by Megan McElroy, OP and Gloria Marie Jones, OP
A Message from Sr. Megan McElroy, OP
“When I think of St. Dominic, I imagine he had a huge capacity for being a friend to anyone he met,” says Megan McElroy, OP. “As he modeled for his followers, we Dominicans of today are called to befriend one another and the world widely. In a section of the Dominican Charism Initiative: The Formation of the Preacher, I discuss a number of ways that we can do just that. Here is an excerpt of the third way that I hope will inspire curiosity about the rest of this exciting initiative:
Whether vowed members of the Order, Associates, partners in ministry, Dominican youth, or volunteers, we are daughters and sons of Dominic, sisters and brothers to one another. As such, our formation as preachers invites us to do a whole lot of befriending. One of the ways is that we are called to befriend the Word of God.
We are preachers of God’s saving Word.
The Scriptures form the core of our lives as Dominicans in that we pray them in our celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours and in our celebration of the Eucharist.
We are also called to spend time with the Word, the Scriptures, to await a word that God has for us every day.
In his encyclical, The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis has said, “The best incentive for sharing the Gospel comes from contemplating it with love, lingering over its pages and reading it with the heart. If we approach it in this way, its beauty will amaze and constantly excite us.” (EG, 264.)
About the Dominican Charism Initiative
by Gloria Marie Jones, OP for Dominican Life USA
How do we pass on the Dominican charism at this crucial moment in our history?
How do we create new, relevant expressions of the Dominican charism to ensure its ongoing vitality through the formation of present and future generations of sisters and lay partners?
These questions drove the work of the Dominican Charism Initiative at its inception. Dominican sisters, friars, nuns, laity, associates and members of the Dominican Youth Movement from around the globe have contributed to making this initiative come to life.
This initiative provides an online web-based learning platform for the Dominican Charism. It offers the opportunity for all members of the Dominican family and lay partners to learn the foundational elements of Dominican life and mission.
Through a variety of presentations and reflection questions, each of the eight different modules will offer instruction that will deepen your understanding of and excitement for being Dominican.
If you are interested in learning more about this resource, please contact Lisa Mitchell, Director, Associate Life.
