(ZENIT News / Nueva York, 11.04.2025).- This past summer, in the Dominican House Chapel of St. Barnabas in Bellmore, nine diocesan priests began their novitiate formation as members of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic according to The Rule for the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic.
Br. John Langlois, OP, Provincial Promoter of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic for the Province of St. Joseph, vested the priests with the scapular of the Order. During the rite of vestition, Br. John asked those seeking admission into the Order what they desired. They responded: “God’s mercy and yours.”
It is fitting that priests invoke God’s mercy, as they are themselves instruments of that mercy each day at Holy Mass, in the confessional, and in their ministry to the sick and homebound. The new members seek God’s mercy as they pursue a deeper call to holiness according to the Rule for diocesan priests of St. Dominic.
Through their affiliation with the Order of Preachers, they draw upon the mercy of God and the intercession of the Dominican saints. They desire to remain faithful to their priestly vocation, to proclaim God’s mercy through the preaching of the Gospel in parishes, schools, and missions, and to share “in the grace and mission of the Order to the sure advantage of the local and universal Church.” The charism of preaching, central to the Dominican vocation, continues to nourish their priestly life.
Membership in the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic also provides diocesan priests the opportunity to cultivate fraternal friendships rooted in holiness and shared mission. These bonds extend beyond diocesan boundaries, uniting priests throughout the Province of St. Joseph in common prayer, study, and fraternity.
A new novitiate class
The current novitiate class includes priests from the Archdiocese of New York, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and the Diocese of Worcester. Their year-long formation, led by Br. Charles Connor of the Diocese of Scranton, includes monthly gatherings for intellectual, pastoral, and spiritual instruction.
Following the novitiate and profession, members will form local chapters to continue their life of prayer and study. Through ongoing formation, priests of St. Dominic strive to conform their lives ever more closely to Christ the High Priest and to collaborate with Dominican friars and laity in the preaching of the Gospel.
Above all, the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic provide a setting where diocesan priests find friendship, support, and perseverance in faith, echoing the words of St. Paul: “I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7–8).
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