Off and on I notice threads asking about a Dominican monastery and "does anyone know anything about them?"
It's a pretty broad question and one that I think I could answer as a general overview because our monasteries in the US/Canada work pretty closely together, especially in the area of formation and ongoing formation.

Although our veils might be slightly different, unlike other Orders, it's no indication of liberal/conservative/traditional. Our monasteries all follow ONE constitution and are on the same page theologically. So, the differences are slight, like in a family of many brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. It's a common topic of conversation at meetings to find out what another monastery does and then respond with, "You do it THAT way?" or "WOW, that's a great idea!" And this can be in any number of the observances!

Some monasteries use Latin more or less, others, not so much or not at all, but it's no indication of whether they are "traditional or not. And as you all know the word "traditional" has about 20 shades of meaning!

Some monasteries have beautiful old choirs and chapels, others have simple ones, or others have ones that are more modern and again it's no indication as I have found out over the years I've visited various monasteries.

One monastery might be more "quiet" in it's approach, another more vibrant, another a mixture but I assure you they all have JOY!

All our monasteries chant the entire Liturgy of the Hours. Almost all have Adoration all day, some all night, and some a few nights a week.

In the end, I think the best thing you could do is write the monastery you are interested in for more information. Then you can pick up the spirit of the community which is often too hard to express in words. Often it's about a "fit" that the Holy SPirit knows you will thrive in THIS community rather than THAT community.

I don't know if this helps. I hope so!

God bless you!
Sr. Mary Catharine

PS the Lufkin community had a website which went down in hurricane Katrina and it was never put up again for some reason. They are a beautiful community which for YEARS has been receiving a steady flow of vocations. They don't use Latin, wear the old coif and their chapel is sort of modern looking but the community is full of zeal for the faith, the contemplative life and the mission of the Order of Preachers.

Are there any contemplative Dominican orders that use the extraordinary form Mass?

Thanks Sister Mary Catharine. You've been most helpful.

Thanks for all that information Sr. Catharine. It is so true, you really cant tell about a community untill you visit and have spent time with them. A pretty website does not make for a real God filled community.
I am often surprised when I hear of people who make plans to enter a community yet dont know that first thing about them. Or they are afraid to ask questions. To me that has disaster written all over it.
And you can't judge a pot by its cover....just because one might wear a 'full habit' means little to me. How those woman practice their faith in community means far more.

No, because what we used was the Dominican Rite, we only had the TLM when a non-Dominican visiting priest came. I think the Buffalo monastery may be having the Dominican Rite once a month for the 3rd Order.

What's different about the Dominican rite? I'd be really interested as I have a strong devotion to St. Dominic.

That makes two of us. I didnt even know Dominicans had a "rite" Though I suppose every Order does??

I've looked on eBay for old Dominican breviaries but haven't managed to find any. Apparently they used to have their own office too.

I was also under the impression that the Council of Trent abrogated a lot of order-specific and regional rites when it defined the Tridentine Mass. Did Dominicans get a special dispensation to continue using their own rite? Does the order have permission to use it now?

Yes, St. Pius V was a Dominican and any rite that was 200 years or older could remain and ours was. We still keep some things from the old Office, etc.

The Order went to the ROman Rite for various reasons in 1969. The Office pretty much got "ruined" during the reform of Pius X. It's too complicated to go into here.

If you goggle the Dominican Rite I think you can find the ordinary of the Mass.

Hey, this is some great information! I know very very little myself about the Dominican cloistered nuns in the US.


That is sooo true!

What would you say is the barometer for a healthy community?

Do all dominican communities whether active or cloistered follow the same constitution? If not what determines if a community is Dominican?

These are 2 great questions! I'll answer the 2nd one first.
All Cloistered moniales, that is those who are incorporated into the Order as Nuns of the Order of Preachers follow the same constitutions. There are no "primitve observance" houses or anything like that. There are a few monasteries who, although cloistered, contemplatives who are part of the Dominican family, are diocesan and have their own constitutions.

Each active congregation follows its own constitutions.

A community is considered Dominican when the Master of the Order and his curia recognizes a community as such. Some older congregations are "aggregated" to the Order, others are "affiliated, while some newer ones are "recognized". The terms seem to be used interchangably. The community is recognized as being Dominican when it follows the spirit, charism, customs and mission of the Order.

For a monastery to be incorporated into the Order first there has to be the permisson of the Bishop then the Master gives the permission to the community to make profession according to the Constitutions of the Nuns. There must be at least 9 Solemnly Professed and usually a monastery already in existence sort of takes that new monastery under her wing and provides a formation although this isn't always the case.

