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.

Today, the liturgical color is red as we celebrate the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle. That red isn’t just a liturgical color; it is the color of fire, the color of the Holy Spirit, and the color of the blood spilled by the men who stood on the front lines to build the early Church. It represents the ultimate sacrifice of a soldier for Christ.

Now, history has given Thomas a raw deal. We call him “Doubting Thomas.” But as Dominicans—as members of the Order of Preachers—our entire mission is built on one word: Veritas. Truth. And when you look at Thomas through the lens of truth, you don’t see a cynic. You see a man who wanted a direct encounter. He didn’t want second-hand faith; he wanted to see the Master face-to-face.

When the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas stood his ground with absolute, unfiltered honesty. He wasn’t going to fake it. He refused to give a superficial nod to something his heart hadn’t reconciled.

Look at how Christ responds to that honesty in today’s Gospel. Jesus doesn’t cast him out. He doesn’t read him the riot act or lecture him for having questions. No—eight days later, Jesus walks right through the doors, stands in their midst, goes straight to Thomas, and meets him exactly where he is. He says, “Put your finger here and see my hands.”

Jesus offers His wounds. And what does Thomas do? He doesn’t even need to touch them. He falls to his knees and delivers the most powerful, absolute confession of faith in the entire New Testament: “My Lord and my God.”

In our first reading, Saint Paul tells the Ephesians—and he is telling us today at St. Michael’s—that we are “no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.”

Thomas is a cornerstone of that foundation. His struggle, his grit, and his fierce loyalty to the truth are part of the bedrock we stand on.

My friends, we live in a world filled with noise and uncertainty. In life, we face storms, trials, and moments where our faith is tested. Thomas teaches us that true integrity means bringing your questions directly to the feet of the Master. Christ can handle your doubts. What He wants is your heart—honest and true.

As we approach the altar today to receive the Holy Eucharist, we are encountering that very same Risen Christ. Let our prayer today be just as deep, just as bold, and just as faithful as Saint Thomas’s. When we look upon the Lord, let us say with absolute conviction: “My Lord and my God.”

Saint Thomas the Apostle, pray for us.

On May 24, the Order of Preachers throughout the world pauses to celebrate a unique and profound event in our history: the Translation of our Holy Father, St. Dominic. In the tradition of the Church, a “translation” refers to the formal movement of a Saint’s remains from one location to another. For the Dominicans, this occurred in 1233 in Bologna, Italy, twelve years after St. Dominic’s death. Under the supervision of Blessed Jordan of Saxony—Dominic’s successor—and in the presence of numerous friars and dignitaries, the original modest tomb was opened to move the founder to a more fitting marble sepulcher. It was at this moment that a miraculous, sweet fragrance, described by witnesses as unlike any earthly perfume, emanated from the tomb and filled the air.

​This historical event holds immense significance for the Order of Preachers, Independent (OPI). It serves as the physical fulfillment of St. Dominic’s deathbed promise to his brothers: 

“Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death than I was in life.” 

The “sweet fragrance” was understood as a divine sign that Dominic’s intercession remained active and that his charism—the preaching of Truth (Veritas) for the salvation of souls—was being blessed and expanded by the Holy Spirit. For the Order, this feast is a reminder that we are not merely preserving a memory; we are participating in a living mission that continues to bear fruit in every generation.

​Within the life of The Order of Preachers, Independent, and all of us who are beholden to St. Dominic, the Translation of St. Dominic offers a powerful spiritual lesson. It teaches us that the “fragrance” of a life lived with integrity and faith does not dissipate with time. As a community, we are called to live in such a way that our actions—our service to our families, our neighbors, and our country—leave behind a lasting legacy of kindness and truth. It also reminds us that “transitions” in our own lives, though they may involve change and movement, are often the moments where God’s grace becomes most visible to the world around us.

​As we honor this feast, we renew our commitment to the Dominican spirit of contemplation and action. Like our Holy Father, St. Dominic, may we strive to be people of the Word, ensuring that our lives are a “pleasing sacrifice” that brings the sweetness of God’s mercy to all we encounter. By standing firm in our faith and our duties, we ensure that the light of Truth continues to shine brightly in our parish and beyond.

On this Second Sunday of Easter, the Octave Day of the Resurrection, we stand in a sanctuary illuminated by a singular, breathtaking reality: the victory of Divine Mercy. Today, our celebration carries a unique weight and beauty as we have just blessed the new images of four giants of our faith—Mary Magdalene, Dominic, Catherine, and Rose. These are not merely artistic additions to our walls; they are windows into the very Heart of Christ that we see in the Divine Mercy image itself. To look upon these saints is to see the diverse ways the Mercy of God breaks through the locked doors of the human heart, transforming fear into fortitude and doubt into a “Preaching of Truth.”

In the Gospel today, we find the Apostles huddled in fear behind barred doors. They were men paralyzed by their own failures, by the memory of their desertion in the Garden, and by the terrifying silence of the tomb. Yet, the Risen Christ does not enter that room with a word of condemnation; He enters with the word of Peace ($Shalom$). He shows them His wounds—the indelible marks of His suffering that have now become the fountains of His Mercy. This is the first movement of our Dominican charism: to recognize that Mercy is the only force capable of walking through the walls we build around ourselves. We see this most clearly in St. Mary Magdalene, the first of our new images. She was the one who stood weeping at the tomb, the one from whom seven demons had been cast out, and yet she was the first to hear her name spoken by the Risen Lord. Her life proves that no past is too dark for the light of Easter morning. As a laywoman, she became the “Apostle to the Apostles,” reminding us that the mission of Mercy begins the moment we allow Christ to call us by name.

