On this Feast Day of our Holy Father, St Dominic, we hear from a few of our members as they express what being a member of The Order of Preachers Independent means to them…

The Very Rev Lady Sherwood,OPI

Bound by Vows, Set Free by Grace: What the Order of Preachers Independent Means to Me

​To live as a Dominican Priest and Solemnly Vowed Sister in the Order of Preachers Independent means embracing a deeply personal sacred calling—one centred on my pursuit of Truth (Veritas) while extending radical, unconditioned love to a hurting world. It is how I bridge rich historical tradition with my daily, living faith, carving out a space where ancient devotion meets modern compassion.

​What This Vocation Means to Me:

​My Preaching Through Presence and Word: As a member of the Order of Preachers (Ordo Praedicatorum), preaching is not merely what I do from a pulpit; it is the fundamental rhythm of my life. It means witnessing to grace through active listening, pastoral care, and speaking truth to systems of hardship.

​My Commitment Sealed in Vows:

My solemn vows are not a restriction, but my profound freedom. They anchor my heart entirely to God and the service of His people, offering me a daily invitation to live simply, love purely, and serve obediently to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

​My Freedom in the Order of Preachers Independent:

Standing within an independent Dominican tradition allows the charism of St Dominic to flourish in spaces that might otherwise be overlooked or underserved. It grants me the pastoral liberty to meet every soul precisely where they are, offering sacraments, solace, and spiritual accompaniment without barrier or hesitation.

​My Harmony of Contemplation and Action:

My Dominican life flows from personal contemplation (Contemplata Aliis Tradere—to contemplate and to give to others the fruits of contemplation). In my silent prayer, study, and reflection, I find the strength and wisdom required to step outward as a priest and sister into the labour of pastoral love.

My Sanctuary of Grace:

​Ultimately, walking this path within the Order of Preachers Independent means being a living signpost to God’s expansive, unfailing mercy. It is my honour to carry this ancient torch into contemporary life, offering a sanctuary of prayer, spiritual direction, and sacred presence to all who seek peace on their journey.

​Let me close with a Scripture and Prayer:

​”If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:31–32

​A Prayer of Commitment and Grace:

​Heavenly Father, God of Truth and Love,

​We give You thanks for calling us to walk in the footsteps of St Dominic—to contemplate Your holy Word and to proclaim Your grace to a world in need of hope.

​Grant me the wisdom to seek Your truth in all things, the courage to speak it with gentleness and warmth, and the humility to embody Your boundless compassion. Anoint my ministry as a priest and sister, that my vows may be a living sign of Your freedom, and my presence a sanctuary of peace to all whom You place in my care.

​Keep my heart rooted in prayer, my mind open to Your wisdom, and my hands ready to serve. May all that I preach, pray, and do reflect Your unfailing light, guiding souls closer to Your loving heart.

​Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Great High Priest.

​Amen.

The Rev Frank Bellino,OPI

A Preacher’s Reflection: 5 Years with St. Dominic and a Roadmap for the Road Ahead

​​Today, August 8th, as we celebrate the Feast of St. Dominic, I’m pausing to look back—and more importantly, to look forward.

​Today marks my fifth year as a Dominican. Reaching this milestone has given me time to reflect on the long road that brought me here, but even more than that, it has given me clarity on where we need to go next.

​If you know me, you know I’ve spent almost my entire adult life wearing a uniform. For 23 years, it was the uniform of the United States Air Force. After that, for 44 years, it was the badge and uniform of a Texas Peace Officer. When you spend decades putting on a uniform every single morning, you learn pretty quickly what it actually means. You don’t wear it to look special or stand out. You wear it because it stands for something bigger than you—duty, integrity, protection, and a commitment to serve.

​Looking back, I realize St. Dominic was quietly influencing my life long before I stepped into the Order—even before I realized I was a Dominican at heart. All those years on patrol, listening to people on their worst days, standing up for what was right, and trying to bring peace to chaotic moments—that was God shaping a preacher’s heart in me.

​Today, five years into this Dominican journey, the uniform looks different, but the mission is the same. When I put on the habit, it’s my daily reminder of who I belong to and who I represent: Jesus Christ.

