Is your order Apostolic, Missionary, Contemplative or Monastic?
Missionary
What does it mean to you as you live your life as a sister/brother?
It means everything to me. When I gave myself to God, I did so very seriously and consciously. Before I entered the convent, I lived my life how I wanted to. Now that I am a sister, I only want to do what God wants me to do. This means that every facet of my life now revolves around God’s will. It’s not easy, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
What is the charism of your order? How do you live that out?
We are Dominican, so first and foremost, our purpose is to spread the “Truth.” We are also missionary, so our charism states that we need to be flexible, adaptable, and “ready to be sent” wherever and whenever we are needed. We are a voice for the voiceless. We promote non-violence, effect reconciliation and healing, and protest against corruption and unjust structures.
I’ve lived out our charism by saying “yes” to whatever is asked of me. When I was asked to live and work in South Africa, I went. When I was asked to take on congregational responsibilities, I did. When I was asked to move to different locations and take on different ministries, I moved and began new ministries. And I hope I’ve done all these things with a spirit of joy and prayer.
What is an example from your daily life?
I’m not sure what this question is asking. If it’s about my daily routine, it’s as follows: I wake up, say morning prayer with the sisters, go to my ministry, spend time in personal prayer with my God, say the rosary and evening prayer with my sisters, eat dinner with them and then enjoy some free time in the evening.
What is your favorite story about the founder of your order?
I have two stories that I really like. The first one is, before his mother conceived him, she saw in a vision that a dog with a burning torch in its mouth would come forth from her womb and set the world aflame. Later, she saw the moon on his forehead, yet at his Baptism, his godmother perceived it as a star. The boy was christened probably after Saint Dominic of Silas whose nearby shrine was a favorite of his mother.
The second one is, at the age of 14, he went to the university in Palencia, in the kingdom of Leon. Around that time, there was a terrible famine. To give alms to the poor, he sold his possessions, even his precious annotated books, thinking that the living skins of the famished were more important than the dead skins of his books.
What is your favorite story about your congregation?
Well, we had 8 foundresses, and my favorite story is about how they started our order. They were very brave women who broke off from another congregation, and hence, were the first Dominicans to work with the black South African people of the country of South Africa. It took tremendous courage to do that because they started with absolutely nothing. Now, on the same piece of property on which they started, there are four schools, a home for the elderly, a medical clinic, a retreat center, and agricultural fields along with various buildings for housing… not to mention other establishments within South Africa and other countries throughout the world.
What makes your order unique among other Apostolic/Missionary/Contemplative/Monastic orders?
I think I already covered this somewhat in the question about our charism. Unlike other Dominican congregations, our sisters engaged in a variety of ministries and missions right from the start. The black South African people had nothing, so we needed to help with everything. We were never “just” a teaching order or “just” a medical order or an order “just” devoted to social services. We did anything and everything that was needed.
This spirit is still evident in our sisters today. No job is beneath us. We do whatever is needed in the communities that we serve. And from the very beginning, we have also always worked “with the people” and not “for the people.” We work side by side with the people we serve as partners/equals.
What are the benefits of your order that would entice a young adult to choose your order over contributing to the life of the church as a lay person?
I think the benefit of our congregation is that we can use just about any gifts or talents that people bring to the congregation because our mission is so diverse.
What ministries is your order currently involved in?
Teaching, nursing, social work, and pastoral care.
What ministries would your order like to be offering to the Church?
I’m not sure there is anything we could add to what we offer because we are already so diverse.
What does your order offer that others may not?
Identity and Mission of the Oakford Dominicans
Rooted in the spirit of Dominic, Catherine, and our pioneer Sisters, we are contemplative in action.
We are bonded in faith, truth and our common calling.
Aware of our own brokenness and of God’s mercy in our lives, we strengthen one another in community.
Risking our security in response to God’s invitation, we are called to new forms of preaching.
Searching for the truth, dignifying all life, we are sent:
to be the voice of the voiceless
to promote non-violence
to effect reconciliation and healing
to protest against corruption and unjust structures
Missioner in the countries in which we serve, we celebrate our diversity as an international congregation of women. We uphold one another in love and compassion as we move in prayerful hope into the new millennium.
What is a typical day in the life of an Oakford Dominican?
COMMUNITY LIFE
We live together in community. Some communities are large; others are two or three sisters living together. We share prayer, meals and time together. Community life is for mission.
PRAYER
We pray Morning and Evening Prayer in community. Daily Eucharist, Rosary and time for personal prayer is essential to each day also.
