Any Dominican friars or priests here?

[EphelDuath]

I’m considering joining the Order of Preachers, due to my love of Thomist theology and desire for communal life. (I’m also considering joining a Franciscan order, but I’m at this point leaning towards the OP.)

Can friars in the Order become professors? Because I feel like my calling to serve is to debate and teach theology and philosophy. Any words of advice on that?

 

[LilFranciscan25]

Fr. Vincent Serpa, who posts on the Question and Answer forum, is a Dominican Friar.

Also, education is very highly respected by Dominicans. Being a professor of Theology would be in their line acceptable positions in the Church. They are the Order of Preachers after all.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Can friars in the Order become professors? Because I feel like my calling to serve is to debate and teach theology and philosophy. Any words of advice on that?

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**If you join any religious order, your calling will be to do whatever your superiors decide, not your personal inclinations.

Do remember that.**

 

[Shoshana]

Can friars in the Order become professors? Because I feel like my calling to serve is to debate and teach theology and philosophy. Any words of advice on that?

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If you join any religious order, your calling will be to do whatever your superiors decide, not your personal inclinations.

Do remember that.

This is true. your vocation of becoming a priest will be primary. And THEY will discern where you will be most needed. Obedience is a big factor in holiness…

 

[JReducation]

This is true. your vocation of becoming a priest will be primary. And THEY will discern where you will be most needed. Obedience is a big factor in holiness…

Actually, if you become either a Dominican or Franciscan your primary vocation is to be a brother. The preisthood is a call within a call. Niether the Franciscan nor the Dominican families are canonically orders of priests. They are orders of mendicants. This means that they are itinerant preachers and some are priests. But that decision is up to the major superior, as to who gets ordained and who does not.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Shoshana]

Actually, if you become either a Dominican or Franciscan your primary vocation is to be a brother. The preisthood is a call within a call. Niether the Franciscan nor the Dominican families are canonically orders of priests. They are orders of mendicants. This means that they are itinerant preachers and some are priests. But that decision is up to the major superior, as to who gets ordained and who does not.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Oops! In my french brain, I was thinking ‘nun’ while writing ‘priest’…anyhoo, thank you so much!

 

[JReducation]

Oops! In my french brain, I was thinking ‘nun’ while writing ‘priest’…anyhoo, thank you so much!

Not a biggy. I often run into lay posts where the focus is on the priesthood when discussing the religious life. The problem is not a French brain, LOL. The problem is that the Catholic laity has been trained to think of all religious orders of men as being orders of priests.

That’s understandable. Most religious with whom Catholic lay people come in contact with are priests. Those religious men who are not priests often lead very contemplative lives and are rarely seen by the laity, with the exception of religious men such as congregations of brothers. But that’s another canonical animal altogether different from a religious order.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Shoshana]

Not a biggy. I often run into lay posts where the focus is on the priesthood when discussing the religious life. The problem is not a French brain, LOL. The problem is that the Catholic laity has been trained to think of all religious orders of men as being orders of priests.

That’s understandable. Most religious with whom Catholic lay people come in contact with are priests. Those religious men who are not priests often lead very contemplative lives and are rarely seen by the laity, with the exception of religious men such as congregations of brothers. But that’s another canonical animal altogether different from a religious order.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thank you again…I was in the convent myself for awhile (not long enough as i still yearn for it…another story:blush. I have never met that many Brothers…a couple of franciscans, carmelite and redemptorist brother…that’s it for my experience).

Blessings to you…

 

[Christ_My_Life]

Actually, if you become either a Dominican or Franciscan your primary vocation is to be a brother. The preisthood is a call within a call. Niether the Franciscan nor the Dominican families are canonically orders of priests. They are orders of mendicants. This means that they are itinerant preachers and some are priests. But that decision is up to the major superior, as to who gets ordained and who does not.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Actually, Brother, you aren’t quite correct about the Order of Preachers. Yes, all are brothers but canonically it is an order of clerics. “Since the ministry of the word and of the sacraments of faith is a priestly office, ours is a clerical Order, whose mission the cooperator brothers, exercising in a special way the common priesthood, also share in many ways.”
That is from the Fundamental Constitutions of the Order of Preachers.

 

[Christ_My_Life]

I’m considering joining the Order of Preachers, due to my love of Thomist theology and desire for communal life. (I’m also considering joining a Franciscan order, but I’m at this point leaning towards the OP.)

Can friars in the Order become professors? Because I feel like my calling to serve is to debate and teach theology and philosophy. Any words of advice on that?

Contact the vocation director, Fr. William Garrott, OP, of the Province of St. Joseph and talk to him. vocations@dominicanfriars.org

 

[JReducation]

Actually, Brother, you aren’t quite correct about the Order of Preachers. Yes, all are brothers but canonically it is an order of clerics. “Since the ministry of the word and of the sacraments of faith is a priestly office, ours is a clerical Order, whose mission the cooperator brothers, exercising in a special way the common priesthood, also share in many ways.”
That is from the Fundamental Constitutions of the Order of Preachers.

