DOMINICAN VOCATIONS
PROVINCE OF THE ASSUMPTION
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DOMINICAN VOCATIONS PROVINCE OF THE ASSUMPTION |
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Br
Francis McKinnon, 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 |
Br Francis
McKinnon, O.P. is a Cooperator
Brother in Solemn Vows. What follows is an adapted extract from a Church-sponsored Solomon Islands publication, Voice Katolika, from December 2001. Br Francis McKinnon, O.P. was drawn to the Order through a pamphlet entitled The Young Friar Preacher he received after having made contact with Fr Albert Davis, O.P. at the Catholic Life Exhibition in Melbourne in 1956. He considered carefully the charisms of the various religious orders and congregations, including the Christian Brothers, whose life he watched particularly closely. This gave him an insight into religious' happy and committed way of life. Mission for him meant helping people who were not so fortunate as himself and this inspired him to join the Dominicans in 1959. He made his first profession as a Dominican on 8 December, 1960, and worked in Adelaide and Melbourne. In 1966 he was assigned to Blackfriars Priory School in Prospect SA. The school had some thirty boarders in that year, and three of them were from the Solomon Islands - the beginning of a long relationship with the islander peoples of the Pacific. From 1972 he was instrumental in setting up a retreat and conference centre in Canberra. While caring for the needs of the community as Bursar and the conference centre, he loved the moments he spent interacting with young people. In 1982 Br Frank went to the Solomon Islands to supervise the building of the Novitiate house and assist the Dominican Bishop of Gizo, then Bishop Eusebius Crawford, O.P. In 1987 he had a Sabbatical and chose to spend it with the Sisters of St Joseph. He was then back in Loga, S.I. 1990 took him to New Zealand where he spent four years in Auckland. While it took him time to settle down in the concrete jungle, he was at home with the Solomon Islanders, Tongans and Samoans. In 1994 he was sent to the Solomons assist the Master of Cooperator Brothers' formation. In 1999 he was transferred to Kukum, Honiara and assisted the Dominican Chaplain on the Kukum and Panitana Campuses of King George VI School and Savo Island. Br Frank has since been transferred to our Melbourne foundation, St Dominic's East Camberwell, where he is Bursar and Priory Manager. |
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