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November 4, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – Adrian Dominican Associates and Sisters welcomed two new Associates, Susan Lanstra and Timothy Goyette, on October 26, 2025. The formal Ritual for the Reception of New Adrian Dominican Associates was held in Holy Rosary Chapel on the Motherhouse Campus in Adrian.

Associates are women and men, at least 18 years of age, who feel called to live out the Dominican Charism (spirit) and who make a non-vowed commitment to associate themselves with the Adrian Dominican Congregation. While maintaining their independent lifestyle, they are invited to share in the mission, ministries, and spiritual and social activities of Sisters and Associates.

Associate Nancy Mason Bordley, Director of the Office of Dominican Charism, welcomed Adrian Dominican Associates and Sisters, family members of the new Associates, and friends. 

“Our two new Associate candidates and their mentor have spent a great deal of time preparing for this day,” Nancy said. “Each candidate has acknowledged his or her desire to make this next step, as they have spent several months discerning how they will live and promote our Dominican Charism as members of the worldwide Dominican family.”

Both Susan and Timothy came to know the Adrian Dominican Congregation through their involvement with the St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center in Flint, Michigan, and through working with Associate Steve Wolbert and Sister Carol Weber, OP, Executive Director of the Center and Co-founder with Sister Judy Blake, CSJ. The Center’s programs include a food pantry, employment preparation, a literacy center, an eye clinic, and other separate programs for women and men.

In response to the readings proclaimed during the ritual – St. Paul’s famous description of love found in his first letter to the Corinthians and Luke’s Gospel story about Jesus sending out the 72 disciples to preach – Susan offered a reflection on mission and extravagant love.

In sending out the disciples, Susan noted, Jesus said not to take anything with them, “just hope, trust, and love … Just show up. Do the work.” She also noted the changes the Dominican mission will have to undergo, given recent cutbacks like food stamps that will impact the people who rely on them. “We really have to rethink how we do things,” she said. “It’s time to step up our game. That’s the extravagant part.”

She reflected on the extravagance that she’d encountered in Las Vegas, where she heard that some of the casinos spend $150,000 to $200,000 per month on their light bill. In light of events in the past few months, she said, “We have our work cut out for us. Our hearts are full of the best and most renewable energy there is, and that’s love. It’s enough to light up Vegas and it’s even a little extravagant.” 

Sister Carol, their mentor, introduced each Associate candidate in turn. Noting that Timothy works in his family’s business in the Flint area, Goyette Mechanical, she added that he “is also a significant part of our employment preparation program,” working with the men. “Tim is really involved in changing lives and helping people gain what they need in order to live, giving meaning to them.”

Sister Carol noted that Timothy had also been “searching for meaning for quite some time.” When he attended the Associate commitment program last year for Associate Steve Wolbert, he felt the call to be an Associate as well, she said. 

In formally requesting reception as an Associate, Timothy expressed gratitude for his family and friends – 18 of whom attended the Ritual – as well as members of the Dominican family. “My decision to become part of the Dominican family has been like a seed, planted and nurtured through service and prayer, and most particularly by being part of the community of people working at and being cared for at the St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center in Flint,” he said. Becoming an Associate “is the beginning of a new faith journey, and I’m so thankful for this opportunity.” 

Sister Carol introduced Susan as an employee of Hurley Hospital in Flint, “where she helps the disadvantaged and the uninsured to obtain the help they need. Susan is very compassionate. She sees a need and immediately tries to find a way to help.” She added that Susan is also working on her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree, which would “bring a lot of hope and strength to our people in Flint.” Susan was also inspired to become an Associate by Steve’s commitment as an Associate, Sister Carol added.

“People ask me why … I want to become a social worker,” Susan said. “And I get the same reaction when I tell them that I’m becoming an Associate.” She spoke of the similarities between social workers and the Dominican family. “Social workers have a code of ethics and core values,” such as service, social justice, dignity, integrity, human relationships, and competence. Susan found the same core values in the Mission and Vision of the Adrian Dominican Sisters.

To conclude the ceremony, Timothy and Susan proclaimed together the Commitment Statement of Associates: “United in purpose through the Office of Dominican Charism, we Dominican Associates commit ourselves to sharing life in a communion of Gospel-driven women and men who are spiritual seekers, alive with the fire of being Dominican in service to the world … We strive to widen and deepen the impact of the Dominican Charism, which urges us forward in our desire to transform our world in partnership with the emerging reign of God.” They each received the Associate pin and a candle, symbolic of their new commitment.

