575
📧 Email: Pleonard@adriandominicans.org
📬 Mail:
Sister Pat Leonard
1257 E. Siena Heights Dr.
Adrian, MI 49221

 

We hope this book enriches your spiritual journey and daily prayer life.

Discover the New Website for Dominican Veritas Ministries!

We’re excited to share that Dominican Veritas Ministries has launched a brand-new website! This dynamic platform reflects their commitment to the Dominican mission of truth, service, and education.

Here are just a few highlights from their new website:

• Mission and Vision: Explore their guiding principles and the powerful ways they carry out the Dominican charism in today’s world.
• Educational Ministries: Learn about their network of schools and the incredible work being done to nurture students in faith, knowledge, and service.
• Ways to Get Involved: Discover how you can partner in mission with Dominican Veritas Ministries and support their impactful initiatives.

We invite you to visit their website, get inspired by their mission, and explore opportunities to collaborate in the shared mission of the Dominican Sisters Conference.

Check it out today: https://dvmop.org

New Dominican Collaboration: Priestly Fraternities

By Fr. Michael Monshau, O.P. (Chicago)

Although the word “collaboration” is written in indelible ink in the Dominican lexicon, periodically it becomes necessary to breathe fresh meaning into it. The Church is quite familiar with Dominican collaboration. Perhaps the most enduring memory of Dominican collaboration was found in the remarkable collaborative parish structure of the Twentieth Century, with friars maintaining the Holy Preaching attendant to the church while the Holy Preaching of the Sisters was grounded in the parish school, neither entirely distinct from the other. In some cases, the Dominican laity were part of such a parish, and occasionally a monastery of cloistered nuns took the parish into their prayerful embrace as well, and there you had it: Dominican collaboration.

Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, the Director of the Vatican Observatory, visits Adrian in March to offer a program titled A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars and for an evening reception and short presentation.

 

A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars is from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Weber Retreat and Conference Center. The cost for the program, which is in person and livestreamed, is $35. Registration is required. The reception – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the same day at Weber Center – is free and open to the public. The evening will include soft drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and a half-hour presentation.

 

Jesuit spirituality is centered on “finding God in all things,” represented by the universe itself. In this program, Brother Guy describes how we find God in the joy we experience in observing the sky. Brother Guy, a native of Detroit, earned degrees in Planetary Science from MIT and the University of Arizona, was a research fellow at Harvard and MIT, and served in Kenya with the U.S. Peace Corps. He taught university physics before entering the Jesuits in 1989 and has served at the Vatican Observatory since 1993. Pope Francis appointed him Director of the Vatican Observatory in 2015.

 

To register for the afternoon program, visit www.webercenter.org and click on “programs,” call 517-266-4000, or email webercenter@adriandominicans.org. Limited scholarships are available.

 

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. On East Siena Heights Drive, turn into the driveway between Adrian Rea Literacy Center and the solar panel-covered carport. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

Dominican Center Marywood 
Visit https://www.grdominicans.org/transformative-programs-retreats/ for a full listing of retreats and events. 

 

Dreams and the Spiritual Life (In-Person)

Friday, Feb 21 • 6:00 – 8:30 pm & Saturday, February 22 • 5:00 – 8:00 pm

Join this exploration and develop an understanding for working with dreams, your own, but also as a listener to dreams of others. We will discuss and define what dreams are, but more importantly we will experience the potent ways they can shape our spiritual lives. Many spiritual traditions place great value on dreams. The Biblical tradition, for example, is filled with dreams and dreamers. The saints and mystics from many traditions report dreams and visions that in turn shaped the contemplative and spiritual traditions. In the modern world, we have lost this way of listening deeply to the Soul, to the Divine, and we often resist the hidden chambers that dreams reveal. Dreams are often filled with images and scenes which are not really within the realm of our ego’s control, our egoic plans, or even what we think is really going on. They speak from the side if we know how to listen. This is a great opportunity for Spiritual Directors, Pastoral Care and Health Care professionals who come alongside others to listen and support their spiritual journeys. 

Details & Registration: https://www.grdominicans.org/program-retreat/dreams-and-the-spiritual-life/

 

Opening Our Hearts to God’s Presence Retreat (In-Person)

Friday, Feb 28 • 6:30 – 9:00 pm & Saturday, March 1 • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Awaken to the abiding peace and joy found in Christ—no matter the circumstances. Together, we will immerse ourselves in the present moment, learning to distinguish between the chatter of the mind and the sensations that bind the body. Open to the boundless spaciousness of God’s presence, uniquely revealed within you. Engage in contemplative therapeutic practices designed to help you attune to and cultivate God’s divine qualities of love, peace, and joy. Gather with a community of like-minded individuals to learn tools from evidenced based mental health practices and hold space for God’s peace in all situations, drawing strength from His presence. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://www.grdominicans.org/program-retreat/opening-our-hearts-to-gods-presence/

 

Skill Series for Spiritual Directors (Online)

Mondays: Mar 3, Mar 17, Mar 31 • 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Spiritual Directors are invited to learn in community about three common areas of challenge in the spiritual direction relationship: anger, depression and the dark night of the soul, and boredom. In each, we will consider how these states and emotions manifest in directees and in ourselves, growing our awareness and ability to navigate them with the Spirit. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://www.grdominicans.org/program-retreat/sd-skill-series/