Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

“Dominic witnessed first-hand the harm that not knowing the truth about God and God’s creation could do to people . . . .”   (www.op.org/en/content/dominican-charism) These words offer a starting point for reflection about a value at the heart of the Order of Preachers: Truth.   During these days following his feast (August 8th), let’s take some time to consider this special preoccupation of Dominic, who was called, “Doctor of Truth”.   At this time in the United States – and perhaps throughout our world – truth seems scarce and elusive.   With expressions like “alternative facts” and “fake news”, some would have us believe that truth itself can be reduced to ideology and opinion.   However, a positive consequence of these times might be that we become more deliberate about seeking information from reliable sources and less casual in our acceptance of the pablum offered by much of the media.   Over the centuries, philosophers have written vol...

Dominicans are Easter people.   First of all, we are devoted to newness and open to risk.   Our founder, Saint Dominic, began the Order of Preachers in order to launch new ways of spreading God’s Word. Secondly, we are women and men of hope.   As our brother, Thomas Aquinas said, “Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not as hand.”   We want to see with eyes of abundance, not scarcity.   Finally, we are committed to the belief that anything is possible.   When a situation appears without promise, we will look for what could be there.   We will live in the paradoxical.   We will strive to turn our deepest sorrows into a joy that cannot be contained.   We long to share our talking to God and about God.        So, how about you?   How are you connected to Easter? Peggy Ryan, OP Waukegan, IL

I am writing this on the feast of one of our most treasured Dominican saints, St Thomas Aquinas.  He remains, almost 750 years after his death, one of the most important and influential Catholic theologians. My love for him stems, in part, because he practiced a key Dominican principle - seek the truth wherever it resides. His writings present both sides of an argument or question. Thinking about Thomas got me thinking about words. Thomas wrote plenty of them. It was his ministry of study, contemplation and preaching. Yet at the end of his life, he considered them all "straw" compared to what he now understood about the truth of God's love. Our world could use more folks like Thomas Aquinas. I listened to the words of our President on Inauguration Day and found much beauty and truth in them. And yet, watching the t.v. news, many had a vastly different take. Where does the truth reside? Would Thomas' approach be effective in Congress? How abo...