Prayers, please, for the Provincial Chapter!
Not many people are aware of the democratic nature of the Dominican Order, which operates in many ways like a miniature state with elections every four years.
The Provincial Chapter
From 8th April 2024, the English Dominican Province will hold its Provincial Chapter, made up of the priors, elected delegates and the outgoing Provincial (head of the Dominicans in Britain, and also of our houses in Grenada and Jamaica).
A Provincial Chapter happens every four years and plays a central part in Dominican governance. The Chapter performs two key functions: firstly, the Chapter appoints the key post-holders in the Province: the Provincial, the Student and Novice Masters, the Regent of Studies, and so on. With only around 50 men in active ministry within the Province, and with some men tied to particular roles already in certain locations, this involves tricky decision making – though perhaps not quite as challenging as the 1850 Chapter, when the numbers had dwindled as low as six men!
The Provincial Chapter also considers the life and mission of the Province and makes decisions about what needs to take place in the course of the next four years. These deliberations are informed by preparatory working groups and documentation shared in the months leading up to the Chapter.
Both the election of delegates for the Chapter and the key decisions of the Chapter reflect the democratic nature of Dominican governance, being decided by secret ballots.
Underpinning all of these discussions is, of course, the celebration of the Mass and the praying of the Divine Office.
We invite you, please, to unite your prayers to ours during Easter Week leading up to the Chapter in Low Week.
Joseph Turner
I will be praying for you all. Ave Maria.
Paulette
I will pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten you all to make wise decisions!
Sr Philomena Dzimba OP
Dear brothers
I will be praying for you. May the spirit of our Fr St Dominic accompany you in the steps you are talking to choose the leadership for the next 4 years in Province
Jill Gunsell
Prayers assured.
Mrs Susan Dorothy Lloyd
I will also pray for you all. I am so impressed at the balanced nature of Dominican teaching and am extremely grateful to our Blackfriars Oxford Dominicans praying for my husband’s health over the past four years. The balanced nature of the teaching has been invaluable to Ivor and myself, with the emphasis being on the Scriptures and the love of our God for us. My husband was found to have cancer when he was about 79. I asked one of the Oxford Brothers I knew through one of the groups he had started. He prayed, told the others, and my husband was operated upon. He was told by the Professor who had operated that his cancer would be completely cured…it has, for the past 4 years, not been evident again. Two years ago my husband had a heart operation, and is completely healed of his heart problem too..again, the Friars prayed for him. Praise Him, you Friars and Brothers, and we will pray!
Karol Paul Grobicki
I pray that the focus of your deliberations may not be limited by what is ideal, but also focus on the practical and in the compromises reached that a way forward will be found, which promotes the good of the Order in this Province and a preaching that meets both the needs of the Church and the world at this time.
God Bless your forthcoming Chapter in April 2024.
Alberto Pettorossi
I pray for you so that you can make good decisions. May Our Lady protect you all!
christine parker
I PRAY FOR ANY DECISSIONS YOU MAKE TO BE TAKEN AFTER MUCH THOUGHT AND WITH THOSE WHO ARE RELYING ON YOU ST JOSEPH PRAY FOR THEM
Vincenzina Brozzu
Non abbiate paura! Amen.
Sister Teresa
Be assured of the prayers of all your sisters in English Dominican Congregation.