STUDY
To keep updated in aspects of our faith life as well as with what is happening in the church and world around us is of great value. We encourage our sisters to continue ongoing education through study of scripture and theology as well as for the benefit of their own ministries.
APOSTOLATE
Being a missionary congregation our sisters are involved in a variety of ministries such as: health care, care for the elderly, the poor and expectant mothers, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home care, pastoral care to the sick and dying, education, elementary schools and high schools, youth center, retreat work, parish work, adult education, adult spirituality, catechetical work, social work, rehabilitation center.
Each day in the life of an Oakford Dominican sister is an intertwining of communal and personal prayer, time together in community, study for personal growth and to benefit one’s ministry, and in serving God’s people in a variety of ministries.
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( 3 / 115 )The column LIVING IN THE WORLD OF YES features the stories of vowed Religious in our Diocese and Sister Gladys tells it like it is for a young Dominican Sister. Be sure to keep an eye on this column for more about vowed Religious in the Diocese of Tucson!. Sister Rina, Vicar for Religious
Is your order Apostolic, Missionary, Contemplative or Monastic?
Missionary
What does it mean to you as you live your life as a sister/brother?
It means everything to me. When I gave myself to God, I did so very seriously and consciously. Before I entered the convent, I lived my life how I wanted to. Now that I am a sister, I only want to do what God wants me to do. This means that every facet of my life now revolves around God’s will. It’s not easy, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
What is the charism of your order? How do you live that out?
We are Dominican, so first and foremost, our purpose is to spread the “Truth.” We are also missionary, so our charism states that we need to be flexible, adaptable, and “ready to be sent” wherever and whenever we are needed. We are a voice for the voiceless. We promote non-violence, effect reconciliation and healing, and protest against corruption and unjust structures.
I’ve lived out our charism by saying “yes” to whatever is asked of me. When I was asked to live and work in South Africa, I went. When I was asked to take on congregational responsibilities, I did. When I was asked to move to different locations and take on different ministries, I moved and began new ministries. And I hope I’ve done all these things with a spirit of joy and prayer.
What is an example from your daily life?
I’m not sure what this question is asking. If it’s about my daily routine, it’s as follows: I wake up, say morning prayer with the sisters, go to my ministry, spend time in personal prayer with my God, say the rosary and evening prayer with my sisters, eat dinner with them and then enjoy some free time in the evening.
What is your favorite story about the founder of your order?
I have two stories that I really like. The first one is, before his mother conceived him, she saw in a vision that a dog with a burning torch in its mouth would come forth from her womb and set the world aflame. Later, she saw the moon on his forehead, yet at his Baptism, his godmother perceived it as a star. The boy was christened probably after Saint Dominic of Silas whose nearby shrine was a favorite of his mother.
The second one is, at the age of 14, he went to the university in Palencia, in the kingdom of Leon. Around that time, there was a terrible famine. To give alms to the poor, he sold his possessions, even his precious annotated books, thinking that the living skins of the famished were more important than the dead skins of his books.
What is your favorite story about your congregation?
Well, we had 8 foundresses, and my favorite story is about how they started our order. They were very brave women who broke off from another congregation, and hence, were the first Dominicans to work with the black South African people of the country of South Africa. It took tremendous courage to do that because they started with absolutely nothing. Now, on the same piece of property on which they started, there are four schools, a home for the elderly, a medical clinic, a retreat center, and agricultural fields along with various buildings for housing… not to mention other establishments within South Africa and other countries throughout the world.
What makes your order unique among other Apostolic/Missionary/Contemplative/Monastic orders?
I think I already covered this somewhat in the question about our charism. Unlike other Dominican congregations, our sisters engaged in a variety of ministries and missions right from the start. The black South African people had nothing, so we needed to help with everything. We were never “just” a teaching order or “just” a medical order or an order “just” devoted to social services. We did anything and everything that was needed.
This spirit is still evident in our sisters today. No job is beneath us. We do whatever is needed in the communities that we serve. And from the very beginning, we have also always worked “with the people” and not “for the people.” We work side by side with the people we serve as partners/equals.
What does your order offer that others may not?
See above.
What are the benefits of your order that would entice a young adult to choose your order over contributing to the life of the church as a lay person?
I think the benefit of our congregation is that we can use just about any gifts or talents that people bring to the congregation because our mission is so diverse.
What ministries is your order currently involved in?
Teaching, nursing, social work, and pastoral care.
What ministries would your order like to be offering to the Church?
I’m not sure there is anything we could add to what we offer because we are already so diverse.
