he
nuns of the Order of Preachers came into being when our
holy Father Dominic gathered women converts to the Catholic
Faith in the monastery of Blessed Mary of Prouille. These
women, free for God alone, he associated with his “holy
preaching” by their prayer and penance…
By their way
of life both the friars and nuns strive toward perfect
love of God and neighbour, which is effective in caring
for and obtaining the salvation of all people…There
is a diversity of gifts, but one and the same Spirit,
one charity, one mercy. The friars, sisters and laity
of the Order are “to preach the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ throughout the world; ” the nuns are
to seek, ponder and call upon him in solitude so that
the word proceeding from the mouth of God may not return
to him empty, but may accomplish those things for which
it was sent (cf. Is. 55:10)…
The nuns offer
a sacrifice of praise to God especially through the celebration
of the liturgy in imitation of the Church in Jerusalem
which was drawn together by the teaching of the Apostles
and united in daily prayer (cf. Acts 2:42). Persevering
in prayer with Mary the Mother of Jesus, they ardently
long for the fullness of the Holy Spirit, so that with
unveiled face they may reflect the glory of the Lord and
be transformed into his image from splendour to splendour
by the Spirit of the Lord (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).
The nuns seek God by observing the norms of the purely
contemplative life, by maintaining their withdrawal from
the world by enclosure and silence, by working diligently,
studying the truth eagerly, searching the Scriptures with
ardent heart, praying intently, willingly practicing penance,
pursuing communion through their manner of government,
in purity of conscience and the joy of sisterly concord,
“in freedom of spirit.” It is God who now
makes them dwell together in unity and on the last day
will gather into the Holy City a people acquired as his
own. In the midst of the Church their growth in charity
is mysteriously fruitful for the growth of the people
of God. By their hidden life they proclaim prophetically
that in Christ alone is true happiness to be found, here
by grace and afterwards in glory. 
