I want to focus, once again, on the new Domincan order which started about 9-10 years
ago in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan. I call it traditional, because these sisters wear traditional habits and their work is reminiscent of that done traditionally by sisters over the centuries. The youthfulness of this order is visible, as is their joy and enthusiasm whenever they are found at local events. Follow this post through to the bottom and you will see where they are spreading their wings. Is your town next?
Clicking the other pics will yield a larger photo. All of these pictures are taken from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist website.
As of August 29, 2006 the order has 15 new Postulants....
And, 19 Novices...
There are 30 temporarily professed sisters listed. You can read about each Novice and temp-professed sister, and see from where they come in search of such a religious life on the vocations page. As of August 28, the order reported a community of 70 - a real boom for one that is only 9 years old.
--->History of The Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
THEIR NEW CHAPEL
A new chapel was completed. There is no denying, or speculating, or wondering what faith they witness: It's......distinctly Catholic!
Below I post only a few out of the many photos they have of the dedication and construction. In this first photo, you see Bishop of Lansing, Michigan, Carl Mengeling consecrating the altar.
The choir sings during the ceremony and frosted glass is seen in the background.
Concelebrants present........ A careful eye will recognize Fr. Perrone, pastor of Assumption Grotto, off to the left.
BURSTING AT IT'S SEAMS, THIS DOMINICAN COMMUNITY OVERFLOWS ELSEWHERE
Now, what comes next is even better news. At the bottom of this post, I discussed how Mother Angelica's order had to send out 4 sisters to begin a new branch in the Phoenix, Arizona area, at the invitation of Bishop Thomas J. Olmstead. Like a healthy tree, a good order will sprout new branches. This is how the Holy Spirit prevents too much of a good thing from being isolated in one place (and prevents one monastery from turning people away).
Well, Bishop Olmstead recognizes a healthy tree and good things, so he invited some sisters from this traditional Dominican order in Ann Arbor to his town. They have answered the call and have moved in to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, where they will be teaching and working.
I shouldn't have to tell you that this will be a magnet for young girls to hear their calling in that area. I suspect this will not be the last of the branches that will sprout from this amazing order. It is a testimony that young people are interested in the full Catholic package of prayer and works, as opposed to just works, which has been the empahsis for the last 40 years in many dying communities. Some of these communities which have shifted their focus almost exclusively to social justice are lucky to find one new member every few years.
The Dominicans from Ann Arbor were not done spreading good things and extending branches...
On August 9, Fr. Andrew Bloomfield reported on his blog, that not only had sisters been sent to the Phoenix area, but four others were sent to one of my favorite places: Hilton Head South Carolina.
And, Deal Hudson, in an article entitled 1400 Percent Growth of Dominican Sisters, also points out that Bishop Baker had invited the sisters to South Carolina. They had been doing mission work there in the summers and it was very successful.
God Bless them on their journey - lets keep them in our prayers.
This, to me, is yet another sign that in another 20 years, we will see nuns in traditional habits working in parishes, and Catholic schools will make a strong comeback......God willing!
Oh, and one more thing about this order........ I've heard them singing in Latin and I believe they study the language - something to check out if you have a calling and treasure the language of the Church!