We preach for the salvatiom of souls.
The Dominican Family of Trinidad and Tobago
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Signs of a Vocation

HAVE I A VOCATION?

 

Welcome to the Vocation section of this Dominican Website. By coming here regularly you will get to know us, and perhaps we will get to know you, so that both of us can by a better mutual understanding, grow together into the Dominican Family.

We would be really pleased if you seriously considered becoming a Dominican friar (a Latin word for ‘brother’ as we call ourselves ‘brothers’ to one another and to the people we work among. This is a title we used for the past 800 years but only now is becoming popular and common generally!

The most important question in anyone’s life must be “What does God want from me?” This is so important that everyone should take time out every now and again to reflect in a prayerful manner on a fit and proper answer. No one can give you an answer; you must work it out for yourself. After all, it is most personal: it is God calling you, not someone else. And he does not call you as he calls others. His call could not be more personal and private.

I am not suggesting that this call is only to the priesthood and religious life. It may be. But nowadays the vast majority of young, and not so young, people will not listen to God’s call if they think that it is to the priesthood or religious life. The excuses fly fast and furious. “That is not for me!” they exclaim. “I’m not good enough for that”. “I’m not holy”. All you have to do is read the Gospels and see that many of those called, for example St. Peter, said something like this:: ‘Depart from me, Lord, I am a sinful man” (Lk. 5: 8).

A second point worth remembering is that in the Gospels there is not a single instance of someone coming up to Jesus and saying: “Will you call me, Lord, please.” Jesus always took the initiative. That is why it is so important to realise that when he takes the initiative in your case, you should not put him off by not listening or rushing in with your ridiculous excuses. He is not calling you because you deserve to be called or because you want to be called, but because he sees what you can become if you give yourself to him completely and entirely. All the great prophets made excuses as to why they were not worthy. And God’s angel, sent to call, accepted the truth of their statements. But he still persisted in calling!

Sometime recently I heard one of our older Dominican priests tell his family that in his fifty years of priesthood he had been “blissfully happy”. That is really a wonderful boast. I’m sure that there was no exaggeration in his claim. After all, if you live for Jesus, spend valued time in his presence daily, speak to him in prayer throughout the day and night, be one with him in offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments each day, living to bring people to him because you wish to share the love you have for him with others, what else can you expect but “blissful happiness”?

So, what to do? Pray! Ask the Lord to help you see if he is calling you. Use your own words but if you find this difficult there are prayers in another section of this website. Try to get to daily Mass and Holy Communion. This website has a section on the Rosary where you will learn how to improve the way you offer this magnificent prayer in company with the Blessed Virgin, your Mother. We also recommend that where it is possible, you visit the Blessed Sacrament each day or frequently. After all of this, we leave everything in God’s hands.

If you have specific questions you could send us an e.mail and we will get back to you.

This is but a preliminary introduction of Dominicans to you. Now we await your introduction of yourself to us.

 

WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHY?
WHO CAN APPLY?


 

WHO ARE THE DOMINICANS?

The official name of the Dominicans is the “Order of Preachers”. They were founded by St. Dominic eight hundred years ago and they continue in a healthy condition to the present day. There are some 6,500 members throughout the world, including g priests and brothers. St. Dominic also founded Cloistered Nuns, of which there are about 4,000 members. There are thousands of Apostolic Sisters and almost forty thousand lay members.

WHAT ARE THE DOMINICANS?

Dominicans are men and women who are consumed with the desire to be holy and to make all other people holy also. They try to live like Christ who was chaste, poor and obedient to his Father’s will. That is why they take the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. This manner of living is the fundamental way in which they bear witness to Christ, by which they help the men and women of our world to see Christ among them.

WHERE ARE THE DOMINICANS?

Dominicans are scattered throughout the world. The Dominicans in Ireland have sent more than two hundred members to help in evangelizing Trinidad & Tobago. English Dominicans have sent members to Grenada, Barbados and Jamaica; Dutch Dominicans to Puerto Rica and the Netherlands Antilles; French Dominicans sent members to Trinidad in the 1880s and to Haïti and Guadeloupe in more recent times. Spanish Dominicans are to be found in Puerto Rica, Dominican Republic and Cuba.

WHY ARE THERE DOMINICANS?

Dominicans were established by St. Dominic because he was filled with the idea of a special aspect of Christ’s life. He wished to imitate Christ as an itinerant preacher. Christ never settled down in any one place and Dominic was like him. Dominicans have to be “mobile’, ready to go where the Church or the Order needs them. They go for the salvation of souls through preaching.

WHO CAN APPLY TO THE DOMINICANS?

Any practising Catholic can apply to join the Dominicans. He or she must have a strong desire to be like Christ, willing to serve the Church and its members and to go out to peoples of all faiths and of none to share the Good News with them. It is expected that a candidate will have good health and normal educational abilities. Those going to be ordained priests and those going to teach or nurse are required to have qualifications for third level studies. As Dominicans live in community ‘loners’ are not encouraged. Obviously there should be a strong desire to give oneself to Christ and to others for the good of their salvation.

 

 


 

 

    If you are thinking about discerning the Dominican Life drop us a line:

To preach, to bless and to praise.