The Second General Assembly of The Association of the Monasteries of Nuns of the Order of Preachers in the United States of America, which includes Canada and Trinidad, was officially opened with the singing of Vespers on the evening of September 18, 2012 at the Mother House of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL., USA. Participants include, the Master of the Order, Fr. Bruno Cadoré, OP; the Promoter General of the Nuns, Fr. Brian Pierce, OP; the friar Consultant, Fr. Dominic Izzo, OP; the member monasteries of the USA, Canada and Trinidad represented by their prioresses, delegates and observes; affiliate monasteries by their observers; other monasteries by their prioresses; and the ICNOP representative for the region.
The first item on the agenda was a reflection by Fr. Dominic Izzo, OP. With the support of a power point presentation, “Love’s Itinerancy”, he spoke of our need to share our thoughts and our faith with our Sisters in community. He reminded the nuns to use their gifts in love, to practice reconciliation, and to trust God’s promises as Mary did. God has been very merciful with us from the days of Adam. Even expulsion from the garden was mercy because then our first parents had the grace to repent and start over. He continued by addressing obedience and mercy, the charism of the Order, the Nine Ways of Prayer of St. Dominic, and union with Mary in our prayer and silence.
In her welcome address to the Assembly, the out-going President, Sr. Mary John, OP, made reference to Fr. Yves Congar's book, I Believe in the Holy Spirit, where he said, "We are led by another, who does not act without us and does not use violence, but who nonetheless goes beyond anything that we can see or expect." She highlighted some of the ways in which the Holy Spirit had been guiding her and her Councilors the past four years leading up to the Assembly, sometimes taking them beyond their comfort level. The insight to use Fr. Carlos A. Azpiroz Costa's letter to the nuns in the USA in 2008, That they may have life, as preparation for the Assembly, was certainly the work of the Holy Spirit, guiding them to identify areas of concerns about the viability of our communities and the resolve to take some positive action toward bringing about new life in our monasteries. "Yes, we need the light of the Holy Spirit, but we also need to act so that the Holy Spirit can act with us. The need to act in concert with the Spirit can be demonstrated by dancing, particularly ballroom dancing, which is the epitome of synchronized movement. There is no dancing if there is no movement, however minimal. The essential thing, however, is that one be alert and sensitive to the lead partner, quick to follow the slightest move so that in the end the two are moving as one".
The Guest speakers, Director of Sister Historians of the Order of Preachers, Sr. Barbara Beaumont, OP; and former Socius for the Order in northwest Europe and Canada, Fr. Allan White, OP, gave a background of the history of the nuns of the Order. Sr. Barbara spoke on "Safeguarding the Tradition - Historiography and Myth" and “Spiritual Values that Helped Dominican Nuns Survive in Times of Crisis.” Beginning with the medieval period, she eventually gave attention mostly to the period of the French Revolution when they stood firm to the last nun during times of war and persecution. Quoting Msgr. Jean-Louis Brugues, OP, “Our ability to handle the future will depend on the quality of our memory,” she challenged us to follow their example of perseverance, courage and faith in the face of our present day difficulties. She asked the Assembly to reflect on the following questions: What makes you a Dominican Nun when 1. Your monastery building no longer exists. 2. You can no longer wear the habit. 3. You are condemned to prison or hard labor? And also to identify circumstances in the history of their individual monasteries that have helped them deal with crises. Fr. Alan White, OP spoke of the crises of the nuns in earlier times focusing especially on how the nuns coped during times of war and persecution, and the sometimes difficult relationships with the friars of their time.
The much anticipated presence of the Master General, fr. Bruno Cadoré, OP, was the highlight of the Assembly. On September 22, 2012, he arrived and began two days of intense discussion and dialogue with the nuns. Much time was spent on the necessity for open and honest dialogue between the nuns within each monastery, among the monasteries, and between the nuns, sisters and friars. He spoke for quite some time about the importance of unity in the Order and encouraged the nuns of all the monasteries in the USA to become members of The Association of the Monasteries of Nuns of the Order of Preachers in the United States of America, "not in order to become all alike", he said, "but to help each other to balance the issues, and to respect diverse points of view, because no one opinion contains the whole truth". He said that, "our witness to the fragmented world around us must be one of unity in diversity". Questions were also asked about the possibility of some collaboration in Initial Formation, either in a common place or by sending novices from one monastery to another for periods of time. Fr. Bruno and Fr. Brian explained several ways that these things are being successfully done in other countries.
They both encouraged the nuns that wherever possible the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7, was to be observed as a “Dominican Day” with some kind of celebration involving as many of the branches of the Dominican Family as possible. Likewise, Father Brian asked that the nuns to continue the observance of the feast of the Visitation with some celebration with the active Dominican Sisters in the region. He also noted that in many parts of the world the Dominican Family began gathering in the parlors of many monasteries for shared Lectio Divina, something both the master and himself encouraged the monasteries of our region to consider doing as well. In addition, Fr Brian announced a surprise gift to the nuns. He has arranged a retreat for all the North American Nuns to be held at the Springfield Dominican Sisters' Mother House on July 1 - 9, 2013.
On the final day of the Assembly, Father Dominic, gave a brilliant appraisal of the important insights and ideas of the ten days proceedings. In the context of the Jubilee, he reminded us about our need for liberation and restoration and the manner in which we listen as contemplative nuns, being the most important for the Order. We do it in a very particular way flowing from our vocation as Dominican Nuns. No one else is going to do it for us. We are the ones who have to move forward together. We must continue to make the Word our home because we are the wealth and wellspring of the Order. What we have to offer is joyful contemplation. The word we preach is the word of reconciliation. He also reminded us of what both Sr. Barbara Beaumont and Fr. Allan White said about the many crises in the history of the nuns. But despite these crises there is a resiliency of grace in the vocation of the Dominican Nuns. Nothing and no one can take joyful contemplation from us. Negativity and suffering cannot overcome that power. The Spirit will continue teaching us everything.
In the evening, the in-coming president of the Association, Sr. Maria Christine, OP, her new council and the Assembly body, welcomed the prioress general of the Springfield Dominican Sisters, Sr. Rose Marie Riley, OP; her council and the members of her planning committee to an appreciation dinner. A copy of a painting of St. Dominic sharing wooden spoons to the nuns in Prouille, was presented to Sr. Rose Marie in gratitude for their hosting the Assembly 2012. The original painting was done by a novice, Sr. Consuelo Tirado, OP, of the Mission San Jose Dominican Sisters, around 1915-1917 and hangs in the motherhouse in Fremont, CA., USA. Sr. Consuelo used the founding Sisters of the Mission San Jose community as models to portray the nuns of Prouille. Fr. Dominic Izzo, OP, was given an alb and cincture made by the nuns of Lufkin, TX., in gratitude for his many years of service as friar consultant to the Association and Sr. Mary John (outgoing president), received a bible, many, many books and CDs by and about John Henry Cardinal Newman, and some special homemade soaps made by the nuns of the monastery in Summit, NJ. The Assembly closed with the singing of Compline.
Sr Ann Marie Pierre, OP
