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Our Future Union |
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Seven Communities of Dominican Sisters to Unite The seven congregations are: Dominican Congregation of St Rose of Lima (Oxford, Michigan) Dominican Sisters, Congregation of St. Mary (New Orleans, Louisiana) Dominican Sisters of Great Bend, Kansas Dominican Sisters of St Mary of the Springs (Columbus, Ohio) Dominicans of St Catharine (St Catharine, Kentucky) Eucharistic Missionaries of St Dominic (New Orleans, Louisiana) Sisters of St Dominic of Akron, Ohio
ST CATHARINE, KY — Seven congregations of Catholic Dominican Sisters, with headquarters in five states, have received permission from the Holy See to unite into one new congregation of Dominican Sisters.
“We rejoice that our petition to form a new congregation together has been approved,” proclaims Sr Gene Poore OP, Prioress of the congregation in Oxford, Michigan, and prioress representative for the seven congregations. “Uniting into one body will better enable us to continue the Dominican preaching mission, and to serve the needs of God’s people and speak with a stronger voice on issues of social justice.”
The name of the new congregation and the locations of central offices and other ministerial departments have yet to be determined. These decisions and others are being addressed collaboratively during this interim period before the formation of the new congregation.
The official foundation date for the new congregation is planned to be Easter Sunday 2009. The first General Chapter (canonical meeting for congregational decision-making) will be held shortly thereafter, at which, among other decisions to be made, a new leadership team will be elected.
The decision to unite was made through a formal discernment process begun in 2002, where the seven congregations explored ways they could more closely collaborate in their common mission of serving the poor and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The letter of approval from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life was dated November 7, 2007 — the Feast of All Dominican Saints.
Currently, the seven congregations have a combined 730 vowed Sisters and 500 Associates (women and men who partner in mission with the Sisters, but who do not take vows) serving in 36 states and in Puerto Rico, France, Honduras, Peru and Nigeria. |
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Union transition team members pose with members of the Heartland Center for Spirituality in Great Bend, Kansas. |
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Union Treasurers meet in Great Bend, Kansas. |
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Union transition team meets with residents of Cedar Park Place in Great Bend, Kansas. |