As we move from the garden of the Resurrection to the mission of the Church, we look to St. Dominic, our holy Father and the clerical heart of our Order. Dominic’s mercy was a “Mercy of the Word.” He looked upon a world wounded by error and confusion, and his heart was moved to pity. He knew that to love someone is to give them the Truth. Like the Apostles in the Upper Room who received the Holy Spirit to forgive sins, Dominic sought to “forgive” the debt of ignorance by preaching the Light of Christ. He reminds us that mercy is not a vague sentiment; it is a rigorous, intellectual, and spiritual commitment to the salvation of souls. In this Parish of St. Michael’s, we follow his lead by being vigilant in our study and joyful in our proclamation, ensuring that the “Bread of the Word” is broken for all who hunger.

But the fire of Dominic’s preaching found its most vibrant expression in the lives of the laity, exemplified by St. Catherine of Siena and St. Rose of Lima. These two women, as Dominican Tertiaries, took the Mercy of the Upper Room into the streets and the hospitals. Catherine stood before popes and kings, a laywoman with the “fire of love” in her soul, demanding that the Church return to its wounded Spouse. Rose, the first flower of the Americas, found Christ in the wounds of the poor and the marginalized, turning her life into a perpetual sacrifice of praise. They show us that Mercy is tangible—it has hands that heal and a voice that speaks for the voiceless. They represent the “Order of Penance,” a life where the red and white rays of Divine Mercy flow through the ordinary actions of a lay life lived in extraordinary union with God.

Therefore, as we gaze upon the Divine Mercy image today—with the pale ray of Water and the red ray of Blood—let us see the lives of these four saints reflected there. The Water of Truth that Dominic preached; the Blood of Sacrifice that Catherine and Rose offered; and the Joy of the Resurrection that Mary Magdalene announced. Like St. Thomas, we are invited today to touch the wounds of Christ—not just in the bread and wine upon this altar, but in the wounds of our neighbors here in San Antonio. We are sent forth from this Mass not merely as observers of Mercy, but as its conduits. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Let us go forth, then, with the courage of Magdalene and the zeal of Dominic, to be the living images of Divine Mercy in a world that so desperately needs to hear: “My Lord and my God!”

In Vigilance and Joy.

My dearest Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, we come together as the Church to commemorate St. Joseph, the Spouse of The Blessed Virgin Mary, and the foster Father of our Lord and Saviour,Jesus, when he became one of us here upon the Earth.

In the same way in which God, our Heavenly Father, who gives each of us as his children, unconditional love, care, stability and who sets us the standard with which we should strive to live our lives with his holy word in the scriptures, a true Father to each and every single one of us, who only ever wants the very best for all his children.  St. Joseph follows our Father’s example, as both husband and foster father.  He gives us examples which men should follow in their lives. Joseph cared for and provided for the Holy Household. There are many qualities that Joseph had which we could use to be the role model for Christian husbands and fathers. Joseph was a very compassionate man.  We can see an example of this when he suspected his wife of infidelity; he planned to divorce her quietly rather than denounce her publicly and expose her to public shame and penalty.

Joseph was always obedient to God and did what he knew was God’s will without thought or hesitation.  Examples of this are that he kept Mary as his wife; he protected and provided for his family when they had to flee to foreign lands to protect them from danger.

Joseph led a life of deep prayer and was in communion with God, and would always seek out that which was God’s will. God often told Joseph his will using dreams.

Joseph was a provider of care, When Jesus’s life was threatened, Joseph would take them out of danger. He took his family to Egypt and only returned when it was safe to do so, and when Jesus went missing at aged twelve, Joseph went searching for him because obviously, both parents were obviously extremely worried about Jesus’s safety.

Joseph also brought much more to Jesus’s life, he taught him his trade which Jesus worked in for about twenty years, he gave Jesus the love and stability he as any child needs, and was his earthly male role model, which was and still is vitally important for a good father to give any child.

He was a man with a firm faith in God coupled with a resilient personality, who did not complain and was not appalled nor distressed in the midst of trials and tribulations, St. Joseph knew how to face, carry and solve the burden of his vocation, of life’s difficulties and responsibilities with serenity, with complete faith and love, entrusting himself totally and unconditionally to God’s plans.

Sadly not all children are brought up in such a way today, but husbands and fathers truly should seek to follow this sincere man of God in the way they run their lives. Are you married? Do you give all the love, trust and respect to your spouse? Or with stresses and strains do you always argue or not truly make time for each other? If you have children, do you know where they are and if they are safe, or who they might be talking to online? Do you give emotional stability, patience and unconditional love? Do your children see you as the role model they need in a Father?  We should always strive to be as our heavenly Father is to each of us, whether that be to our spouses, to our children, and in fact to all as our brothers and sisters.

While the Gospels do not shed much light on St. Joseph’s life, it is believed that he died before Jesus’ public ministry.

St. Joseph is the patron of fathers, spouses, priests and seminarians. But also, St. Joseph teaches  us so much by his silent example of his life, and just how we should love God faithfully and obediently.

Let us pray:

Blessed St. Joseph, husband of Mary,

be with us this day.

You protected and cherished the Virgin;

loving the Child Jesus as your Son,

you rescued Him from the danger of death.

Defend the Church,

the household of God,

purchased by the Blood of Christ.

Guardian of the Holy Family,

be with us in our trials.

May your prayers obtain for us

the strength to flee from error

and wrestle with the powers of corruption

so that in life we may grow in holiness

and in death rejoice in the crown of victory.

Amen.