Who are the Lay Dominicans?
As lay persons, the men and women of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic are called to live their Dominican charism "in the world." Lay Dominicans (sometimes called Tertiaries or Third Order) have long been an integral part of the Dominican Order, gaining official recognition on the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas in AD 1286. Our patroness is St. Catherine of Siena, who was a Third Order Dominican.
What is the process like for becoming a Lay Dominican?
Inquiry: Come and see! You are welcome to come to our meetings at any time without a commitment.
Postulancy: You will meet with a formation director and go through study modules in preparation for entering the Order. This period is usually 6 months.
Novitiate: You will be received into the Order as a member of the fraternity. Your studies with a formation director will bring you further into the Dominican Way of life as you discern whether to make promises in the Order. This period lasts about one year.
Temporary Promises: This stage is designed to help you discern a life vocation, through ongoing formation in your fraternity life and the practice of each of the Four Pillars. You promise to live the Dominican Rule for three years, after which time you can choose to leave, to make life promises, or ask for a one-year extension of your temporary promises.
Life Promises: You are fully received into the Order of Preachers for life. You promise to live the rule as an extension of your baptismal mission, and assume the privileges and responsibilities that this entails within the Order, which include sharing fully in the communal life of your fraternity through leadership and service.
...But what if I move? We get it. School, work, family duties and other life changes may mean that you have to move away from our fraternity. We'd be sad to see you go, but never fear: your Dominican status goes with you! No matter where you are in the process, we can help connect you with another Lay Dominican chapter. If you are still in formation, we will help transfer your preparation as well.
The Four Pillars of Dominican Life:
Prayer
The foundation of a Dominican prayer life is the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass, daily if possible, which is complemented by recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours. Specific to our Dominican tradition is also to contemplate the life of Christ through daily recitation of the Rosary. Private and communal prayer are both integral to our lives as Lay Dominicans and help us to sanctify all our work.
Study
A unique part of the Dominican charism is our emphasis on study, which fuels our contemplation and aids in our preaching. Dominicans are life-long "students" who are constantly called to the study of Sacred Scripture, teachings of the Church, and lives and writings of the Saints. In this way, we are better prepared to "proclaim the Good News to all creation" (Mk 15:16) and "make [our] defence to anyone who demands an account of the hope that is in [us]." (1 Pet 3:15).
Community
Lay Dominicans come together to share our common vocation as sons and daughters of Dominic within a local community known as a "fraternity." Joining together for Mass, prayers, meetings or socializing strengthens unity within the fraternity and presents opportunities to grow in communal love, patience and understanding. The practice of joining together for community also enables us to grow in charity towards all people.
Apostolate
The "Apostles" were the men sent by Jesus to spread the Good News to the world. Likewise, an "apostolate" is the work we are sent out to do in order to build God's Kingdom. For Dominicans, apostolates can take many shapes according to our individual gifts, but they will always involve an element of preaching. Like our founder, St. Dominic, our preaching is the outward result of prayer, study and community.
As lay persons, the men and women of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic are called to live their Dominican charism "in the world." Lay Dominicans (sometimes called Tertiaries or Third Order) have long been an integral part of the Dominican Order, gaining official recognition on the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas in AD 1286. Our patroness is St. Catherine of Siena, who was a Third Order Dominican.
What is the process like for becoming a Lay Dominican?
Inquiry: Come and see! You are welcome to come to our meetings at any time without a commitment.
Postulancy: You will meet with a formation director and go through study modules in preparation for entering the Order. This period is usually 6 months.
Novitiate: You will be received into the Order as a member of the fraternity. Your studies with a formation director will bring you further into the Dominican Way of life as you discern whether to make promises in the Order. This period lasts about one year.
Temporary Promises: This stage is designed to help you discern a life vocation, through ongoing formation in your fraternity life and the practice of each of the Four Pillars. You promise to live the Dominican Rule for three years, after which time you can choose to leave, to make life promises, or ask for a one-year extension of your temporary promises.
Life Promises: You are fully received into the Order of Preachers for life. You promise to live the rule as an extension of your baptismal mission, and assume the privileges and responsibilities that this entails within the Order, which include sharing fully in the communal life of your fraternity through leadership and service.
...But what if I move? We get it. School, work, family duties and other life changes may mean that you have to move away from our fraternity. We'd be sad to see you go, but never fear: your Dominican status goes with you! No matter where you are in the process, we can help connect you with another Lay Dominican chapter. If you are still in formation, we will help transfer your preparation as well.
The Four Pillars of Dominican Life:
Prayer
The foundation of a Dominican prayer life is the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass, daily if possible, which is complemented by recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours. Specific to our Dominican tradition is also to contemplate the life of Christ through daily recitation of the Rosary. Private and communal prayer are both integral to our lives as Lay Dominicans and help us to sanctify all our work.
Study
A unique part of the Dominican charism is our emphasis on study, which fuels our contemplation and aids in our preaching. Dominicans are life-long "students" who are constantly called to the study of Sacred Scripture, teachings of the Church, and lives and writings of the Saints. In this way, we are better prepared to "proclaim the Good News to all creation" (Mk 15:16) and "make [our] defence to anyone who demands an account of the hope that is in [us]." (1 Pet 3:15).
Community
Lay Dominicans come together to share our common vocation as sons and daughters of Dominic within a local community known as a "fraternity." Joining together for Mass, prayers, meetings or socializing strengthens unity within the fraternity and presents opportunities to grow in communal love, patience and understanding. The practice of joining together for community also enables us to grow in charity towards all people.
Apostolate
The "Apostles" were the men sent by Jesus to spread the Good News to the world. Likewise, an "apostolate" is the work we are sent out to do in order to build God's Kingdom. For Dominicans, apostolates can take many shapes according to our individual gifts, but they will always involve an element of preaching. Like our founder, St. Dominic, our preaching is the outward result of prayer, study and community.