Consecrate them in the truth

Your word is truth.

Throughout the centuries the Holy Spirit has raised up many different forms of consecrated life – which can be compared to a plant, with many branches, which sinks its roots into the Gospel and brings forth abundant fruit in every season of the Church’s life. (cf VC 5).

When reflecting on our vocation as Dominican nuns and how we try to live the motto of our Order: TRUTH, I began to understand our consecration as being set apart for Truth.

We share with you some photos taken after Melanie our postulant received the habit on the Eve of Epiphany – she is now Sr Léonie Marie. She is pictured here with Sr Maria Breidge (our other novice) and some community sisters.

This icon, created by one of our sisters for St Peter's parish in Drogheda, is not a work of the imagination in which the artist tries to drag the onlooker inside an ideal family, but a theological teaching that exposes something of the Truth revealed in Jesus Christ. We do not enter into the icon, it is a sacred space delimitated by a red line all around it. It is the people, represented inside that space, that come to us. “The Kingdom of God is at hand!"

A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for the 23rd of December (the Dominican version).

O Immanuel ...

The time of waiting is coming to an end. Soon the mystery of the Incarnation will be re-enacted once more in our liturgical celebrations and especially in our hearts.

For the past few weeks the cry "Maranatha - Come Lord Jesus" has been our spoken and unspoken prayer. But there is another side to this longing desire.

A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for the 22nd of December (the Dominican version).

O King ...

Jesus is our King, our hearts are waiting for the joy and peace that he brings to each one of us so to pitch his royal tent within us. Are we ready to be part of the building of which Christ is the corner stone? Are we ready to be made one and alive, for Christ is the living stone on which we build our lives.

A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for the 21st of December (the Dominican version).

O Rising Sun ...

In this "O" Antiphon the three metaphors- the rising Sun, splendour of the eternal light and sun of justice -- all symbolise Christ, the Son of God, the promised Messiah whose birth as our Saviour we will celebrate in four days time.

Jesus calls Himself the 'Light of the World' in St. John's Gospel( 9:5)

A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for the 20th of December (the Dominican version).

O Key of David ...

In "The Prayer for the Church in Ireland" Pope Benedict opened with the words "God of our fathers, renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation". Our own St Catherine of Siena constantly prayed for and spoke of "the light of holy faith".

A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for the 19th of December (the Dominican version).

Jesse was the father of King David from whose royal line the future Messiah would be born. When we read the genealogy of Jesus most of the characters mentioned were not very praise worthy according to human standards. Yet God's infinite, all powerful wisdom, compassion and merciful love were at work throughout salvation history not allowing human failure, sin, malice nor indifference to interfere or thwart His divine plan.