​St. Dominic built our Order over eight centuries ago on one core word: Veritas—Truth. But for Dominic, Truth was never a cold set of rules or an argument to win. Veritas is a Person. Truth is Christ Himself, preached with a heart overflowing with compassion.

​Looking back gives us gratitude, but faith requires a roadmap. As your pastor and a brother in St. Dominic, here is the pathway I’m setting for myself and inviting our whole parish family to walk together:

​Our Dominican Roadmap Ahead

​1. Contemplate First, Then Share (Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere)

Before we can speak Truth to a noisy world, we have to sit with Christ in silence. Our roadmap starts with prayer—grounding our homes, our parish, and our daily decisions in Scripture and the Sacraments so we actually have His light to give away.

​2. Preach Through Action and Compassion

Preaching isn’t limited to the altar on Sunday morning. Every day in our community, on the job, and around the family dinner table, we preach by how we listen, how we forgive, and how we stand up for those who are hurting or forgotten.

​3. Stand Firm in Veritas with Love

The world doesn’t need more noise or harshness; it needs real, authentic Truth delivered with genuine warmth. We are called to be steady, reliable witnesses of the Gospel—uncompromising in our faith, but endless in our charity.

​Wearing the habit reminds me every day that the duty continues. As we celebrate St. Dominic today, let’s not just honor history—let’s live it. Let’s take this roadmap, step out with courage, and bring the light of Christ into every room we walk into.

​Holy Father St. Dominic, pray for us!

The Rt Rev Michael Beckett,OPI

Becoming a Dominican, for me, isn’t a thing you do, it is recognizing who you are, to whom you belong, which is reflected in all that one does, in fact, do. St. Dominic built his Order on the Four Great Pillars of the Dominican Charism: Truth, Community, Prayer, and Study.

We continually strive for Truth, not only to be truthful, but to recognize that what is ‘truth’ for one person might not be “truth” for another. We strive to recognize truths within ourselves and what that means for our spiritual life and the lives of all with whom we come into contact.

We must recognize that Community is not just our nearest and dearest, but that the concept of “community” is recognizing that every person, regardless of ethnicity, skin color, sexuality, political persuasion, socio-economic status or anything else that may divide us, is to be included in our own personal communities. We know and live with the understanding that there is not one person on this earth, nor will there ever be any persons on this earth, that God does not love, and there can be no limits to our love of God’s people.

The Apostle Paul teaches us in his First Letter to the Church at Thessalonica, Chapter 5, Verse 16 that we are to “pray without ceasing.” This does not mean that we are constantly on a “spiritual phone call” with our Lord, but that we recognize that everything we do and say should be done for the glory of God. You’ve heard it said that folks should strive to “be the best you can be.” Praying without ceasing recognizes that not only must we be the best we can be, we be that best in order to praise God. Even the most mundane tasks, if well done and completed, or even attempted, with the attitude that “in our work we praise,” we are praying. Keeping this uppermost in our minds helps us to do better, to be more faithful, and to be more loving.

In our quest for Truth, Community, and true Prayer, we recognize that we must Study. If we are to be our best, we must study how to achieve that best. If we are to pray continually, we must know how to pray; if we are to build Community, we must learn who the people in our communities are and what is needed, and we must, beyond any shadow of a doubt, know the Truth of what we say, do, and believe.

It is through the lens of these Four Pillars that we, as Dominicans, live and breathe the love that Jesus taught us. Just as there are no limits to God’s love, there should be no limits to ours. The old hymn, “Give of Your Best to the Master” by Howard B. Grose, sums it up nicely:

Give of your best to the Master,
give Him first place in your heart;
give Him first place in your service,
consecrate every part.
Give and to you shall be given-
God His beloved Son gave;
give Him your heart’s adoration,
give Him the best that you have.

Give of your best to the Master,
nought else is worthy His love;
He gave Himself for your ransom,
gave up His glory above;
Laid down His life without murmur,
you from sin’s ruin to save;
give Him your heart’s adoration,
give Him the best that you have.

I will leave you with two quotes from St. Dominic.

Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.

I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.

Let us pray:

God of Truth you gave your church a new light in the life and preaching of our Father Dominic. Give us the help we need to support our preaching by holy and simple lives. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.