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3 07, 2021

DOMINIC’S CONVERSATION WITH THE CATHAR INNKEEPER   Maeve Mc Mahon O.P.

2023-07-12T12:52:09+00:00July 3, 2021|Dominican News, Education, Good News|

 

DOMINIC’S CONVERSATION WITH THE CATHAR INNKEEPER   Maeve Mc Mahon O.P.

‘DISPUTATIO’

Dominic didn’t say, “You’re wrong! You’re wrong!”

Arguing with the innkeeper all night long.

He searched for the truth, engaged in disputation,

showed him the beauty of God’s creation.

He prolonged the discussion, kept up the conversation,

Behind dark utterances lay illumination.

He listened respectfully to what his opponent said,

NEVER DENYING what was in the man’s head.

SELDOM AFFIRMING his spoken thought,

lest it bring emerging truth to nought.

ALWAYS DISTINGUISHING the points essential

from the details inconsequential.

Dominic blazed a path, cleared a forest of confusion.

Defused a Cathar’s wrath whose illusion

of perfection, to the preacher was delusion.

Dominic, the enlightening truth sought to win.

Veritas at dawn, light bursting in,

Stretching forth into fresh skin.

2 07, 2021

Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare – A New Hymn by Sr. Columbia Fernandez OP

2023-07-12T12:44:45+00:00July 2, 2021|Dominican News, Education, Good News|

We are delighted to share Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare a new hymn by Sr. Columbia OP (Port Elizabeth SA) to commemorate our Holy Father St. Dominic during this Jubilee Year.

Music & Lyrica available here LAUDARE, BENEDICERE, PRAEDICARE

1 07, 2021

Link to Requiem Mass for Sr. Patricia Mc Grath O.P. Iona House, Fortwilliam Park, Belfast.

2023-07-12T12:45:46+00:00July 1, 2021|Dominican News, Education|

Requiem Mass for Sr. Patricia Mc Grath O.P. Iona House, Fortwilliam Park, Belfast. 30th June 2021
27 02, 2020

THE COSMIC WALK IN VICTORIA, ARGENTINA

2023-07-13T14:51:23+00:00February 27, 2020|Education, Events, Latin America, News|

On Sunday 23rd February 2020, late in the evening of a beautiful sunny day, some 60 friends gathered for the launch of the Cosmic Walk in the garden where we have been shaping a space for contemplation and peace.  Outside the entrance, a wooden sign puts before the visitor the three aspects of this venture: Nature, art and contemplation.

Nature as seen in the evolution of the universe as we know it, by walking slowly on a path marked out with signs that indicate how many billions of years ago such an event as the formation of galaxies, for example, happened.

Art as seen in the marvelous murals painted by Alejo Diaz.And the mandala based on the number twelve which was painted by Vanina.  Miguel Conde´s creation of the water fountain as well as aspects of the garden are also works of art.

Contemplation will be the focus of all visits inviting people to dig deeper into the soul and imagination for better connection with all of life, to widen their vision, to seek peace. The ombu at the end of the pathway will be a gathering spot for a short guided meditation.

How did this project begin? The congregation has prioritized for many years the care for the earth, and our centre in Wicklow offers a text for a cosmic walk.  Fr Martin Hunter asked me more than a year ago to translate this text into Spanish as he was keen to make a walk in the garden where he lives in the Capital –Buenos Aires.  As I translated I was captivated by the story enshrined in the text and at once thought I would love to shape a walk somewhere. The Benedictines were not too eager to allow this to happen on their ground so when Veronica Banchero offered her meditation centre garden it seemed the ideal answer.Veronica will continue the good work when I am gone!  A seed come to fruition at last.  And Laudato Si to back it up!

Another source of inspiration was the book written by a Chilean: David Molyneaux. Title: “In the beginning was the dream”. We formed a small reading group to read this book together.  Several videos by Barbara Hubbard Marx which Sister Matilde researched for us as well as Brian Cox gave us a lot of light.

Sr. Veronica  Rafferty OP

 

 

4 12, 2019

Sr. Máire Kealy OP – Dominican Education in Ballyfermot 1953-1978 and later.

2023-07-13T14:49:03+00:00December 4, 2019|Dominican News, Education, Good News, Ireland|

I would like to congratulate Sr Máire on her wonderful documentation of the social history of Ballyfermot and the impact that Dominican Education had on the lives of the young women with the provision of educational facilities.

She certainly captures life in the early 1950s vividly and how the opportunities provided by the Dominican sisters and other Religious organisations encouraged the young women to believe that education was crucial in their lives and in their future.

Sr Máire and the other sisters certainly laid strong ‘foundation stones’ for the people of Ballyfermot and for all of us who were lucky to follow in their footsteps in continuing to embed the importance of holistic education in our schools.

The Primary schools grew rapidly and went from strength to strength which resulted in the establishment of St Dominic’s Secondary School in 1956. Now, more than 60 years later, we are proud to continue to provide a strong and vibrant education for our young girls under the Trusteeship of Le Chéile.

Personally, I am honoured to have been lucky to spend 41 years of my teaching career in Ballyfermot, having arrived in St Dominic’s in 19-77!!!!! Naturally, I have experienced many changes and opportunities in the intervening years and I have no doubt that thanks to the Dominican Sisters, local Community organisations, staff and parents, we have certainly ensured that all our young ladies were challenged to be ‘the best that they can be’ and were and are provided with opportunities to take their place in an ever changing world.

