![[UK map]](ukmap.jpg)
The English Province of the Order of Preachers was founded by St Dominic at the general chapter of Bologna in 1221, and its first priory was established later that year in Oxford. In pre-reformation times it gave birth to the Scottish and Irish provinces.
A friar is accepted into the Order by a province, and he usually remains affiliated to that province for his whole Dominican life, even if he is called upon spend time working in another province or for the Master of the Order. Thus the various provinces have developed their own range of ministries and ways of working out the Dominican charism.
The "fundamental unit" of the Order, though, is not the province but the priory, a formally erected religious house with at least six brothers who elect their own superior, called a prior. The brothers of a priory are together responsible for making decisions about their own life and work, in collaboration with the local bishop and with the prior provincial. Sometimes smaller houses are established, and occasionally friars are given permission to work away from a priory; nevertheless, the priory community remains the pattern for Dominican life. Any friar's work is seen not as his work alone, but as a work of the priory. The English Province currently has six priories and one house in Great Britain.
The province also has a vicariate (a dependent territory) in the West Indies, with a priory in Roxborough, Grenada and other houses in Barbados and Jamaica.
![[Priory Church of the Holy Spirit]](oxchurch.jpg)
Priory Church of the
Holy Spirit, Oxford
The Oxford priory is the largest in the province and is the also the oldest, having first been founded in 1221. Its principal work is the education and training of student brothers of the Order. The priory also houses Blackfriars Hall, which is a Permanent Private Hall (i.e. for most purposes a college) of the University of Oxford. As well as preparing our own brothers for ordination and for university degrees, the Hall accepts priests, seminarians, members of other religious orders and lay people as non-resident students. There is a Hall Prospectus available.
The friars, both priests and student brothers, are involved in pastoral work in the city's universities, parishes and hospitals. A number are members of the Theology Faculty of the University, and they, along with other resident and visiting lecturers provide a wide range of courses.
St Dominic's serves a large parish in north west London and provides chaplaincies to the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead and to two local Catholic primary schools. There are usually a number of friars present who are studying at colleges in London. The prior provincial and provincial bursar are also resident in London.
The Priory and Garden,
Edinburgh
The priory in Edinburgh houses the province's novitiate, where young friars spend their first year in the Order, learning about its life and preparing themselves to make a commitment to the order by taking vows. The provincial archives are located in the priory. The chaplaincy to the University of Edinburgh is provided by the priory, and there is a non-territorial parish erected for this purpose.
Our priory in Cambridge is seen as a centre for writers and students. There are typically a small number of brethren from the English Province or from other provinces studying in the University of Cambridge, and over the years a number of brothers have taught in the Divinity Faculty or other faculties of the university. There is a resident community of single lay people, mostly graduate students, who typically stay for a year or two and join the friars for the Divine Office and for meals.
The priory church in Newcastle is the largest in the city, and the main work of the priory is the care of the parish and those who attend this city-centre church.
Holy Cross is a very active priory. As well as serving a large parish, the community provides chaplains to the University of Leicester (the Gatehouse) and de Montfort University, the city's prison, the local hospital and a nearby comprehensive school. The St Martin de Porres mission centre, which raises money for our vicariate in the West Indies, is also based in Leicester.
A small house, providing a university lecturer and the chaplaincy to the University of Strathclyde.
Some other brothers have works which take them away from a priory. A number are parish priests, or chaplains to sisters. We also have a small publishing operation, Blackfriars Publications.