DOMINICAN VOCATIONS
PROVINCE OF THE ASSUMPTION
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DOMINICAN VOCATIONS PROVINCE OF THE ASSUMPTION |
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Procrastination
is to blame: Vocations Testimony at St Dominic's Parish (12
November
2006) |
Br Paul Rowse, O.P. |
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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 |
There's
much that I have to be thankful
for in my coming to be a Dominican friar. But by far the two things
for which I give glory to God are Telstra and procrastination. Back in 1998 as I was going into my final year at high school, during the summer holidays I was incredibly bored. Sick to death of reading Hamlet for English and almost in tears over integration for Mathematics, I came to a point where I had to do something about this priesthood thing. As an idea, priesthood had been with me for a few years by that stage as one option among a few others. But it was by far the more persistent of them. To alleviate the tedium of final school year holidays, I decided to find out more about the priesthood and its various expressions in religious life. But I didn't have the foggiest idea about it. And so enter Telstra at stage left. I opened the phone book to “Catholic Church – Religious Orders” and wrote a letter just asking for information from any group whose name I recognised. Marists had taught Dad. Augustinians ran our local parish. Passionists and Jesuits had come on supply to a parish near where we lived, as had another kind of priest who had worn a Rosary on his belt (and not around his neck: fashion designers take note!). This last one turned out to be then-Fr Anthony Fisher who had been visiting his retired parents. These orders sent various replies. Some just sent literature to read, which was all the procrastination I needed. Others invited me to dinner to see how they lived. Just one Order was persistent in maintaining contact with me; sending me cards with well wishes for the final exams, inviting me to first professions and talks by friars. But more than just that, the Dominicans impressed me by their community life. At the local level of the Order, the community is ideally at least six friars. This makes for a community of individuals who truly share their life with one another, making that personal gift of themselves to the others. Praying, eating and studying together make for a healthy religious life in the Dominican Order. I was also keen to work in some of the same ministries as the Dominicans. Through contact with various members of the Order, I discovered they were chaplains and teachers, parish priests and spiritual directors. This was a major factor for me. The variety of apostolates in which the friars were engaged meant that life in the Order was not always going to be as predictable as Patrick White or as inevitable as essays. You needn't fear that if I get bored I'd discern my vocation to lie elsewhere. If I get bored and feel the need to procrastinate, there are two more things which God has given me to relieve the monotony: our prayer life and Wikipedia! Thanks be to God! |
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