Identity and Mission
of the
Oakford Dominicans
Rooted in the spirit of Dominic, Catherine, and our pioneer Sisters, we are contemplative in action.
We are bonded in faith, truth and our common calling.
Aware of our own brokenness and of God’s mercy in our lives, we strengthen one another in community.
Risking our security in response to God’s invitation, we are called to new forms of preaching.
Searching for the truth, dignifying all life, we are sent:
to be the voice of the voiceless
to promote non-violence
to effect reconciliation and healing
to protest against corruption and unjust structures
Missioner in the countries in which we serve, we celebrate our diversity as an international congregation of women. We uphold one another in love and compassion as we move in prayerful hope into the new millennium.
What is a typical day in the life of an Oakford Dominican?
COMMUNITY LIFE
We live together in community. Some communities are large; others are two or three sisters living together. We share prayer, meals and time together. Community life is for mission.
PRAYER
We pray Morning and Evening Prayer in community. Daily Eucharist, Rosary and time for personal prayer is essential to each day also.
STUDY
To keep updated in aspects of our faith life as well as with what is happening in the church and world around us is of great value. We encourage our sisters to continue ongoing education through study of scripture and theology as well as for the benefit of their own ministries.
APOSTOLATE
Being a missionary congregation our sisters are involved in a variety of ministries such as: health care, care for the elderly, the poor and expectant mothers, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home care, pastoral care to the sick and dying, education, elementary schools and high schools, youth center, retreat work, parish work, adult education, adult spirituality, catechetical work, social work, rehabilitation center.
Each day in the life of an Oakford Dominican sister is an intertwining of communal and personal prayer, time together in community, study for personal growth and to benefit one’s ministry, and in serving God’s people in a variety of ministries.
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( 3 / 135 )…yes is a world and in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds.
-- ee cummings
By Sister Rina Cappellazzo, O.P.
My parents emigrated from Italy, and I was born during the Great Depression on the East Side of Detroit in June of 1931.
In our home everything was Italian. Our newspaper, radio programs, books, foods, customs, clothes, you name it – we were Italians from a small village north of Venice and very proud of our nationality and lifestyle.
Italian was the first and only language I spoke before going to school.
I cried through most of the first grade because I had to learn to speak English.
Each morning, Sister Mary Gentilla, a Felician Sister, attempted to teach me to read and speak in English. Sister used pictures of people and objects and I cried and cried because all I could say was, “Questi non sono mei genitori!”
Poor Sister Gentilla. She was so patient. She continued with the pictures and repeatedly stated, “In English, now say…” By the time I reached the third grade, I was fluent in English.
After high school I worked as a secretary in real estate, and seemingly was very happy as “a career girl.”
However, something kept bothering me.
I knew what it was, but I had tried to put it out of my mind for years.
Now the time had come when I knew I had to make a decision. God had to have His way, and I decided to consider the challenges of the Religious Life.
I thought I’d “just look” at the Adrian Dominican sisters in Adrian, Michigan, because these sisters wore a beautiful white habit.
After all, every career girl had some sense of “style” – forget a serious prayer life!
I guess that God was pulling out all the stops to lure me to take this challenge.
After much deliberation, procrastination and, yes, serious “talks with God” (I even tried to tell God to look at some of the “nice girls” in my class, not me), I finally said “Yes!” in January of 1950.
I took a leap of faith in the hands of a God who apparently had great faith and interest in this little Italian kid from the East Side of Detroit.
Strangely, though, once I said “Yes!” I was at once terrified, excited and challenged, but strangely at peace deeply within my soul!
Little did I know then that this was the first step in the pursuit of a lifetime of deep prayer and study, all in preparation to live freely and fully the Dominican life of the Order of Preachers (O.P.).
During these 59 years as a Dominican Sister, I’ve been a teacher, administrator, counselor, spiritual director, Vicar for Religious and have taught and mentored American seminarians in Leuven, Belgium.
I’ve retired twice, and at the age of 76 I came out of retirement again to answer the call to the ministry of Vicar for Vowed Religious in the Diocese of Tucson.
I’m truly excited and challenged to minister once again with my Sisters and Brothers.
I know that we Vowed Religious are men and women who are living in a unique world of “Yes!”
Yet, ironically, the very chaos we experience in our world of “Yes!” often pushes us to new levels of perception and reliance on the promptings of God.
Of course, deep within us there is a very strong desire to have things stay the same, but down deep inside that desire there is also a craving for a new life – something different, something more challenging, like writing this column for The New Vision.
Look for us here and come to know that “Yes!” indeed, we’re here taking up the challenge of ministry!
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