Blog by Sr. Pat Dual, OP[/caption]
Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to share in the new beginning for our Dominican Novices at the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate (CDN) in St. Louis, MO. This year the CDN community welcomed Sr. Phuong Vu (Dominican Sisters of Peace), Sr. Maria Kieu (Mission San Jose) and Sr. Rolande (Maryknoll). I was grateful to be able to share this sacred time as each Novice started this new beginning in their journey of becoming Dominican!
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L-R: Sisters Kieu (Mission San Jose), Phuong (Dominican Sisters of Peace) and Rolande (Maryknoll)[/caption] New Co- directors, Sisters Cathy Arnold, OP (Peace) and Lorraine Reaume, OP (Adrian) led us in a prayer ritual that was filled with meaning and symbolism for our new CDN community. Each Novice was asked to bring a small bag of soil from the grounds of their Motherhouse. During the ritual they would each mingle their soil together and plant three different plants (symbolic of their particular Congregation) into one large planter to form together a living symbol of this new beginning for the present CDN community. To conclude the ritual, the three Formation Ministers for the Novices watered this new living symbol. As I participated in this part of the ritual, the watering of the plants symbolized, for me, each Congregation’s willingness to provide nourishing support and love for this grace-filled new beginning for our combined futures. [caption id="attachment_6711" align="alignright" width="300"]
Mingling the soil of our Motherhouses[/caption]
In sharing a few pictures from this inspiring moment, I hope that you, too, will experience some of the grace and hope that I felt in being part of this new beginning. I was grateful to witness the continued growth of our Dominican family through these faith-filled women. Please remember them all this year in your prayers.
Perhaps God is inviting you to consider a “new beginning” as a religious Sister? Consider attending our next “Come and See” Retreat on September 7-9, in St. Catharine, KY. See our flyer for more details. You may also call our Vocation minister for more information about discernment and religious life.
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