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| Talks from
this meeting are available here |
Dominican Leaders
Meet to Explore Frontiers of the Holy Preaching
LOUISVILLE, KY --Over 140 Dominican
Leadership Conference members and guests moved closer
to the frontiers of the Holy Preaching at the DLC Annual
Meeting held here October 12-16, 2007. The group engaged
in a dialogical process that included explorations of
our common future and the wider international dimensions
of Dominican life. The excitement and passion that accompany
new exploration was evident at the meeting.
 Keynote speaker, Daniel
Cadrin, OP (St. Dominic) named
the frontier of preaching as building bridges, breaching
the gap between cultural and generational divides.
"Beyond the fractures between North
and South, East and West, the enriched and the impoverished,
the voiceless and the big mouths... Our mission
as bridge-builders may be to promote a different kind
of unity, that does not reduce human beings to exchangeable
objects... This calls us to believe that differences
are gifts of God and are a necessary, not optional,
dimension for a real communion to exist, as Paul says
about the body of Christ (1
Co 12)."
His talk electrified the gathering, drawing the audience
into a larger more universal reality than the particular
concerns of congregational, provincial or even US concerns.
Roberto
Corral, OP (Holy Name) and Cathy
Hilkert, OP (Akron) responded to Cadrin's talk with pointed and insightful
questions and commentary.
 Earlier,
DLC President, Anne
Kilbride, OP (Columbus) offered reflections
on the personal strengths and qualities preachers need
to carry the Word into the future and to cross the frontiers
we face.
Later, the participants also heard an excellent
presentation by Janet Welsh, OP (Sinsinawa)
on the early days of the Order in the United States.
Taking advantage of the meeting's location in Kentucky,
the group visited the first foundations of the Order
in the US at St. Rose Priory and St. Catharine Motherhouse
nearby. The sisters at Bardstown offered well planned
tours and hospitality at the motherhouse and the St.
Joseph Province friars offers stories and prayer at St.
Rose Parish, the first parish of the Dominicans in the
US.
Dusty Farnan, OP (Adrian) and Chuck
Dahm, OP (St. Albert),
North American Co-promoters of Justice, Peace and
Care of Creation, reported on the progress of the Dominican
Call to Justice document, which outlines the
agenda of justice work for US Dominicans. Their presentation
led to productive table discussion on the work of justice
and the role leadership plays in promoting human rights
and economic equality.
International guests added a wider perspective to the
gathering by reflecting on the frontiers of preaching
that they experience. Therese Antoine,
OP (Trinidad), spoke
of frontiers in Latin America as a representative of
CODALC (Confederation of Dominicans in Latin America
and the Caribbean). Yvon Pomerleau,
OP (St. Dominic)
reflected on Canadian challenges, Chrys
McVey, OP (Pakistan),Socius
of the Order for Apostolic Life, spoke of frontiers of
the Order and Toni Harris, OP (Sinsinawa)
spoke as International Co-Promoter of Justice and Peace
and on behalf of newly elected international coordinator
of DSI, Maria
Fabiola Velasquez Maya, OP.
Jean Jacques
Perennas, OP, General
Secretary of the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies
in Cairo, also addressed the group. His book: A
Life Poured Out tells the powerful story of Dominican
Pierre Claverie, the bishop of Oran, who was a leading
figure in his country’s search
for a peaceful future. He also expressed his "deepest gratitude" to the
US Dominican Family for the campaign: I have
Family in Iraq, which
has done more to bridge the gap between US and worldwide
Dominicans than another other effort around the ongoing
war and chaos in that country. (link
to publisher)
Dominican Life | USA, the online news
magazine sponsored by the DLC, was noted several times
as a key link in creating the connections we need in
order to go beyond our own borders of personal and community
concerns to the wider work of the Dominican Family. The
site was unanimously supported as a sponsored project
of DLC for the next three years.
The members also focused their attention on significant
reports of finances and the ongoing conversations that
point to future collaboration and reconfiguration of
the congregations of sisters in the US. The 20/20 Vision
Task Force report was discussed and recommendations were
made for follow-up by the DLC Executive Committee.
DLC NGO Representative Eileen Gannon,
OP (Sparkill) was
also recognized for her service to the conference. Eileen
will be completing her service in June, 2008 and a search
committee will be formed to name a new representative.
The members expressed their appreciation for outgoing
Past-President Roberto Corral, OP (Holy Name) and outgoing
Treasurer Meg Sweeney, OP (Sparkill). The members also
elected new officers. Carol Gaeke,
OP (Catherine de'
Ricci) was elected Vice President and Charlene
Moser, OP (Kentucky) was elected Treasurer. The group also surprised
Mary Ellen O'Grady, OP (Sinsinawa) Executive Director
with an affectionate tribute to her ten years of service
to the DLC.
Anne Lythgoe, OP (Catherine de' Ricci)
Communications Coordinator
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TALKS FROM THE MEETING
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