Message from the Prior Provincial
Following his re-election by the Province of England last week, Fr Martin Ganeri OP, Prior Provincial, has written the following message to share with all friends of the Province at this time of isolation.
Dear Friends,
At a time when many of us are feeling confused, discouraged and indeed frightened by the coronavirus and by the attempts to prevent its transmission, I am writing to assure you that we, the Dominican Friars, will continue to serve you to the utmost of our ability during this difficult time.
A Prolonged Time in the Desert
This year, our annual period ‘in the desert’ is being deepened and indefinitely prolonged, and we are even being denied the joy of the great Easter celebration. As the Master of the Order, Fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner III, OP, said in his recent message to the Order of Preachers, we are experiencing as it were a quarantena en quaresima, a quarantine during Lent, when we will even be denied the comfort of the sacraments, and experience ‘a prolonged “Holy Saturday” ’. It is most certainly a great trial, but even this wilderness can be made to flourish if we bring to it the living water of our faith.
Communion in Isolation
In his message the Master emphasised the importance during this time of finding new ways to maintain communion, including through digital means, and of reminding ourselves ‘of the hunger for the Eucharist of our brothers and sisters in remote areas who could participate in the Mass only once or twice a year’.
During this time of enforced separation, be assured that the friars will continue to pray for you and to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass for you, even though our churches have been forced to close. Please pray for us as well, in particular for the infirm and elderly friars of our Province. Let us all pray for one another and use this time to deepen our care for each other and for the needy in our communities.
Praying for Our Lady’s Help
For those of you in England, on Sunday, 29 March the bishops will renew the ancient dedication of this country as the ‘Dowry of Mary’, and we encourage you to join with us in making this act of consecration. As ever, we commend the protection of this Province to our Blessed Mother, and ask all of you to pray with us for her intercession at this time.
Finally, join us in praying the Rosary together in the Rosary Rally taking place throughout the whole Order on 29 April on the Feast of St Catherine. (Posters for this are here.)
May God bless you,
Fr Martin
Link
- Visit our central listing of livestreamed Masses and other resources from the Dominican Friars
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A Website Visitor
Thank you and may God bless you and all too!
A Website Visitor
Thank you, I wonder if it would be helpful to post out short issues at this time to swerve away from the errudite articles a bit and model developing Community? Such as ways in which the friars and their followers have found to reach out… Websites and other media that are working for contacts. Talks that might have been intended for lectures in an assebly could be ‘broadcast’ over theinternet. Last Sunday I joined Bishop Declan for Mass, over 2000 joined the reddication at Wallsingham, so there is an audiance, I suspect. Mostof alla week or so before the rosary sunday maybe you could remind us and set up some cameras to enable us to join you? With Love of the Lors, and may this be a great opportubity to build community for the future. May we also lobby the politicians to better supply with the best protection kit, the Nurses & Doctors and assistants and care workers; and the food markets etc. Love of The Suffering Christ Be with each and all of us, – Ozzie ooops a bit long sorry.