“Dominicans, even when they preach on the frontiers, speak from the heart of the Church, where the Gospel is, where the living tradition is. No ecclesial heart transplants for us. We are the Church’s preachers.” — Most Reverend Anthony Fisher, O.P.
Wondering what a Dominican priest is? Me too! Take a look at this talk given by Anthony Fisher, O.P., Bishop of Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, in Dublin to the Friars of the Irish Province for the close of the Year of the Priest.
This just in… at least in my world.
I don’t normally talk about ministry here—it’s true—and maybe I should more often, but this was too amazing for me to pass up. I wanted to share with “the world” (that is, all 3 of my faithful readers) what I learned this past week. According to Instituto Fe y Vida (Faith and Life Institute, a highly useful clearing house for information about Hispanic ministry): the majority of Catholic Youth in the United States (ages 0-30) are Hispanic.
You might be thinking big deal, but consider it again. The majority! And they are growing. Seriously. They generally have larger families and their numbers increase continually through immigration. Regardless of what you think about immigration laws in this country, this is a huge deal for the Church. The reality is there, and a lot of organizations have a lot of great stuff on paper (all of our seminarians are supposed to learn Spanish, for instance) but is that happening?
There’s a wonderful opportunity in all of this, for the renewal of religious congregations and their ministries as well as for the possiblity of an influx of vocations—if only we can encourage them before it’s too late. Consider all the Irish vocations in the U.S. Church of the past, where every 3rd priest was named McDermott!
I’m doing some research about all of this… and hopefully I’ll have some more to say as the semester progresses.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of All the Americas… Pray for us.
Blessed Father Dominic, Preacher of God's grace, you promised to assist us even after your death. Intercede for us before God to help us encourage more men and women to follow our way of life, the way of a preacher. Bless us in our common life, study, prayer and ministry, that our lives together may be a joyful witness, creating in others a desire to join the Sacred Preaching.