A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for the 18th of December (the Dominican version).

O Lord ...

During this Advent Season, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, we are surely filled anew with wonder at the depths of love that led our heavenly father with those same outstretched arms to send his only begotten Son as our Redeemer -- that Son who some 30 years later, stretched out his arms on the Cross in an immense act of love and died for our salvation.

A short clip of our community singing the O Antiphon for 17th of December (the Dominican version).

On the 16th of December we began our 9-day Novena for the great feast of Christmas, and for following seven days we accentuate that longing and find its expression most beautifully in the great Vesper antiphons for the Magnificat, called the "O" antiphons, because they all begin with 'O'. These antiphons will be used each evening before and after the Magnificat, and as the Gospel Acclamation at Mass, daily, for the 7 days before Christmas.

We started the month by hosting the AGM of the ‘Associated Monasteries of Ireland’ (representing those Orders that have only one monastery in Ireland, such as ourselves). The topic for this year’s meeting was ‘Interculturality in Monastic Communities’ by Sr Chinyeaka C. Ezeani MSHR. Her interesting and helpful presentation was much appreciated, given the growing diversity of our Communities.

A Reflection on the Rosary by one of our Sisters.

Disposed from childhood to praying the Rosary, it has grown with me over the years or perhaps it would be more true to say I’ve grown with it. A prayer for all seasons of life, it has been my mainstay. I think of the structure of the rosary, the saying of the beads as a kind of enclosure, creating and protecting a sacred space, a shelter, within which Mary and I meet with Jesus on a daily basis and she shows unto me the blessed fruit of her womb, JESUS.

Pope St John Paul II called the rosary his favourite prayer. While the Mass is my favourite prayer, the rosary is not far behind in my preference. If for any reason on a rare occasion I fail to say the rosary, then I cannot sleep until I say it in full.

The rosary is mostly centred on Jesus and Mary so for that reason, it is very precious to me: Jesus who is Alpha and Omega, and Mary who is His Mother. In the company of these two very important people, I am always happy.

Unlike most people of my generation, as a child the Rosary was still part of our family life. We knelt at our chairs in the kitchen each night and recited it together. By the early seventies, as we grew older, activities at night demanded our time and attention and the family Rosary gradually faded into oblivion. But the example of my parents and grandparents who always prayed the Rosary daily remained. My dad always had his beads in his pocket and prayed the rosary on the bus each morning as he travelled to work.

On the First Friday of every month we have a special Holy Hour (7.30p.m. to 8.30p.m.) for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. This Hour includes the Rosary. Since October is the month of the Rosary we have decided to share the Reflections that accompanied the Rosary for this month’s Holy Hour.

When Fr Paul Murray OP was here in July, to preach our Annual Retreat, we took advantage of his presence to ask him to share a few thoughts on the Dominican Nuns’ Vocation, which he graciously did and which we gladly share with you in this video.