Coinciding with the Church’s celebration of the Jubilee for Priests, the International Assembly of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic brought together thirty-eight friars and diocesan clerics from all over the world on 22-25 June 2025 at the Casa La Salle in Rome, Italy.
Brother Vivian Boland, OP, former Socius of the Master for Fraternal Life and Formation, gave conferences on Dominican Spirituality for diocesan priests, as well as permanent formation in the Dominican Way. These were complemented by group discussions and shared feedback sessions, where they shared best practices, explored opportunities for collaboration, and reflected on ongoing formation. Br. Michael Monshau, OP, Provincial Promoter of the Province of St. Albert the Great, USA, also provided further insights based on his long experience in leading fraternities and gave useful advice on fraternity development.
Highlighting the assembly was the election of the first International President, Nuno Duarte da Silva Queirós, a priest of the Diocese of Aveiro in Portugal, and the members of his council: Anthony Strouse (Diocese of Lansing in Michigan, USA), Serge Maucq (Diocese of Malines-Bruxelles, Belgium), and William Cajes (Archdiocese of Davao, Philippines). Aside from furthering the promotion of the fraternities, a major part of the role of the president is representing the Dominican Priestly Fraternities in the annual meeting of the International Commission of the Dominican Family in Rome, Italy. Furthermore, the assembly participants resolved to hold the international assembly every three years, during which a new set of officials will be elected.
On June 24, as a culminating activity of the assembly, the participants joined the Conventual Mass and vespers at the General Curia in the Convent of Santa Sabina with the Master of the Order, Br. Gerard Timoner, OP, as main celebrant. At the concluding part of the Eucharistic celebration, the Procurator General, Br. Benjamin Earl, OP, read the decree of appointment of the new General Promoter of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic, Br. Raúl Gómez Sánchez, OP, of the Province of St. Louis Bertrand in Colombia, who is also the current Secretary General of the Order. Br. Raúl was instrumental in founding the first organized Dominican Priestly Fraternity in the Latin American Region, effectively catalyzing the subsequent foundations of fraternities in the Province of Fray Bartolome de las Casas in Brazil, and of the Province of St. Augustine in Argentina and Chile in the following years.
Brother Raúl succeeds Br. Florentino Bolo, OP, of the Province of the Philippines, who is also the current Socius of the Master for the Apostolic Life. Br. Florentino was first commissioned by Br. Bruno Cadoré, OP, in 2011 to organize the first international gathering to respond to the request of the 2010 General Chapter in Rome concerning the revision of the Rule of the Priestly Fraternities. It took place on 6-9 August 2012 at the Caleruega Retreat Center in the Philippines, eventually leading to his appointment as International Coordinator on 12 October 2013, and then as General Promoter on 13 October 2016. At the second international assembly on 22-26 February 2016 at the Casa del Pellegrino in Rome, Italy, 27 friars and diocesan priests from 17 countries formulated recommendations that formed the basis for the General Declarations for the priestly fraternities in 2019. From 265 members in 2013, the membership has continued to grow to 303 in 2016, 377 in 2019, and 410 in 2022. To date, there is a recorded global membership of 483, including 17 bishops and 3 cardinals.
