Do you have an age limit?

Yes.  Our policy is that a woman must be between the ages of 18-45, but women above 45 years of age will be considered on an individual basis.

 

How do you spend your day?

We strive to live a balanced lifestyle, which includes prayer, ministry and leisure.  All of these are necessary for a healthy life.  We pray together as a community both in the morning and evening.  We spend time in personal prayer and attend liturgy.  We are an apostolic community so we are involved in some active ministry.  We also have meals together where we share our events of the day and have fun times together.

 

How long does it take to become a sister?

Formation in Dominican life is a lifelong process and we are in on-going formation until we die.  However, the process we call “initial formation” begins when you enter as a candidate.  The candidacy provides an orientation to religious life as a Dominican and an understanding of the purpose of the novitiate.  The novitiate is for two years.  One year is the canonical novitiate, which is a year dedicated to prayer and study.  The second year is the apostolic novitiate year, which is a year to integrate the learning from the canonical year into the novice’s life in community and ministry.  After the novitiate years, a woman makes temporary vows for a period of not less than three years and no more than nine years.  The whole of this period is for the woman and the community to be in mutual discernment as she listens to where God is leading her.  This time of initial formation is between six to nine years.

 

What is the charism of your community?

We, the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend, as women inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the spirit of Dominic Guzman, and the leadership of Mother Antonina Fischer, are called to be attentive to the Lord, to proclaim the Word, and to celebrate life.

 

Who was St Dominic?

Saint Dominic (1170-1221) is the founder of the Order of Preachers, or Dominicans as we are commonly known.  Dominic is referred to as a “Gospel man of prayer.”  This description is very fitting.  Dominic has been for all Dominicans a model, calling each of us to contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation, pray first and then act.  The first community which Dominic founded was for women contemplatives in Prouihle, France.  As Dominicans we are called to be contemplatives and, in turn, to preach.  Our preaching takes on many forms, as was exemplified by St Dominic’s life.  His compassionate preaching was shown by how he lived.  A severe famine had broken out and people were dying of hunger.  Dominic sold everything, even his precious books, to care for those in need.  Each year on August 8, we celebrate the gift of St Dominic’s life which continues to be a gift to the Order of Preachers.

 

How do I know if I am called to be a sister?

Your question is very similar to what may be in your heart: “How do I know what God wants me to be?”  By asking this question you are starting the process of discernment.  Just so you know, there are some basic keys which can help you with this question.  If you imagine yourself as a Sister doing some service for the people of God, and you experience hope, joy and peace; if you have done your homework and checked out Religious communities (visiting them, talking to their Vocation Director, meeting other sisters); if you have spent time in prayer reflecting on this life and if you could find joy, passion and interest, then being a Sister could indeed be God’s will for you.

 

What ministries are your Sisters involved in?

As Dominicans we are a community for ministry and are  missioned to serve others through our prayer, our presence, and our gift of self.  Our ministries include healthcare, education, parish/pastoral ministry, wholistic health, care of the earth, spirituality center, housing for the poor and elderly, social service, and community ministries.  We have diverse ministries in order to meet the needs of the people and places where we minister.

 

What is the difference between a Nun and a Sister?

Often we are referred to as Nuns, but there is a difference.  A nun is a woman who is a member of a contemplative and often cloistered community.  A sister is a woman who is a member of an apostolic (active) community.  Within the Dominican Order, we have both nuns and sisters.  The Dominicans of Great Bend are sisters; we are involved in active ministries outside of our community living situations.

 

Do you serve in ministries outside of Kansas?

Our sisters and associates serve in several states besides Kansas, including New Mexico, Missouri, Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Alabama, Florida, California, New Jersey, Texas, Oklahoma, and Oregon as well as Nigeria, West Africa.  We have ministered in Nigeria for 50 years and have established a Dominican community of Nigerian women.

 

What does your prayer life consist of?

Because we have chosen a way of life which says by its very nature that God is most important, prayer has a central role in our lives.  True to our motto of the Dominican Family, “to contemplate and to give to others the fruits of contemplation,” we give priority to prayer in our lives.  Our prayer life consists of daily communal Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.  Each of us spends time daily in meditation and private prayer, spiritual reading, and Eucharistic Liturgy.  We also frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and make a yearly retreat.

 

Do you wear a habit?

When people use the word “habit,” they usually are referring to a floor-length garb and veil.  Our community defines habit as a simple white dress and each sister has the option to wear a habit, as defined in our community constitutions.  We have the right to wear the Dominican habit from the day of our entrance into the novitiate.  Our Great Bend Dominican pin is given at our first profession of temporary vows, and the ring at our perpetual vows.

 

As a Dominican Sister what vows do you make?

As a Dominican Sister, we make one vow according to our Dominican tradition, that of obedience which includes the vows of celibate chastity and voluntary poverty.

¨ Obedience: By the vow of obedience we promise to obey God calling us to life through those elected to leadership and to put the needs of our Community before our personal desires.

¨ Celibate Chastity: We vow celibate chastity as an expression of our personal relationship with God and commit ourselves to others in order to be risk-takers and to love as Jesus loves.

¨ Voluntary Poverty: Through our vow of voluntary poverty, we live simply, sharing our goods in common.  By this vow we commit ourselves to responsible use of money and to personal concern for the property we hold in common.

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