One day at Cristo Rey Columbus High School, a student came up to me after listening to my presentation on being a Dominican Sister of Peace. She asked, “How do you live out the mission of the Dominican Sisters of Peace?” Wow, that simple question sparked a rich conversation.

I explained to her that living out the mission IS the life of a Dominican Sister of Peace. As a sister, we treat daily work, school, communal interactions, and social activities as opportunities to witness our Dominican charism. This allows us to serve our communities, rather than focus on personal success.

For many, including the student who asked the question, this idea seems counter-cultural and…IT IS! To serve others as Jesus did is why sisters are called and choose to live this lifestyle.

A Dominican Sister’s life is rooted in preaching the Gospel through the lens of our four Dominican pillars. These pillars are prayer, study, community, and service. Our life is dedicated to advocating for peace, human rights, and justice alongside the poor and marginalized. Through these actions and rooted in the pillars, Dominican Sisters of Peace carry out their mission.

I went on to explain to the students that living this mission is a 24/7 responsibility. It continues even when I’m home with my sisters in our local community. Together we live this mission united, for each other and the larger world. We support one another in our commitment to live humbly, bear witness to the world, and advocate for the poor. Our mission to be peace, build peace, and preach peace is the lens through which our sisters live and minister to others.

Many of the students in that class thought “Sisters only pray.” I told them, “Yes, that is high on our priority list, but it’s not the only thing we do.” I highlighted that we are contemplatives in action! We pray about what we do, and we do what we pray about.

Now, I think many of my students have a better understanding of who a Dominican Sister of Peace is and how we live out our mission in our daily lives. I hope you learned something too!

Just as Sr. Cathy Buchanan shares, Dominican Sisters of Peace live out their vocations in many ways. If you’d like to hear more about how the sisters live their call, follow us November 1-6 for National Vocation Awareness Week on Facebook (@Vocations: Dominican Sisters of Peace) and Instagram (@dominicanvocations) as Sr. Cathy and other Dominican Sisters of Peace answer questions about their vocation journeys and offer advice for those discerning God’s call.

Sister Cathy highlights the importance of prayer in our lives. Join us on November 28 as we dive deeper into the season of Advent and pray while waiting in hope. We invite you to try something new by setting aside time for reflection,

prayer, and renewal. Together, we will prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and embrace the hope, peace, and joy that Advent brings.

So, if you are interested in learning more about the Dominican Sisters of Peace and connecting with our community, we warmly invite you to join us for our Advent Mini-Zoom Retreat on Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 2- 5 p.m. To register and learn more, visit oppeace.org/events/. For additional information, please contact Sister Ana Gonzalez, OP, at Ana.Gonzalez@oppeace.org. We look forward to welcoming you!