Welcome to the CDN

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 Today, Sr. Krissie Koll, will be welcomed to the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate (CDN) along with two other Dominican novices, Kelly Biddle from Houston and Chris De Anna from Sparkhill, by Co-Directors Joye Gros, OP from Peace and Megan McElroy, OP from Grand Rapids.  A novice is, as the word implies, a beginner.  The CDN is the place where Dominican novices spend 9 months of their novitiate living in community with one another and the co-directors and learning more about Dominican and religious life.  It’s located in St. Louis, Missouri.  There the novices will have numerous opportunities: study of the vows at Aquinas Institute, exposure to the larger Dominican Family, study of the history of religious life, a Dominican life seminar where she will learn about all things Dominican, living in an inter-congregational community, participating in a weekly intercommunity novitiate program of study, a weekly reflection day, ministry once a week and much more.  It is an important time of discernment for each of the novices and for their congregations.  The question is whether this is a life-giving choice for them and for the community……if it helps them to be their best self.  Isn’t that what’s important to all of us as we discern our call in life?

How do you discern your call?

Mary Ann Nelson, OP
Madison, Wisconsin



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