Human Trafficking
Dominican sisters take part in efforts to raise awareness

The phrase “human trafficking” is used to describe the enslavement of men, women and children for sexual and labor exploitation. “There are more slaves in the world today than at any point in history. Slavery is more affordable, more wide-spread, and more entrenched in 2011 than it was in ancient Rome or the antebellum South of America.” (Change.org) Three Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, New Jersey, recently attended a local event in observation of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, where they shared information and handouts. Two congregations of Dominican sisters in Wisconsin collaborated in a letter writing campaign to the Green Bay Packers, just prior to the Super Bowl, urging them to help raise awareness of the issue. READ MORE

Commission for Justice and Peace
Sister Lucianne appointed co-promoter for North America

The Coordinating Council for Dominican Sisters International (DSI) has appointed Sister Lucianne Siers, OP (Grand Rapids) to the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace (IDCJP) as regional co-promoter for North America. Her three-year term begins in March. Sister Lucianne replaces Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP (Adrian), who served for six years in this role. Sisters Lucianne is director of the Partnership for Global Justice and serves as an NGO representative to the United Nations. READ MORE

Dominican Sisters Conference
Update from new office in Michigan

Executive Director Mary Sue Kennedy is fully engaged in “birthing” the Dominican Sisters Conference (DSC) from its new headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It’s an exciting day for the Dominican family as we continue Dominican collaboration and participations in our shared mission. READ MORE

Templeton Award
Dominican friar one of 12 to receive international award

Fr. Nicholas Lombardo, OP, a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Joseph, was one of 12 scholars to be chosen as a recipient of the John Templeton Award for Theological Promise. Fr. Lombardo won for his dissertation, “The Logic of Desire: Aquinas on Emotion.” Since 2005, FIIT Heidelberg and the John Templeton Foundation have presented this award annually to the 12 best post-doctoral young scholars globally on the basis of their doctoral dissertations related to the topic of God and spirituality. READ MORE

Egypt
Blogger shares firsthand account of revolution

Felice Gelman, a member of the Westchester (New York) People’s Action Coalition (WESPAC), writes a blog called “Gaza Views.” She recently returned from Egypt, and wrote about her experience there. Sister Ceil Lavan, OP (Blauvelt) is also a member of WESPAC, and alerted DomLife to the blog. Felice’s journal entries and photos were posted Feb. 8, 2011 under the heading “From Egypt to the Promised Land.” READ MORE

Dominican Volunteers
Deadline to apply for U.S. ministry openings is Feb. 28

Dominican Volunteers USA’s application deadline is fast approaching on Feb. 28, and there are still a few remaining ministry positions open in cities like the Bronx, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Houston. We need your help to fill all spots and help DVUSA expand its program. READ MORE

Books
Dominicans collaborate on pastoral commentary project

“Preaching in the Sunday Assembly: A Pastoral Commentary on Fulfilled in Your Hearing” was published in November 2010, the result of a collaborative effort by the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics (CATH). The CATH writing team included Fr. Gregory Heille, OP (project director); Sister Theresa Rickard, OP; Sister Margaret Mary Pazdan, OP; and Sister Honora Werner, OP. READ MORE

Books
Mysterious death of Meister Eckhart inspires novel

“The Death of Magister Aycardus” a work of historical fiction, will be available this spring. The author, Michael Demkovich, OP, who has also published academic works on Meister Eckhart, says he was inspired by the mystery surrounding his death. “I sought to study the facts surrounding Eckhart’s mysterious death, and found that the facts had a story of their own to tell.” READ MORE

Torch3m
Dominican filmmaker selects top 10 movies of 2010

The Oscars are approaching, and movies are always on the mind of Los Angeles-based writer/director Dominic Dennis De Lay, OP. The January edition of the Torch3m e-newsletter included a listing of his “Favorite Films of 2010.” The list includes movies from France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Australia, as well as U.S. films (Tom Condon, OP, DomLife’s faithful film reviewer, also had favorable things to say about “The Fighter” and “Winter’s Bone.”) Dominic and his colleagues, John Paul Forte, OP, and Daniel Rolland, OP, are also celebrating 25 years as Dominican friars. READ MORE

Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
Master of theological studies program begins this summer

The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology (DSPT) in Berkeley, California, is offering a master of theological studies program that is geared to accommodate working professionals looking to integrate their faith with their careers. The seminars take place on Saturdays, and classes meet in the evening or once per week during the day. The deadline for registration is April 1. READ MORE

Photos of the Week
	Racine Dominican Sisters (Racine, Wisconsin) show their support for their Super Bowl-winning team at a celebratory lunch Feb. 8. Top from left: Sisters Beverly Hebel and Juliana Dischler. Left: Sister Marian Diedrick. Right: Sister Mary Ann Weyker.

The next Dominican Life | USA update will be published on Wednesday, February 23. Deadline for submission of articles/photos is Friday, February 18.