Italy San Domenico - En

th 7

Acts of the European Assembly of Lay Dominican Fraternities

Annex II l

LAY DOMINICAN FRATERNITIES

PROVINCIA SAN DOMENICO IN ITALIA

THE THREE DOMINICAN PROVINCES IN ITALY

San Domenico in Italia

Santa Caterina

San Tommaso

The present Province was born out of the unification of two previous provinces and it is located in northern Italy, including 8 regions and 41 fraternities. Some of them are old.

• The spreading centre of the Dominican spirituality, since St. Dominic’s times, is Bologna, where, in the Basilica, St. Dominic’s body is preserved and venerated.

• Since the beginnings of Dominic’s preaching in Bologna, near the friars a group of lay people, eager to live the Dominican charism, was formed. From there, the lay movement - the future fraternities - developed.

The fraternity is a prayer community

• Prayer is the first pillar of the common life in fraternity. Dominic “speaks to God and of God”. Contemplation, fidelity to prayer at community and individual level, necessary to Dominican life, are before preaching. The celebration of the Hours, the Rosary and Eucharist are essential times of our monthly fraternity meetings.

The fraternity is a study community • Dominic wanted his sons intent on study, as a means to know and face problems. Study of the Word and of the signs of times. • Our provincial Council, some years ago, provided a course of initial formation, in 4 years, before the final promise, and it organizes provincial meetings useful for the permanent formation of all the members of the fraternities.

The fraternity is a preaching community

• Preaching is testifying through our own life, but through words, too. Lay preaching is witness to our own faith within family life, at work, in parishes, praying and serving our neighbours.

Fraternity activities • Our fraternities live the traditional Dominican life: 1 monthly meeting, prayer, study, preaching. • Some of them collaborate with friars and sisters in the preaching of popular, parish missions. We want to become “companions in preaching”.

Special experiences

• Some members of a fraternity experiment a form of common life. About 20 years ago a community of lay people (2 women and 3 men), living in the same place with 4 friars, was born. • There is also a group of consecrated lay Dominican people.

• The recent meeting of the fraternities with the Master of Order in Bologna confirmed our vocation as preachers, prophets and apostles according to the mission of the apostles. Lay Dominicans have to be creative and respond to the

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contemporary needs of the Church and the Order

• Lay Dominicans are women and men walking on the world roads and, like St Dominic, they take care of the needs of human beings. “What about sinners?” To this question we have to find an answer and work to announce God’s mercy.