SYDNEY — The friars of the Province of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Australia have re-elected fr. Dominic Murphy, OP, as Prior Provincial, for a second four-year term. The re-election took place on January 6, 2026, and was confirmed by the Master of the Order of Preachers, fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner III, OP. Fr. Dominic was…
Dear sisters and dear brothers, In 2024, when we met at the Christmas table in the Center of the Most Holy Name of Jesus in Fastiv, the pope’s almoner from the Vatican who was there with us, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, expressed his hope that it would be the last Christmas of the war. Unfortunately, this year again, we celebrated Christmas…
ROME — The Master of the Order of Preachers, fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, has appointed fr. Krzysztof Kocjan, OP, of the Province of Poland, Procurator General of the Order, effective January 5, 2026. Fr. Krzysztof succeeds fr. Benjamin Earl, OP, who has served as Procurator General since 2016. The Procurator General represents the Order of Preachers before the…
ROME — On 19 December 2025, the Master of the Order, fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, appointed fr. Cristóbal Torres Iglesias, OP, a member of the Province of St. Martin de Porres in the USA, as General Promoter for the Nuns. Fr. Cristóbal succeeds fr. Fernando Antonio García Fernández, OP, a member of the Province of Saint James in…
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV received the Master of the Order of Preachers, Gerard Francisco P. Timoner III, together with members of the General Curia of the Order, in an audience on December 18, 2025, in the private library of the Apostolic Palace. The meeting offered an occasion for encouragement, exchange, and prayer as the Church prepared to celebrate…
In a new book, a cloistered Dominican nun offers an inside look at monastic life, seeking to dispel common misconceptions and invite readers into the quiet joy of contemplation. Many people imagine cloistered religious life as distant, inaccessible, or detached from ordinary human experience. In Joy Within His House: A Cloistered Nun’s Reflections on Following Christ, Sister Mary Magdalene of…
ROME — The Province of Saint Charles Lwanga is welcoming — for the first time since its canonical erection on November 7, 2022 — the Master of the Order of Preachers, Brother Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, for a canonical visitation. Taking place in the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, and Cameroon, the visit marks an important moment of listening, discernment,…
The Hillbilly Thomists, a band of Dominican friars of the Province of St. Joseph, released their fifth album—and their first Christmas collection—Carols in December 2025. The ten-track recording, available for purchase on CD, on Apple Music and on Spotify, presents traditional carols arranged in the group’s familiar acoustic and folk style. Discussing the musical choices behind this collection, Father Jonah…
In the heart of Cameroon, a monastic community in Bambui has been quietly living its vocation, devoted to prayer, work, and service. But the Anglophone crisis, now in its ninth year, has brought unprecedented challenges to their doorstep. As internally displaced persons (IDPs) seek refuge, the community has opened its doors, welcoming those in need. It began with a trickle,…
Homily of the opening Mass, Sunday, November 30, 2025, First Sunday of Advent, Year A, by the provincial prior, Br. Gabriel Samba, OP, at the university parish of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Douala.
