DOMINICAN VOCATIONS
PROVINCE OF THE ASSUMPTION
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DOMINICAN VOCATIONS PROVINCE OF THE ASSUMPTION |
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News -------------------------- Welcome Benedict XVI Master -------------------------- History Introduction St Dominic's gift Australia --------------------------- Order Discernment Formation Dominican habit Novitiate Studentate --------------------------- Life Introduction Four pillars Apostolate --------------------------- People Dominican saints Our brethren --------------------------- Resources Lectio Divina Links Prayer Reading --------------------------- Site dedication |
- 20 Oct 2004 Fr Timothy Radcliffe, O.P.,
Master of the Order 1992-2001, in Australia Coping under the strain of jetlag, former Master of the Order, Fr Timothy Radcliffe, O.P. delivered the lecture How can we go on hoping? It would be impossible to do justice to the beautiful oratory and moving presentation he gave in four places including Siena College, East Camberwell, but what follows is a synopsis of his talk: If we Christians can find a language of hope then we will have something to say to the world about cultural pessimism. Hope is more than being cheerful and optimistic. It is the confidence that all that we live will be found to have some ultimate meaning. The twentieth century was crucified by those who knew the right way, who had a plan to impose on humanity. Those who have the plot cleared the killing fields. Our hope is not in a road map for the future. Our foundational story is the Last Supper – the moment when the disciples lost the plot, lost their vision of the future. A paradox of Christianity is that we gather around to celebrate the sacrament of our hope, the promise of the Kingdom. At the Eucharist we remember when we lost the vision and gave way to the glorious advent of the Resurrection. So our hope finds its form in a sign. Jesus was a man of signs. The industrial revolution is over and has been replaced by a liquid modernity – a time of signs and logos and signals and communication. This creates a better forum for Christianity and the power of the sacrament as sign. When Dominicans fasted for one month on the steps of the United Nations headquarters in New York, no one spoke, but everyone understood the sign. Fasting was a sign, simple in its delivery yet effective in its communication, that spoke to those who witnessed it. Jesus didn’t just make a sign, he performed a creative and transforming act. Even the smallest sign – God’s signature tune is often in small things – the smallest sign can open a window. It is part of our faith that if we care for the small signs, God will be there. Signs form part of the speaking of God’s Word. Fr Timothy Radcliffe, O.P. was Master of the Order from 1992 to 2001. He is the only member of the English Province to have held the office since the Order's foundation in 1216. Fr Timothy is the author of two popular books drawn from his experiences: Sing a New Song: The Christian Vocation (Templegate, 1999) and I Call You Friends (Continuum: 2000). He is assigned to Blackfriars' Priory, Oxford UK. |
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