Enough of that. What is the barometer of a healthy community?
First, I would have to emphasize that I'm looking at this as a Dominican which means that some of what I'll say is conditioned by our understanding of religious life.
First, that the community is united in it's goal and united on what it means to be this particular kind of religious.
Second, that there is a spirit of trust, charity and openess among the members. I've seen communities where there is a great lack of trust and sisters are afraid to speak, afraid that someone will "tell on them", etc. Not pretty. It leads to all sorts of abuses, especially against common life.
The community should be grounded in the mind and heart of the Church and in the charism of it's founder. You get that right and everything else can work out even if there are times of tension and confusion.
Members need to be free to speak out, to express their opinions, to know that they are respected even if others don't agree.
I would also say that a community needs to not take itself too seriously! It needs to be convinced that while we are all striving for holiness, we are sinners and that God's mercy can only abound in this little part of the Church if we are convinced of the need for God's mercy! If a community doesn't have this it will be very demanding of a perfectionism or even worse, an IMAGE of perfectionism of its members. It's hard to be forgiving if I can't accept my own sinfulness first! The 2nd person of the Blessed Trinity became a man and invites us to become human, also. It's said that the holier a person is the more human that person is. I think that's true.

I think I'd better stop! I'm sure others would add something or disagree. That's OK! Dominicans love to debate because this way we can, with God's grace, come to the truth of something.

Thanks for asking these questions!

God bless you!
Sr. Mary Catharine

I think the story was this: The Order was founded in the 1200s, before there was a standard Roman Rite, so things were somewhat varied regionally. But if you're going to have a worldwide Order, you have to have the same Rite in Rome, Florence, Spain, Cambridge,..., so that friars can follow the communal Liturgy whichever house they are at. Remember Dominicans are "ramblin' men." So someone or other (maybe the 2nd or third Master of the Order was it?) set down a standard Form of Mass for all the priories. The point of the establishment of the Tridentine Mass was to crack down on lots of liturgical innovations (hm!) and really random and varied stuff; I guess people kept coming up with new Forms of Mass; but a Rite which had been established for 200 years could remain in use. (So the Mozarabic Rite, in Spain, and the Ambrosian Rite, in Milan, were allowed to stay. I think that's right. No pun intended. really.)

that is what I always love about Dominicans, they speak their mind! They love a good discussion and all contribute. I have been in some convents/monasteries where the sisters are very guarded, almost afraid to speak. I know I could never live in such a repressive enviornment. When in a Dominican house you can always expect to get a good debate going.

Hey Photosynthesis,

Sr. Rose of St Mary of the Dominican Nuns of Buffalo told me in a letter I just received, "We hope to be having the Mass of '62--Latin--soon as our chaplain learns it. We have to practice it too and are excited about it."

Wow, thanks for sharing! I wonder if many other communities out there from the different Orders are planning to have the 1962 missal also now since the Motu Proprio.


Is Lockport one of those?

I don't kow about other communities. I do know of several parishes.

Yes, Lockport at present is a diocesan community. They may be using our constitutions in so far as they can or they may have their own.
Mt. Thabor in Ortonville, MI and the Perpetual Rosary Sisters in Milwaukee each have their own constitutions. There is a monastery in Norway or Sweden that is similar.

To someone just looking at these communities there doesn't seem much difference but there usually are differences that are actually make these communities quite different. For example, the profession of the Nuns is made to the Master just like the friars which these communities don't have. Mt. Thabor's prioress is in for life and Milwaukee's prioress can have unlimited terms. We have term limits--2 consecutive terms or 3 if the person receives 2/3 of the vote and the request is approved by the Ordinary or Regular Superior. But never more than that.

Thanks for the reply! Do these cloistered diocescan communities make a Solemn Profession as the nuns do? Do you know if Lockport is looking into becoming officially Dominican Nuns, as you said "at present?"

No, they don't make Solemn Profession. I don't know what Lockport's plans are regarding incorporation into the Order.

SMC

What's the story on prioresses? Is it that all Solemnly Professed nuns vote in the election and each term is a few years? They are called "Mother," yes?

Thanks Sr. Mary Catharine

They call them Mother and Mother Mistress in Lockport.

Mother Valerie = Mother or Rev. Mother and its easier to call the Novice Mistress, Mother Mistress. Dont ask me why. :

Dominican Priors and Prioress, Provincials and the Master have limited terms. A prioress is in for a 3 year term and can be reelected. But for a 3rd term she must have 2/3 of the vote of the Chapter. She can be elected again after someone else has had a term.

Our tradition has NOT been to call the prioress "Mother". St. Dominic was always "Brother" Dominic. the Prioress is 1st among equals. Calling the prioress Mother came in after the French Revolution but she was always called Sister in the Profession formula.

Interesting, thanks!