GLOBAL VIEW OF THE DOMINICAN FAMILY:

  A good description for me of a global view of the Dominican Family is that we have relatives in our family around the world that we have not met yet. Once we have met these relatives, we can no longer deny they exist. So I ask: “Are we willing to know someone on the other side of the aisle, on the other side of the world, who happens to be our relative?

There are Dominicans in most every country we read about in our daily newspapers: Pakistan, China, Vietnam, India, Palestine, Rwanda, Congo, Zimbabwe, Hungary, Croatia and France, Venezuela, Columbia, and as you well know, we are in Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh. In total, we are in 101 countries. There are approximately 30,000 sisters, 6,700 friars, 4,000 nuns and over 75,000 laity.

We are bound by a common tradition and belong to the same Family of Dominic. We are related to each other through our profession as preachers even though we have not all met yet. We are united around the heritage of Dominic and in our profession to be preachers. No one branch enjoys "pride of place" in the Order – it is our mission that does!! Though united, we are very different in so many ways! Some are tall while others quite short. Some are multi-lingual while others are monolingual, at best! Some are doctors while others are struggling to earn a first degree. Some are progressive while others are quite conservative. Some wear habits while others have never even seen one. Some live in large mansions while others inhabit small huts. Some are very charismatic and inspiring while others of us are less so. Some eat pasta daily while others live on rice and still others who can choose either pasta or rice and eat as much as we would like. And the differences go on and on. I think the question that distinguishes us, as Dominican is how well are we able to maintain and embrace our unity as sister and brother preachers with all the differences that are part and parcel of our Dominican identity. To the extent that we are able, we will be a global Dominican Family.

DOMINICAN SISTER INTERNATIONAL:

DSI is a global network of 160 congregations of sisters of the apostolic life – one congregation is as big as 3500 members and one is as small as 5. DSI began in 1995 in Rome when over 80 Prioresses General decided that we have new challenges that we can only face together because we now live in a globalized world. We are no longer asking: “How shall we, as Italian Dominicans, live in this world?” But, “How shall we, as Dominican Sisters International, live together in this time and place?” Responding to a world marked by global communications technology, global warming and abuse of resources, by widespread conflicts, ethnic clashes and harsh divisions between rich and poor, by economic and ecclesial scandals, DSI emphasizes the feminine impulse to develop relationships and to make connections. DSI sees Spirit-filled encounters, such as this Gathering, as a way of celebrating new life and going forward together into the future DSI unites north and south, east and west. DSI is a way for women to talk in the Order, a way for sisters to speak with each other across continental lines and a way for us to be at home with each other or as your theme song states, to come home safe and sound. All of us are DSI. Every three years, we select an International Coordinator and five Regional Coordinators who strive to animate our relationships as sisters across the globe around our four goals.

The Visitation between Mary and Elizabeth can teach us about this “call to accompaniment.” It is the symbol of DSI and wherever I go, I collect pictures of this event. In each picture, though there are cultural differences, there are always two women in communion, usually standing together as one, embracing and connecting. We see two women in real time and space, complete with their own humiliation and confusion, daring to think beyond themselves and to embrace God's plan for the earth, as recorded in Luke's gospel: “ God has put down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up those who are downtrodden and God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.' (LK 1:50-53) What an excellent example of women living locally and globally at the same time. What an excellent example of Dominican accompaniment.

When I think about accompaniment, or solidarity or communion, I see it as a habit of the heart that binds us emotionally and practically to our sisters and brothers around the world. And when we use Dominican in front of this word, we mean our relatives, our sisters and brothers, many of whom we have not met yet. I would like to focus our attention on two aspects of this Dominican accompaniment as witnessed in this Visitation event: presence and mutuality.

Presence:

We have heard it said, “The older we get, the more we forget.” I would like to add: “The farther away we get from our relatives, the more we forget!”

Mary and Elizabeth were present to each other. Mary left the familiarity of her own hometown and hurriedly went over hillsides to be with Elizabeth . It was important that they be together. Mary and Elizabeth avoided the fundamental human tendency to stand back in the face of trouble. As Jonathan Glover wrote (in Humanity: The Moral History of the Twentieth Century) : “Bystanders know enough to see that knowing more will be uncomfortable. Looking away, there is little sense of the enormous evil (or pain) it is urgent to stop.” Mary and Elizabeth were not bystanders, for as Jessica Powers says: “Love hurried forth to serve.” They could not bear to be apart during this time of struggle and trial, of joy and hope.

