Adrian Dominican Sisters Take Part
in Worldwide Gathering of Dominican Youth

September 23, Fatima, Portugal – Sister Mary Soher, OP, was among a contingent of six U.S. Dominicans to attend a conference of the International Dominican Youth Movement (IDYM). The conference, “Young Adults: Searching and Preaching in the Dominican Way,” was held August 2-9 in Fatima, Portugal. Also attending was Sister Rose Ann Schlitt, OP, an Adrian Dominican Sister who is stationed in Rome as the coordinator of Dominican Volunteers International (DVI) and a member of the IDYM Commission representing the sisters involved in DVI.

The conference had “good, solid content,” Sister Mary said. The young lay men and women, ages 18 to 35, learned about Dominican spirituality and the Four Pillars of Dominican life – prayer, study, community, and preaching. Participants also had the opportunity to attend Mass with the Master of the Order, Father Carlos Azpiroz Costa, and to attend a question and answer session with him. They also celebrated the Feast of St. Dominic with a special Mass in Lisbon, Sister Mary said.

Participants came from 22 nations, all united by their roots in the Dominican family. “It was like the United Nations,” Sister Mary said, noting that the sessions were enhanced by simultaneous translation. Sessions were held primarily in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and, at times, in French. She particularly enjoyed the prayer sessions, which were planned each day by participants from a different continent: South, Central and North America; Asia-Pacific; Africa; and Europe.

Representing the United States, along with Sister Mary, were members of Dominican Young Adults USA (DYA USA): Sister Gina Fleming, OP, an Amityville Dominican and Director of DYA USA; Jenn Schaaf, Associate Director of DYA USA along with Sister Mary; Kevin Sullivan, president, of Madison, Wisconsin; Michelle Schultz, communicator from Chicago; and Daniel Breitfeller, formation, from Columbus, Ohio.

One of the highlights of the conference was Culture Night. The contingents were asked to bring something that represented their country. The U.S. group decided to bring some American favorites: M&Ms and Oreos. “I had my backpack stuffed to the gills” with snack packs of Oreos, Sister Mary said. During Culture Night, participants from each country had 10 minutes to present something – such as a song or a dance – to represent their culture. The U.S. group taught the others how to line dance. During the week, participants were also treated to a taste of Portuguese culture, including folk dancing and dinner at the priory.

The differences were celebrated, along with the commonalities and the feeling of being united in the Dominican family. “People were interested in each other,” Sister Mary said. “People embraced prayer. They embraced learning about each other.” She noted that the participants discovered that their own challenges in organizing their Dominican young adult group and in meeting regularly were shared by Dominican youth from around the world, and that there are many ways to organize a Dominican Youth chapter.     

IDYM “is really a grassroots movement,” Sister Mary explained. There are very minimal requirements in forming a chapter. Members make their commitment to the Order once a year and are required to pay dues of only $1 or one euro per year. Each chapter must also have a mentor from the Dominican family: a friar, sister, nun, or member of the Laity.

“The U.S. Dominican Youth movement is still very young,” Sister Mary said. Three years ago, she and Jenn were guests at a representative assembly of Dominican Youth in the Dominican Republic. They attended with the intention of getting the movement started in the United States. Today, the U.S. has six chapters: at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois; Dominican University of California in San Rafael; Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin; Ohio Dominican University in Columbus; St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri; and St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, New York.

“The experience of working with IDYM has shown that young adults of different cultures are definitely attracted to the Dominican way of discipleship,” Sister Rose Ann said. “It seems to offer a new space and expression for the laity in the Order. While still young, sometimes faltering, [IDYM is] alive - and I think Dominic would be pleased with this development.“ 

DYA USA is one of many avenues that Dominicans have used in recent years to reach out to the younger population. Similar movements include the annual Dominican High Schools Preaching Conference, in which students of Adrian Dominican-sponsored Regina Dominican High School have participated for years; the Dominican College Preaching Conference, in which students of Adrian Dominican-sponsored Barry University and Siena Heights University have participated; and Dominican Volunteers USA. All people are welcome to become more closely affiliated to the Dominican family as members of the Dominican Laity, in which lay men and women are formally associated to the order by adopting a formal Rule of Life; or the Associates Program, a less formal association with a Dominican Congregation.