A Newsletter for the Dominican Family in Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea OPFAM Dominican Family Matters 6 th October. 2015 Woe to us if we do not preach the Gospel! 2015: "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32); For freedom Christ set us free" (Gal 5:1): Dominic: Government, Spirituality and Freedom Congratulations to the new Leadership Team of Holy Cross Congregation, South Australia Sisters Bernadette Kiley (Prioress), Anne Dolan, Angela Moloney and Kathleen Hickey. May the Spirit bring you wisdom and joy as you carry out your demanding role. Fr J. Pérennès Is The New Director Of The Ecole Biblique Many Dominicans who have worked in the area of justice and peace will have come in contact with the new director. Fr Jean Jacques Pérennès was born in northern France in 1949. With a master s degree in theology and a doctorate in economics, Fr. Jean Jacques has an impressive background studying, teaching and holding various leadership positions all over the world. He spent a combined eighteen years teaching economics at the University of Algiers and then as a lecturer at the Institute of Political Studies and the Catholic University of Lyon. In 1985, Fr. Jean Jacques went to Rome to work as an assistant to the Master of the Dominican Order giving the opportunity to travel to various impoverished countries. In 2000, Fr. Jean Jacques began his time in Cairo holding positions as prior of the Dominican community, secretary general and Director of the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (IDEO). He served as Vicar Provincial of the Dominicans in the Arab World from 2002-2010. After having spent nine years in Egypt working at IDEO, Fr. Jean Jacques Pérennès begins his new assignment as Director of the Ecole Biblique on October 1st. Read the interview below with Fr. Jean Jacques Pérennès. See more at: http://www.op.org/en/content/fr-jj-perennes-new-director-ecole-biblique#sthash.vjtaoil1.dpuf Where is the Political Will to Stop the Wars in Syria and Iraq? September 17, 2015 United Nations Human Rights Council Side-Event co-sponsored by Dominicans for Justice and Peace, Caritas International, the World Evangelical Alliance, and the Asociazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII "There is too much compassion. The Syrian people deserve more. They deserve to return to their country." Thus Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chairman of the Independent International Commission on Inquiry for Syria, set the tone of the emotionally-charged side-event, "Where is the Political Will to Stop the Wars in Syria and in Iraq?" This unusually trenchant and unambiguous title question drew a capacity audience of over 100, which included Permanent Mission Delegates, NGO representatives, and media, at the 30th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The conference panel had been brought together because, as moderator Mike Deeb OP put it, the peace process is "getting nowhere." Given the crowd and the feeling of urgency in the room, it could be said the event addressed perhaps the most pressing issue of the entire session, the Syrian refugee crisis. Deeb clearly set out the objective of the conference to identify "the causes of this lack of political will." Over the course of the hour-and-a-half discussion, specific causes were posited by the speakers, and viable solutions were proposed. (24 September 2015) Read more: http://www.op.org/en/content/where-political-will-stop-wars-syria-and-iraq#sthash.kyqxdoi2.dpuf You are invited to a Conversation: Pope Francis, us, and our common home in the Pacific Perspectives on the Encyclical will be presented by Fr Claude Mostowik MSC, Sr Teresa Tabaia OP, from the Solomon Islands, Sr Joanne Fitzsimmons OSC and the OLSH Sisters. Other presenters include Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC, Maria Tiimon, Chi-Fang from the Pacific Calling Partnership, representatives from Catholic Earthcare, and Sr Geraldine Kearney SGS Venue: Santa Maria Del Monte School Hall, corner The Boulevarde and Carrington St Strathfield NSW. Sunday 11th October 12.00 noon till 4pm. BYO Lunch. Dominican Saints this week OCTOBER 6 Bl Bartolo Longo LAY DOMINICAN was born in Naples in 1841 and obtained his degree in civil law at the University there. Faith was weak in the intellectual circles of the time and Bartolo had wavered in his own faith, even to the point of dabbling in spiritualism. He was converted through the work of Father Alberto Radente, O.P., and in 1872 became a Tertiary with the name Rosario. Called to promote the Rosary by divine intervention he was responsible for building the Sanctuary of our Lady of Pompeii (1876) as well as the founding of a congregation of sisters, the Sisters of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii (1877). He was zealous not only in promoting devotion of our Lady, but also in works of social justice. He died at Pompeii on October 6, 1926. OCTOBER 7 Our Lady of the Rosary From its beginning the Order of Preachers has shown special honour and devotion to Mary, Mother of God. The Rosary, which places before us, the chief mysteries of the life, passion and resurrection of our Saviour, has been one of the chief ways in which the Order has expressed this devotion. Our brother, Alan de La Roche (1428-1478) helped to define the structure of the Rosary and zealously promoted its recitation. At Douai in 1470 he established the first Rosary Confraternity. In 1476 our brother Jacob Sprenger established at Cologne the first such Confraternity which had papal approval. Pope Saint Pius V gave the Rosary definitive form in is bull Consueverunt Romani Pontificis (September 17, 1569). Today's feast commemorates the great naval victory won by Christian forces over the Turks at Lepanto on Sunday, October 7, 1571. Pope Saint Pius V decreed that a feast in honour of Our Lady of Victories be celebrated each year on that day. His successor, Gregory XIII, transferred the feast to the first Sunday of October under the new title of the Most Holy Rosary, since it was precisely through the invocation of Our Lady of the Rosary that the victory was thought to have been gained. In the reform of the liturgy the feast was returned to its original day.