Mar focal scoir, I certainly look forward to documenting the many memories from 1978!!!

Thanks to Ken Larkin Ballyfermot Heritage Group who captured the launch through photos and videos which can be viewed by clicking this Flicker Photo Album  https://www.flickr.com/photos/ballyfermot/albums/72157711973462897  enjoy!

 Mary Daly  Former Teacher (September 1977 to 1997, Principal August 1997 -2018)

                                                                                          

 

10 06, 2019

Eucharist celebration and thanksgiving to mark the closing of St. Rose’s Dominican College, Belfast.

2023-07-13T12:10:47+00:00June 10, 2019|Dominican News, Education, Events, Ireland|

Concluding remarks by Sr. Maire McHugh OP, Mission Area Prioress Ireland, at the Thanksgiving Mass to mark the closing of St. Rose’s Dominican College, Belfast. 

Ascension Sunday 2nd June 2019,

St. Paul’s Parish Church, Falls Road, Belfast

How often have we found when looking through the lens of the Gospel that we can always see our own lives. For me today is one of those times, as I listen to the Gospel story of the Ascension. It is a Gospel about change, about transition. No one likes change! yet for the disciples the departure of Jesus was an important point of growth for them. Jesus was to be with them in a very different way. Yet for them his leaving was very painful indeed. Letting go of the physical presence of Jesus and adjusting to the new reality that was unfolding for the disciples did not sit comfortably with them.

This is a time of transition and change for those of you who have been so loyal to St Rose’s College.  Like all endings, it can leave you disturbed and bereft. And yet, very often too the very idea of endings can be a time of inspiration and the promise of new possibilities.

Though St Rose’s, Dominican College, is closing, each of you, members of the Staff, the Board of Governance, Past Pupils, have embodied the values of Dominican Education, that search for the Truth, the source of inspiration that guides you in your efforts to respond to a rapidly changing world…or as Sr Catherine of Siena said, “Preach the Truth as if you had a million voices. It is silence that kills the world.”

None of us can underestimate how over the last number of years, the reduction of budgets, the years of uncertainty and the amalgamation with two other schools, has affected you the staff and board members. However, as Grace Mc Callion said in her invitation letter, “we have come to the end of an era which evokes mixed emotions, so it is important that the achievement of all are honoured and commemorated.”

There is no doubt that since 1961 – 2019, the Staff in St Rose’s has provided the very best for each individual child and has appreciated the varying gifts and talents of every student. This could only have come about as the result of the total commitment of all the members of staff to the welfare of the students and the support of the Board of Governors, who always had the needs of the students to the forefront. Those needs were many as most of the students came from very disadvantaged backgrounds, from different faiths and cultures and many for whom English is not their first language. You faced those challenges courageously. With the advancing technology of the 21st C and new means of conveying information and knowledge, the staff has always shown great resilience, constantly adjusting to rapidly changing needs. This has demanded on-going professional development, so that you could provide new courses for your students and be constantly innovative in response to syllabi change. Also, to deal with a population downturn and its effect on St Rose’s school from 1000 to 200 students, the staff have needed the ability to be proactive.

Sound leadership has been displayed on the part of the Principals and the Board Of Governors throughout the last 58 years, with the introduction of theoretically applied courses which provided the pathway for so many students into University. There is no doubt that the focus has been on meeting the needs of the students, encouraging them to believe in themselves and to always remain true to themselves.  Again, I quote St Catherine of Siena, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

No one likes to remember the years of the “Troubles” here in Belfast, but we are grateful that St Rose’s staff who provided a safe place for the students, going to extreme lengths to ensure their safety and well-being.

Always alert to the signs of the times and showing a willingness to adapt to changing conditions, over the last number of years, despite the difficulties, the Board of Governors and the Staff have fully embraced collaboration with Corpus Christi College and Christian Brothers School, Glen Rd, to provide the very best for the students and to form a new co-educational school, All Saints.

On behalf of all the Dominican Sisters, I would like to say a sincere thank you to the present Board of Governors and its chair Mr James Mc Kerrow, who with gentle negotiating power and endless courtesy has steered St Rose’s into amalgamation.

We are very sad indeed that St Rose’s, as a Dominican College, will no longer exist. However, we are reassured, knowing that the students of St Rose’s, have been endowed with rich, positive educational experiences in keeping with the Dominican ethos.

A very special word of acknowledgment and appreciation to Dr Bob Cummins, who has represented the Dominican Sisters through the long negotiation of the amalgamation under the guidance of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).

Recalling again the Ascension story today, Jesus instructs the disciples to “stay in the city” – to wait patiently for the moment of grace. May this time of waiting be a moment of grace for you too.

“May you be blessed with constant hope, with confidence in what awaits you, and a strong trust that all shall be well. May you be blessed with graced surrender to let go of what keeps you from growing, to learn from the obstacles that arise, and to live each day with a spirit of openness.” (Joyce Rupp)

And from all the Dominican Sisters we say, may each of you go with courage and trust. And may our love support you as you go in peace with our deep gratitude alive in you as you depart from St Rose’s.

Following the Eucharist celebration guests were invited to return to the school for refreshments and an opportunity to visit the school and chat with friends and colleagues.

 

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