For information on becoming an Adrian Dominican Associate or a partner in mission in any way, contact Associate Nancy Mason Bordley at 517-266-3534 or visit www.adriandominicans.org/MeetDominicans/Associates.

 

Caption for above feature photo: Susan Lanstra and Timothy Goyette sign their forms of commitment as Associates, while Associate Dee Joyner (left) and Sister Carol Weber, OP, look on.

By Sister Katherine Frazier, OP
Executive Director, Dominican Youth Movement USA

July 25, 2025, Sparkill, New York – The 23rd Annual College Preaching in Action Conference took place May 20-25, 2025, at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, New York. The conference brought together 25 students from participating Dominican institutions: Albert Magnus College, New Haven, Connecticut; Aquinas College, 
Grand Rapids, Michigan; Barry University, Miami, Florida; Caldwell University, Caldwell, New Jersey; Dominican University New York, Orangeburg; Molloy University, Rockville Centre, New York; Ohio Dominican University, Columbus; and St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, New York.

The students and their mentors learned about the Dominican Charism from different presenters, who highlighted the diverse ways that Dominicans live out their tradition in the world.

The conference opened with Sister Diane Capuano, OP. Throughout her presentation, students were encouraged to sing along to various Dominican hymns that introduced major themes and people.

These themes were expanded upon the next day by Sister Kathleen Tuite, OP, and Kaitlyn Tashjian, an Associate of the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, who led students in exploring the history of the Dominican Order, the four pillars, and some of the ministries that Dominican Sisters engage in throughout the United States. After their presentation, Sister Terry Rickard, OP, helped the students to explore their leadership and preaching skills.

On Thursday, students and mentors learned about the signs of the times. The day began with a keynote address by Dr. Walter Hidalgo, a Mission Program Director for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. He introduced the students to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the See-Act-Judge Method of discernment, using examples from his ministry. His presentation set up a day in which participants learned more about the United States, racism, and missionary discipleship.

On Friday, participants served in the local community. At Harmony Hill, they learned about small-scale, environmentally sustainable farming and planted some tomatoes. At House on the Hill Head Start, founded by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, students helped the children served by the program.

Other participants visited the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic to learn about their global mission. Another group went to Brick It Again, a nonprofit that sells LEGO kits to support children, adults, and families with intellectual or developmental disabilities. 

The final group collaborated with Keep Rockland Beautiful to clean up Sparkill Creek. The group particularly enjoyed the waders they were given to wear and the work of picking up all the trash to make the creek a safer and cleaner place.

Saturday brought a change of pace as participants explored the Dominican tradition of preaching through the arts. In her keynote address, Sister Barbara Schwarz, OP, led participants through a lectio divina exercise using color, movement, and images to explore the Gospel message. Afterward, participants attended sessions of their choice, where they created mandalas, wrote poetry, participated in improv theater, and explored praying and journaling through artwork.

Throughout the week, participants came together for morning and evening prayers. Each student had the opportunity to plan prayer under the guidance of Sisters June Fitzgerald, OP, and Susan Olson, OP. This led to a wide diversity of prayer experiences, including using worship songs, praying with Scripture in different languages, and creating beauty within the prayer space.

The week concluded with Sunday liturgy celebrated at the Sparkill Dominican Sisters Motherhouse. The participating students read their preaching plans for their home college. The plans included everything from praying the Rosary as a community to creating more service opportunities and planting a community garden.

In reflecting on her experience, Kamryn Daniels of Ohio Dominican University wrote, “The Preaching in Action Conference is not only an excellent and immersive way to learn the Dominican Tradition, but also to connect with so many amazing people.”

“The conference provided me with so many connections and resources to become a better preacher,” Gionna Bean, of Aquinas College, wrote. “I can’t wait to take what I learned back to my campus.”

Many thanks to those who made this conference such a positive experience for Kamryn, Gionna, and all the students who attended the College Preaching in Action Conference. The hospitality offered by St. Thomas Aquinas College, and for the prayers of all the members of the Dominican Family also helped make this program a success. Gratitude is extended to the presenters, who shared their wisdom with the participants and generously gave their time. Finally, the mentors and the students created a joyful experience as they entered into the experience of this conference. 

 

Caption for above feature photo: Participants in the Dominican Colleges Preaching in Action Conference after helping to clean up Sparkill Creek in New York.