Innovative change ensures future vitality of Dominican Catholic schools
Columbus, OH – The Dominican Sisters of Peace are the successors of the first Dominican Sisters established in 1822 as educators on the Kentucky frontier. At the time, they were innovators – part of a small group of women religious who were helping educate the youth of a new nation.
Today, the Dominican Sisters of Peace are innovating again, as the Congregation transfers four of its schools to Dominican Veritas Ministries (DVM), a canonical entity recognized by the Vatican to oversee Dominican educational ministries. This change will affect Our Lady of the Elms in Akron, OH; Dominican Academy (New York); St. Agnes Academy/St. Dominic School (Memphis TN), and St. Mary’s Dominican High School (New Orleans).
For more than 160 years, the Dominican Sisters have encouraged and ensured these schools' Catholic and Dominican identity. Dominican Veritas Ministries now will be responsible for the spiritual formation, financial stewardship, and effective governance of these four founded schools and nine other Dominican schools across the United States, for a total of 13 schools.
The Dominican Sisters of Peace are making this change to ensure the continuing influence of Catholic education in the Dominican tradition, promoting the Dominican hallmarks of prayer, study, community, and service for the academic communities served by these schools in Akron, Manhattan, Memphis and New Orleans. The schools' quality academic and extracurricular offerings will not change. Local school boards will continue to manage the mission, educational programs, property, business, and secular affairs of the schools as they now work directly with the DVM staff and trustees.
The transfer to DVM was affirmed by the Archbishop or Bishop in each diocese and by the Vatican. Recognizing the Archbishop/Bishop’s responsibility for Catholic education in the Diocese, each school will continue to maintain a relationship of mutual trust, close cooperation, and ongoing dialogue in the years ahead.
Sr. Pat Twohill, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, is excited for the change. “We now have a bigger brain trust for the schools’ governance and the schools’ commitment to their Catholic identity. As we continue to focus on the future, this new arrangement helps ensure solid theological and spiritual formation. We believe that this is a positive move for the long-term health of the schools, the families, and communities that they serve and for their ability to continue to offer the riches of Catholic education. By actively taking part in this change, we continue to innovate to ensure our values remain strong long into the future,” Twohill concluded.
Dominican Veritas Ministries was founded in 2022 to oversee US Dominican ministries. The organization is an entity recognized by the Church in the same way as a corporation is recognized by civil law. DVM’s founders include the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Houston, Peace, Sinsinawa, and Springfield, all Congregations that established Dominican, Catholic schools.
With the addition of the four schools founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Dominican Veritas Ministries now oversees 13 schools in Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Other schools are expected to join in the future.
Kristin Barstow Melley, Executive Director of Dominican Veritas Ministries, adds, “DVM enthusiastically welcomes the Peace Congregation schools. Their presence is a blessing that will enrich our Dominican education community. Once the transition is complete, local school life will carry on without much day-to-day change. The main difference is the way DVM will connect to the schools and provide new, distinctive Dominican resources to support and nurture each ministry’s unique commitment to mission and the Dominican charism.”
Join us in a prayer for our schools and the students we serve.
It has been an honor to serve on the boards of these four schools for the past several years and to help them prepare for this important milestone in Catholic Education in the United States. Just as in 1822 when those brave young women transformed an abandoned still house in Washington County, Kentucky into the first Dominican Catholic School, the Dominican Sisters of Peace continue to innovate and explore new ways to preach the Gospel in Catholic Education for the next 200 years. It is humbling to be a part of this transformational moment as a Dominican Associate, Congregational staff member, and inaugural trustee of Dominican Veritas Ministries.