Update | December 22, 2021

Photo of the Week: Dominican College Scholarship Students Present Final Reflections

In early December, Dominican College’s Service and Leadership Scholarship students presented their final reflections on what they learned while working at the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York’s Motherhouse during the Fall semester. It was truly touching to hear how sisters in the St. Martin de Porres Community impacted the lives of Gee and Darlenys, as well as how much the sisters enjoyed seeing them each week. Both Gee and Darlenys will be back next semester again to work with the sisters. Pictured with Sisters Mary Flood, Mary Ann Collins, Kathleen Sullivan, Barbara McEneany, and Mary Eileen O'Brien are Kerrin Kissel, Gee, Darlynes, and Brian Fernandes, and Dana McStowe from Dominican College.

Sister Gerardine Mueller's Christmas Book Published
For Sister Gerardine Mueller, OP, a 100-year-old Dominican Sister of Caldwell, what began as a simple postcard sent at Christmas in 1979 has evolved into a tradition celebrating art as a form of preaching. Best known for her calligraphy, illuminations, and stained glass windows, Sister Gerardine’s major artworks can be found in museums, college and university campuses, churches and chapels, and private collections. On the origin of her postcard idea, Sister Gerardine reflects that she “thought a card’s simple message would be visible not only to my friends but also to all the strangers—postal workers, delivery people, haphazard onlookers—who enabled the card’s journey to its final destination.”

This year, in honor of Sister Gerardine’s milestone birthday, the congregation has published A Blessed Christmas: A Collection of Postcards, now available for a $50.00 donation. She writes that this compilation of card designs expresses “cumulatively God’s perennial Christmas wish for the world: May My Word become flesh and live among you.”

Advent Dinner
In early December, both Sisters and Associates of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, gathered together for a festive Advent dinner at the Motherhouse. Pictured are Associates Mary Lou Cull, Maureen O'Dwyer Zeiss, Ellen Nash, Linda Rutter, Sisters Lauria Fitzgerald, Didi Madden, and Ellenrita Purcaro.

Religion Teacher Travels the Road of Discernment and Discovers God’s Gifts
On September 18, 2021, at the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, LA, Claire Gallagher was consecrated to a “Life of Virginity Lived in the World.” It is one of the oldest sacramental customs of the Catholic Church, dating back to apostolic times. Ms. Gallagher, who teaches religion at St. Mary’s Dominican High School, her alma mater and a founded ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, offers a prayer that all come to realize their vocational call - “when we begin preparing…our hearts are ready to receive God’s gifts.”

Dominican Center at Marywood Relocating to Aquinas College
Dominican Center at Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, is moving west down the street from the Marywood Campus to the Aquinas College campus. "Come January 3, 2022, Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College will open in what historically was the Bukowski Pastoral Center,” said Prioress Sandra Delgado, OP. “This building has been re-formed to house ministry offices, space for programs and retreat experiences, community gatherings, and prayer.”

“We are excited to walk beside Aquinas College — a sister ministry founded by the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids. May this new space on campus offer new dimensions in the intersection of study, prayer, community, and service to the Aquinas community of students, staff, and faculty, and with other partners and friends,” said Sister Delgado.

800th Jubilee Reflection
The Dominican Family is celebrating the 800th anniversary of the death of Our Holy Father St. Dominic during a jubilee year starting on the 6th of January 2021 until the 6th of January 2022. We, the Dominican Sisters Conference/DomLife, are joining with OPWest Dominican Congregations in celebration by offering you monthly reflections on the Theme "At Table with St. Dominic," which is inspired by the Mascarella table, the table on which the first portrait of St. Dominic was painted shortly after his canonization. Fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner, OP shared: “We will celebrate St. Dominic not as a saint alone on a pedestal, but a saint enjoying table fellowship with his brothers, gathered by the same vocation to preach God’s Word and sharing God’s gift of food and drink." This month's reflection is by Maria Teresa Montes-Lara, OP, San Rafael Dominican.

Hearts Afire Podcast
Watch or listen to the latest episode of the Hearts Afire Podcast hosted by the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, NY! In this episode, our featured guest Sr. Liz Engel, OP, reflects her lifelong ministry at Downey Side Adoption Services. To watch, listen, or subscribe, click on one of the below links:

To read some of Sr. Liz's remarks, click here.

For a young person, spending their time in their late teens and early twenties will often provide them with a path to a blossoming career and desired adult life. For Maria Bohan, choosing to spend her “pivotal years” working at the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, helped her “development as a young professional.” During a recent episode of the Hearts Afire Podcast, Maria discussed her experience working at the Motherhouse.

Sister Spotlight: Sister Ann Martin Kelly, Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville

In November, the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Brooklyn, NY, celebrated the 90th birthday of Amityville Dominican Sister Ann Martin Kelly by naming the sacristy of the churchafter her to honor her 50-year service to the parish as a teacher and most recently as a sacristan. Over the years, Sr. Ann has served in various parishes including: St. Pius in Jamaica, St. Catherine in St. Albans, St. Hugh of Lincoln in Huntington Station and then back to St. Pius.

Below are breif descriptions for upcoming events and retreats. For more information on all events, click here.

The Beauty of Liturgical Design: Holy Fabrics

January 12 - February 9

Sinsinawa Art Gallery presents “The Beauty of Liturgical Design: Holy Fabrics,” featuring original designs and handmade liturgical vestments and other items by Dominican Sisters Felix Plouf, OP (1888-1979), and Angelique Sabourin, OP (1867-1957). Designs celebrate our Dominican heritage through the symbols of the Order and images of the holy men and women and scenes from the life of St. Dominic.

No Unsacred Places: Berry, Levertov, and Merton
Tuesday, January 11 or Saturday, January 15

In 1967, three of the most important ecological writer-activists of the 20th century met as friends on the grounds of the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky: farmer Wendell Berry, poet Denise Levertov (1923-1997), and monk Thomas Merton (1916-1968). Bringing attention to the writers’ works today, Ecological Programming Coordinator Eric Anglada will lead participants in contemplatively exploring the intertwining lives of the three writers with specific attention to their engagement with the land.