OCTOBER 8: Bl Ambrose Sansedone was born at Siena, Italy, in 1220 and entered the Order there in 1237. Together with Thomas Aquinas and Peter of Tarentaise (Pope Innocent V) he studied at Paris and Cologne under Saint Albert the Great and he and Thomas began to teach at Cologne under Albert's guidance. In addition to teaching and preaching he was often involved in diplomatic missions for both popes and monarchs. In the midst of this activity he was able to maintain a contemplative prayer life. He died at Siena on March 20, 1287. His commemoration falls on the anniversary of the confirmation of his cult by Gregory XV on October 8, 1622. Also OCTOBER 8 Bl Matthew Carreri was born at Mantua, Italy, around 1420 and entered the Order there in 1440. His life was marked by assiduous prayer, severe penance and an exact fidelity to regular observance, all of which prepared him for a life of apostolic preaching. So great was his charity that he once offered to deliver himself into slavery in order to rescue a mother and her daughter captured by pirates. Throughout his life Blessed Matthew laboured to promote regular observance in the Order. He died at Vigevano on October 5, 1470. OCTOBER 9 St Louis Bertrand was born in Valencia, Spain, on January 1, 1526, and in 1544 entered the Order against the wishes of his parents. He came to so exemplify the ideals of Dominican life that he was appointed master of novices. Combining an austere life with zeal for spreading the gospel, he asked to be sent to the farthest parts of the Americas and in 1562 was sent to what is now Colombia. He was given the gift of communicating with the Indians in their own tongues and with the encouragement of Bartolomeo de Las Casas defended their rights against the Spanish conquerors. He returned to Spain in 1569 and again assumed the position of master of novices. He died at Valencia on October 9, 1581. St Louis is the patron of novitiates and formation personnel. OCTOBER 11 Bl James of Ulm was born at Ulm, Germany, in 1407 and spent his early years as a mercenary soldier. Once when passing through Bologna he stopped to pray at the tomb of Saint Dominic. He experienced a conversion and asked to be admitted to the Order as a cooperator brother. He pursued the art of stained-glass making and his work can still be seen in the chapel of the Bentivoglio palace and in the cathedral of Saint Petronius in Bologna. He is remembered for his humble obedience and his contemplation on the passion of the Saviour. He died on October 11, 1491, at Bologna. OCTOBER 13 Bl Magdalen Panatieri was born at Turino, Italy, in 1443 and while still quite young was received as a tertiary by the Sisters of Penance of Saint Dominic. She received many spiritual graces, including the stigmata, but was best known for her ministry to the children of the town, whom she cared for and catechised. Her prayer was always that she be in the world, but not of the world. Much revered by the people of the city, she died October 13, 1503.. Celebrating 800 years as The Order of Preachers 7 th November 2015 21 st January 2017 Resources Orders received for PINS reached 16,500! That means that at least sixteen and a half thousand men, women and children in Australia and New Zealand will be celebrating this special year in some way. Thank you Santa Sabina College staff for organizing and packaging!
www.op.org/jubilee See www.opeast.org.au Share our News right column - Jubilee for Jubilee song, and some excellent views of Caleruega, Bologna, Prouilhe, Peter Seilhan s House, prepared for the Jubilee year with English sub-titles once you get through the introductions. CALENDARS from November 2015-January 2017 Large and small Calendars are NOW AVAILABLE, Large Calendars $15; Desk Top Calendars $5 Postage not included. Available through archives5@bigpond.com Proceeds to Dominican Sisters in the Solomon Is. JUBILEE CARDS-WITH JUBILEE PRAYER ON THE BACK The cards carry the Jubilee symbols the flame, the staff, the Book of the Gospels and the Gospel Mandate Sent to Preach the Gospel Bookmark 1 Bookmark 2 Available in lots of 10 at 15c each from Dominican Sisters archives5@bigpond.com The Dominican Sisters invite all members of the Dominican Family and their friends and co-workers to join them at a EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION commemorating 800 Years of the Order of Preachers at Santa Sabina Chapel, 90 The Boulevarde, Strathfield on the Feast of All Dominican Saints, Dominican Family Day 7 th November 2015 at 11.30 am. To be followed by light refreshments. RSVP: Friday 23 rd October 2015 to domadmin@opeast.org.au or ph: 02 9744 9511. Jubilee Date Claimers: please advise us of your events, that all might be encouraged and rejoice together at this time.
7th November 2015: The time of Jubilee begins Sydney, Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands: Celebration of Eucharist for the members and associates of the Dominican Family at Santa Sabina, Strathfield, 11.30 am, Saturday 7 th. 2015 Perth: Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary, Doubleview: Concelebrated Mass on the 7 th November 2015 followed by a Parish Dinner in the School Hall. Pilgrimage to Vietnam led by Fr. Peter Nguyen OP - from 20 th January - 3 rd February 2016 Brisbane: Our Lady of Graces Parish, Carina - a concelebrated Mass for the Jubilee of our Order, presided by Bishop Joseph Oudeman OFMCap, and followed by morning tea, at 9am on Sunday, 8 November 2015. Please let us know of your plans!