This past week St. Dominic Priory in St. Louis completed its annual provincial visitation. Every year, the prior provincial (kind of a regional superior) within a given Dominican province must formally visit and report upon the life of each formation community. Because friars from two provinces (St. Martin de Porres and St. Albert the Great Provinces) live at St. Dominic Priory, we were blessed to have both priors provincial, as well as Very Rev. David Caron OP, with us for several days. In many ways, the community here was able to see in what ways we are excelling in living out the Four Pillars of Dominican life: prayer, study, community, and preaching. We were also able to learn in what ways we are challenged and need to develop.
In my opinion, however, the most amazing thing that was revealed unto us was the true beauty of our community. We are thirty-three friars, ranging in age from 82 to 23, with a wide variety of background and experiences. We count among ourselves a rather young, quite brilliant philosopher, a real-life Sacrae Theologiae Magister, a hospital chaplain, as well as former bankers, architects, teachers, and on and on.
While our past experiences certainly do shape our community, our views and opinions play significant parts. In the modern age, we are often quick to label people ‘conservative’, ‘traditional’, ‘liberal’, ‘insane’, and so on (that last one was a joke, sort of). In fact, though, it is unfair and difficult to put people into these categories. What I see as truly beautiful in my community is the presence of a huge array of outlooks on a variety of matters, while all at the same time remaining steadfast in our commitment to Christ and His Church.
Undoubtedly, in community life there are brothers (and sisters) with whom disagreements will arise, but we are still brothers with unwavering, though sometimes challenged, dedication to our Dominican communal life. So while it is common for some here to don the traditional white stockings (now socks) of the Dominican friar, and just as common to see sandals (more often than not Birkenstocks), I love them all just the same, and I am honored and humbled to walk this journey with each one.