The globalization of the economy demands a globalization of solidarity. It is our way of addressing the negative impact of globalization. Our solidarity can work to distribute evenly its benefits and to prevent exploitation of the poor, most of whom are women. We are intrinsically linked with all of our sisters and brothers in Africa , Asia , Latin America and the Caribbean and especially with our Dominican ones. We need to know about their quality of life and if it is being threatened. This is not merely a sentimental search for new friends but a rigorous intellectual inquiry involving personal contact and commitment. This kind of accompaniment can be as simple as a gesture of embrace. As you know so well, this kind of accompaniment can be as powerful as a protest, as we are all doing about Iraq . It can be as profound as a corporate stance, or as prophetic as a congregational vision statement. This kind of accompaniment is such a non-violent way of being. We are not pushing or shoving. We are not hitting or hurting. We are connecting with one another in gentleness and affection. No doubt at times we are tempted to stand apart, to look away and maybe even to run away. We have had our full share of pain and misery right where we are. But this is where we use our paschal imagination and believe that there is living in our dying, hope in our fears, possibilities in our frustrations.

Dominican accompaniment can be quite simple. However, it does mean that we have to move, maybe not always physically, but definitely emotionally and spiritually so that we find room to allow our sisters to inhabit our hearts and impact our ways of living, consuming, and acting. (I would like to paraphrase Erik Borgman in his new book on Dominican Spirituality .) “Mobility detaches us from the position which we once held or in which we found ourselves through circumstances and views which have been handed down to us or which we have chosen. It forces us constantly to reconsider our choices and decisions… We need to see things differently, with their own significance and values, in a new light.”

How can we expand these kinds of connections? Are we engaged in ministries that could do without us, for short periods of time, so that we would be more available to share our skills across the planet? We have all heard in our libraries about inter-schools loans. How could we set up more inter-congregational loans among Dominicans? Can we be with our relatives in difficult situations, such as war and poverty and ignorance and find ways to redistribute the world resources? What kinds of exchanges can we build into our daily operations as Dominicans that would invite our sisters into our presence, and we into theirs? How can we include our sisters from around in the world in our courses and conferences, in our celebrations and conversations? How can we be better companions to each other? How can we pay more attention to our relatives, especially those most in need? Do we need a solidarity committee as well as a justice and peace one? After this day together and my previous experiences with you, I am sure you will find many more ways that are effective, engaging and enriching. I just want to say that there is and an urgency of God's call in our Dominican world that compels us to act.

Secondly, accompaniment involves mutuality. There is an aboriginal saying that goes something like this: “If you are coming here, just to help, don't bother. But if you are coming because you believe your liberation is bound up with ours, come and let us go forward together.”

The solidarity implicit in this kind of mutual relationship is solidarity “with” and not only a solidarity “for”. Like Mary and Elizabeth who mutually supported each other, we, as Dominicans, have much to give and much to receive from each other. We are being called to experience life, not in isolation, but in a shared way. We both need each other so our relationships are entirely reciprocal. As every missionary is wont to say: No matter what I did for others, I always received more that I gave! Most times, as I leave a mission land, I say to myself: “Now who really are the poor and who are the rich?” Aren't there some qualities of the developing world that we desire?

Together we participate in the bringing forth the Word of God into our world, not only for the people of our times but also for future generations. Did you ever think that things could have been different? Mary and Elizabeth might not have accompanied each other. It would have been a missed opportunity, an untapped grace, a lost blessing. But by meeting and sharing, this accompaniment amplified the possibilities of their own existence, not only for themselves but also for their children. The invitation before us today as we gather in solidarity with our International Dominican Family is to amplify the possibilities of our existence as Dominican preachers. We have sisters and brothers waiting to accompany us and to be accompanied. We have sisters and brothers who are waiting to grace and be graced, eager to bless and be a blessing.

When we entered religious life, we dreamed about renewing the face of the earth. This kind of accompaniment helps us to realize this dream. And we will also feel better and that's not a bad thing. A Dominican who has been involved in solidarity work for over 25 years says: “I don't know if I ever helped anyone in this kind of work, but I certainly feel better. “ We will realize in deeper ways what is in store within us. Our human spirit has so much potential for human compassion and solidarity. We need to be more at odds with the seduction of the pleasure and comfort in our culture that does not always release this potential. This kind of Dominican accompaniment does that effectively. We will be encouraged to preach the Word in ways that are engaging and challenging, both in words and deeds. Boredom and pleasure will not take hold of us. We will be young and energetic till the end of our days because we will be involved in this “pedagogy of hope” that will hasten the coming of God's reign of justice and love.