Thank you for the (name removed by moderator)ut. I didn’t know that. I thought that since the two orders are of the same time period that they were both orders of brothers, meaning canonically lay.

Would that be the reason why among the Franciscans all the newly ordained are keeping the title Brother and the Dominicans have Father and Brother?

In our family, from the Generalates down, friars are gradually changing to Brother or Friar in some countries. Brother is more common in the USA, while Friar is more common abroad. The one exception are the Franciscans of the Eternal Word, because they are a clerical institute of Diocesan Right.

I learned something about the Dominicans that I didn’t know. Thanks.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Christ_My_Life]

I happen to know this only because I’m a Dominican (not a friar, though!)
When St. Dominic started gathering men to preach he began calling himself Brother Dominic and in Europe the friars continue calling themselves Brother, even the Master of the Order.
However, in the US the friars were called Fr. if they were priests and Brother if they were cooperator brothers. So, it’s used interchangeably.
Dominicans and Franciscans are considered cousins but there are small differences. And not so small ones, too, I guess!
God bless you!

 

[JReducation]

I happen to know this only because I’m a Dominican (not a friar, though!)
When St. Dominic started gathering men to preach he began calling himself Brother Dominic and in Europe the friars continue calling themselves Brother, even the Master of the Order.
However, in the US the friars were called Fr. if they were priests and Brother if they were cooperator brothers. So, it’s used interchangeably.
Dominicans and Franciscans are considered cousins but there are small differences. And not so small ones, too, I guess!
God bless you!

The concept of cooperator brothers is forbidden among Franciscans. All the members of the four orders are brothers with equal rights, obligations, and ministries. Each brother brings to the order his gifts.

We have had ordained brothers from the earliest foundations. There were two priests among the first 12. But they were no different. To this day, the ordained brothers are considered one of the many gifts that God gives to the order, along with the brother teacher, the brother cook, the brother theologian and so forth… Two of the four Ministers General are not ordained. One was a theologian and the other was high school teacher. If we had had a distinction, Francis would have been unable to lead his own order.

We have another difference, I believe. Our Secular Franciscans are also brother or sister and they are on equal footing with us, the friars. They have their own Minister General, Rule written by St. Francis, government, constitution and clerics. Their Minister General is one of the four Ministers on the Franciscan General Council where the four Franciscan orders are represented.

It’s an interesting comparison. But that’s why I thought that in a Dominican community, you would not automatically be considered for ordination. Because that’s not our traditon and we are cousins to the Dominicans, everythign else is pretty similar.

I’m glad I learned this, in case anyone asks me.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[EphelDuath]

Do you know if the Order of Preachers as a whole celebrates the Tridentine Latin Mass, or does it vary by each Dominican priory/house?

 

[JReducation]

Do you know if the Order of Preachers as a whole celebrates the Tridentine Latin Mass, or does it vary by each Dominican priory/house?

To the best of my knowledge, the older mendicant orders have not adopted the EF as their official form for the mass. However, there are individual priests who prefer to celebrate the EF.

I would imagine that if a priory voted in their house chapter to use the EF exclusively, it may be allowed by the Provincial Superior. But that’s a maybe. The Motu Proprio does not apply to religious orders when it comes to the liturgy in their own houses.

In the motu proprio it says that priests may celebrate the EF and that they cannot be denied that right. However, it also says that regular priests (religious men) must follow the rules of their institutes when they celebrate the mass in their own houses or their own chapels. The local superior has to give permission for the EF to be celebrated in the community chapel.

I can’t imagine a superor denying the permission. What has happened in some houses is that the community prefers the OF. In that case, the voice of the community is law. That’s what is called the local chapter. However, a individual priest may request permission to celebrate the EF in the chapel, for those who wish to participate, but not as the community mass.

If the community wants the EF as the community mass, the Major Superior would be the person who would have to authorize it. They usually do so, unless it presents a difficulty. They do have to preserve the unity of the community above all things. Thiis is the Major Superior’s respnosibility.

I hope this helps you.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[lucyenglish77]

Do you know if the Order of Preachers as a whole celebrates the Tridentine Latin Mass, or does it vary by each Dominican priory/house?

Hello,

I will tell you that at one time last year, the Latin mass was celebrated on St. Albert the Great’s feast day at St. Albert’s Priory in Oakland.

As far as if they celebrated as a whole, I am not sure. You may want to check out the provincial websites to see if they celebration it.

But what do I know, I am just a part of the Dominican laity at St. Albert’s.

I’ll be praying for your discernment process.

Peace,

Eileen Bellamy
Lay Dominican Candidate (Novice)