Discern Your Vocation
Who can become a Lay Dominican?
Any Catholic adult in good standing with the Church can discern a vocation as a Lay Dominican.
It is a vocation, not merely membership in a club or organization, so it is essential to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit! For each Christian, our primary vocation is the call to holiness, fulfilled through a particular state in life (marriage, priesthood, consecrated life). For a lay person, profession as a member of a religious family is a secondary vocation which permeates and guides the way we live out our primary vocation.
Lay Dominican Formation
Similar to the formation of a consecrated religious, formation of a Lay Dominican takes several years and is marked by a progressive commitment to the Order and the Rule. Throughout the formation process, you and the fraternity discern together whether you are called to continue further.
Inquiry
After visiting and requesting to join a Fraternity, the Inquirer begins 6–12 months of introductory formation.
Candidacy
The Inquirer is formally received into the Order, and becomes a Candidate for one year.
Temporary Profession
Making a three-year promise to live by the Rule, the Temporary Professed continues the formation and discernment process.
Perpetual Profession
Perpetual Profession is a commitment—discerned by the Fraternity as well as the individual—to live according to the Rule of St. Dominic for life.
The Formation Process
Journey to Perpetual Profession
- After visiting a Lay Dominican fraternity and deciding to pursue formation, you’ll become an Inquirer and begin to learn the essentials of the vocation. At the end of this one year period of candidacy, you will be received, formally becoming a member of the Order.
- Once you are received into the order, you continue discerning as a Candidate, studying the Lay Dominican Rule and our other governance documents along with the four pillars for one year. The Candidate may then make Temporary Profession, promising to live according to the Rule for three years.
- For the next three years as a Temporary Professed Lay Dominican, you will pursue a deeper study of all the elements of our life and vocation, in preparation for making a lifelong commitment to the Order. At any point, if you discern out of the Order, you may be released from profession.
- Perpetual Profession makes you a Lay Dominican for life, even as you change jobs, get married, or move states. This vocation becomes your way of life, influencing your prayer and actions and drawing you more closely to Christ in the footsteps of St. Dominic. Your individual formation continues even as you are called to help with the formation of others within your Fraternity.
Liturgy of the Hours
St. Paul’s call to pray without ceasing
When we pray the Liturgy of the Hours, we pray not as individuals, but as the Church, the Bride of Christ. We pray in a public voice: the voice of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Praying Morning and Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, is part of the ordered life of a Lay Dominican.
The Thirst for Knowledge
Study is a form of Prayer
Lay Dominicans thirst for the truth. Study and prayer are how we sate this thirst. In our studious pursuit of Christ, we often find treasures in the written word that help us build a solid foundation for our preaching. To help you discern, we recommend the following books to get you started. Some will give you a good idea of who St. Dominic is and his influence over the last 800 years.
List of Resources
Hounds of the Lord, Great Dominican Saints Every Catholic Should Know, by Kevin Vost
Preachers at Prayer, Soundings in the Dominican Spiritual Tradition, by Fr. Paul Murray, OP
Saint Dominic’s Way of Life, A Path to Knowing and Loving God, by Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP and Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, OP
St. Dominic, The Story of a Preaching Friar, by Fr. Donald J. Goergen, OP
Your First Meeting
What to Expect
Most Lay Dominican Fraternity meetings follow roughly the same pattern: prayer, often from the Liturgy of the Hours; community socialization; and group study. Many fraternities will also include preaching by one or more members, and those in formation may meet separately for additional study and discussion.
You will find a warm welcome in any fraternity! Ask the Formation Director to guide you through the meeting, but focus simply on getting to know the members and keeping an open awareness of how the Holy Spirit might be guiding you.
First Steps
Interested in Lay Dominican formation?
Begin by connecting with us through a nearby fraternity or the Promoter of Vocations: