On October 22, we celebrate the feast of a great saint, Pope St. John Paul II, most beloved to the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.
In Rome, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation in 1996, Pope John Paul II addressed the consecrated religious of the world with his Vita Consecrata (“On the Consecrated Life and its Mission in the Church and in the World”). Less than a year later on February 9, 1997, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist was established in New York under John Cardinal O’Connor.
Evangelizing Culture
Confirmed by Pope John Paul II’s encouragement in Vita Consecrata, our Foundresses set out, inspired to pepper the world with religious life and embrace the New Evangelization. Pope John Paul II stirred their hearts with the words, “The new evangelization, like that of all times, will be effective if it proclaims from the rooftops what it has first lived in intimacy with the Lord. It calls for strong personalities, inspired by saintly fervor….Courage in proclaiming the Lord Jesus must be accompanied by trust in Providence, which is at work in the world and which ‘orders everything, even human differences, for the greater good of the Church.'”
As if using Vita Consecrata as a roadmap, they prayerfully discerned the possibility of new beginnings: “All this requires a careful discernment of the calls which the Holy Spirit makes to each Institute, whether in areas where no great immediate progress is foreseen or in other areas where a consoling rebirth is anticipated.”
Unbounded Generosity
Answering Pope John Paul II’s challenge to an “Unbounded Generosity,” our foundresses reaffirmed their commitment to the Lord and His Church through a renewed witness to religious life.
“Those who have been given the priceless gift of following the Lord Jesus more closely consider it obvious that He can and must be loved with an undivided heart, that one can devote to him one’s whole life, and not merely certain actions or occasional moments or activities.” Each Sister entering our community is a sign of God’s own fidelity to His Church. Each opportunity He gives for our Sisters to witness to the culture and form hearts and minds gives assent to our community’s call from Him. Praise be God, now and forever!
Please pray for an increase in vocations – to pepper the world with religious life and save souls through the New Evangelization. Be assured that we are praying for you!
