Weaving through the Mysteries

Blog by Sr. Janet Schlichting, OP

Every Gospel of this Holy Week puts us at the table with Jesus, the night before he suffered.

At no other time in the church year does Eucharist reveal its meaning so clearly and compellingly. Each day, we gather with the disciples to celebrate with Jesus the Passover meal. With our backdrop a Hebrew meal of sacred remembrance already deeply rich in meaning and practice, we tell the story again.

Here Jesus sums up his life and gives to us a lifetime task of discipleship: the washing of one another’s feet, the breaking of ourselves as bread for others, and the dying to ourselves, in love, which proclaims his life-giving death, and invests the other actions with its ultimate meaning. Each of the three actions describes and enriches the other two – as we are fed, we are food, as we wash, we bring the waters of life, as we make memorial of Jesus’ death we offer our own imperfect pouring out in gratitude for God’s abundant mercies. Continue reading →

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April 11, 2017

Addressing the Broken Immigration System

The Ohio Bishops call upon Congress to address our nation’s broken immigration system through comprehensive reform that improves security and creates more legal and transparent paths to immigration. See their letter on immigration and migration here.

From Catholic Climate Covenant

The best way to influence your representatives is to meet with them. Join this webinar on Thursday, April 20, from 2 to 3pm (Eastern) to hear how you can influence your legislator through constituent visits and other strategies, for the protection of our common home and future. (The webinar will be recorded and sent to all who register).

Register here: Raising Our Moral Voice: Legislative Advocacy Training, Thursday, April 20, 2017, 2-3pm (Eastern).

From Global Catholic Climate Movement

Earth Day is April 22 and Mercy Sunday is April 23. Check out this list of 30 Acts of Mercy for our Common Home to give you some “simple daily gestures” you can do to show mercy to our Earth.

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Loosening the Bonds of Bias

Blog by Justice Promoter Kelly Litt

Implicit Bias

Since my time as Justice Promoter began, I’ve had the privilege to visit a number of our Motherhouses as well as Mission Groups and Associate Groups to meet with our Sisters and Associates throughout the country. These opportunities give me the chance to get to know our Dominican family and talk about various justice issues that we are working on together.

At a number of these meetings, I’ve led a presentation and discussion on implicit bias. Implicit bias, according to the Kirwan Institute at The Ohio State University, refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions and decisions in an unconscious manner. These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or intentional control. Continue reading →

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Moving from “Invitation” to a “Radical Welcome”

Blog by Associate Colette Parker, OPA – Co-Director

What is Radical Welcome?

I’ve been pondering a question this weekend: How do we move from invitation to radical welcome?

The question emerged on Saturday during the Midwest Mission Group Meeting in St. Catharine, KY, where we engaged in a discussion about Living Interculturally; and it’s been begging me for an answer since then.

I found that before I could answer that question, I needed to answer the obvious question: What is radical welcome?

I decided that radical welcome means asking people to be fully present and to share their total being – their culture, their experiences, their voices.

It means moving beyond inclusivity to a place where we genuinely want to engage in truly meaningful mutual relationships. It means valuing the culture, experiences, voice, and entire being of each individual in our community. It means ensuring that each individual’s presence, gifts, and perspectives will be valued and visible and will influence the community’s identity, structure, mission and ministries. Continue reading →

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Ohio Dominican University Receives $1.5 Million Gift from Dominican Sisters of Peace

Peace Hall

Gift from founding congregation is largest in university’s 106-year history

Columbus, OH – Ohio Dominican University (ODU) announced that it has received the largest gift in the school’s history: a $1.5 million gift from its founding congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Peace. The gift will be used to renovate ODU’s east campus building, located at 2600 Airport Drive, to house the University’s proposed Doctor of Physical Therapy program. In recognition of the gift, the building will be named Peace Hall.

ODU’s program is currently seeking accreditation from the Higher Learning Council (HLC) and will be applying for accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

The $1.5 million gift includes a $500,000 matching gift to challenge other donors to support ODU’s first doctoral program.

ODU President Peter Cimbolic, PhD and Sr. Patricia Twohill, OP, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, announced the gift at a university event on April 6, 2017. Continue reading →

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