THE
TRUMPET
N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E D O M I N I C A N F R I A R S • P R O V I N C E O F S T. J O S E P H
THE FRIARS ARE ‘EXPERTS IN HUMANITY’
A Director of the Board of the Dominican
Foundation, Linda Mueller has been a
parishioner of St. Gertrude’s Parish in
Cincinnati, staffed by Dominican Friars,
her entire life. She and her husband Tom
raised their three sons there. Her parents,
Joan and Jim Gardner, founded the Gardner
Family Foundation, which supports a full
range of Catholic causes. Recently, in honor of the family’s beloved
Friar, Fr. Val La France, O.P.—a celebrated preacher—their
foundation funded the new Preaching Studio at the Dominican
House of Studies in Washington, D.C.
Your family has a long and deep relationship with Friars
of the Province. What stands out for you?
It has been a particular blessing that I have only known
Dominicans as my parish priests. We are among white-robed
Friars and Sisters here, a sight and experience that is unusual
for so many Catholics. The community here is marked by
great diversity, as distinguished Friars come and go at three or
six year intervals. It is sad, of course, when a beloved pastor is
reassigned, but it is also a positive to have new perspectives
and ways of doings regularly introduced. It also brings the
laity closer together as we have to be the glue for continuity.
We are encouraged to assume important responsibilities in the
life of the community. And the Friars greatly respect and value
our contribution.
The Dominicans are known for their well-crafted homilies
that demonstrate in a compelling way the relevance of Church
teaching to everyday life. What has been your experience?
I would describe it as very prayerful preaching that often
shakes you up and disrupts a certain complacency with regard
to well-known readings from Scripture. Many a Friar’s homi-
ly leaves you saying, ‘Wow, I never thought of it that way.’
Their homilies have a way of staying with you as you enter the
workday week. I feel challenged by them, as the Friars help
the faith come alive in a new way, especially as it relates to
everyday life. The Friars, as some have said, are experts in
humanity and their preaching is powerful proof of that.
“Proclaiming
His
Marvelous
Deeds”
Vol. 5, No. 3
What makes the Friars so?
The Friars form a true family at St. Gertrude. They live in com-
munity and the fruits of their common life are very evident.
They clearly know in a very personal way about the joys and
difficulties of relationships—and it is in interpersonal
relationships, after all, where most of us experience most
acutely the gifts and challenges of life. At their special gather-
ings, it is extraordinary to witness their joint happiness. A
highlight each year is the special Mass on the Feast of the
Assumption when the Brothers, having just completed the
Novitiate, make their first vows.
As the Friars form a family, so they welcome the lay families
in their midst. I have become quite close to a number of them
through the years, finding comfort at crucial times in my life.
Such relationships intermingle with the parish’s sacramental
life in a unique way, greatly enriching and boosting my faith
life. I always encourage newcomers to get to know the Friars.
From that connection everything else will flow.
On a practical level, what can people do to help the Friars
in their mission?
Our 21 new novices need support! It will be a challenge to house
them all comfortably. If this vocation trend keeps up, a new
Priory may become a necessity. There are material needs across
the Province of course. Gifts, large or small, make an enormous
difference—and there is a special joy and grace in giving.
The newly renovated St. Thomas Chapel (L) and in the rear of the
chapel, the new Fr. Val La France, O.P. Preaching Studio (R) at the
Dominican House of Studies.
A NEW YEAR & CHAPTER IN THE LIFE OF THE PROVINCE
Dear Friends,
May the grace and peace of God be with
you. I hope and trust this finds you and
your loved ones refreshed and renewed as
the summer draws to a close.
It is my privilege and joy to introduce this
issue of The Trumpet welcoming our new
novice class, heralding the beginning of a
new year of formation for our Student Brothers and the start
of new assignments for many of the Friars, recommitting our-
selves with vigor to our renewal and myriad apostolates.
It is a great honor for me as well to be writing to you, address-
ing you for the first time as the new Director of the
Dominican Foundation. June’s Provincial Chapter—on which
you will find further detail elsewhere in these pages—also
brought the election of Father Brian Mulcahy, O.P. as our new
Prior Provincial. With God’s grace sustaining us in our labors,
your prayers and ongoing support are vital ingredients in the
continued flourishing of the Province.
This fall, our common blessing is nowhere more powerfully
evident than in the record number of 21 novices who have
begun their Novitiate year at St. Gertrude’s Priory in
Cincinnati. They are the fruit of God’s grace and a promise of a
bright future for the Province. Finding the means to provide for
their formation—nurturing their material, intellectual and
spiritual well-being—is truly a blessed challenge.
The needs are real, of course, and your unflagging generosity
is an enormous comfort. You will soon learn more about our
THE SPRINGTIME OF
RENEWAL IS AT HAND!
This year, God has blessed the Province with a record
number of 21 novices. This group of remarkable young
men ages 22-30 hail from a variety of backgrounds
(http://www.op-stjoseph.org/blog/meet_our_
new_novices). They bring a profound love of God
and a zest for life, alongside outstanding academic
formation—including doctorates—ranging across
various disciplines, from classical music, history and
accounting to physics, astronomy and chemistry.
With your help, the Province will provide these
young men with a solid foundation in the Dominican
tradition, giving them the best possible theological,
spiritual and pastoral formation.
2
Dominican Appeal upon which we will continue to focus our
efforts to provide resources for the Province so that the Friars,
in collaboration with you, may make known Jesus Christ.
Relying on our wonderful community of lay friends and
supporters, the Province looks to the future with great confi-
dence—even in this persistent climate of economic uncertainty.
I want to single out in particular the magnificent gifts of the
Mueller, Gardner and Maas families that made possible the
renovation of the St. Thomas Chapel and the outfitting of a
brand new, state-of-the-art Preaching Studio at the Dominican
House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Such generosity will assist
in the formation of many generations of Dominican preachers.
I know you will also enjoy the essay by Brother John Baptist
Hoang, O.P., who discovered the Order through our campus
ministry at the University of Virginia. The Friars’ presence at
some of the nation’s top schools not only opens us to a great
source of vocations but also provides students amidst this very
important formative time in their lives with life-giving answers
to their searching life questions.
Know that all the Friars are praying for you, our dear friends
and supporters, and your families. May God bless you and
keep you always.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Dominic Izzo, O.P.
Director
Dominican Foundation
k
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Few decisions are more important than planning for
your financial future. While you may have already
created a will or trust, you might want to revisit
these documents to be sure that your needs are fully
met, now and in the future. To learn more about
sound financial planning that also allows for
supporting the Province of St. Joseph, visit
www.op-stjoseph.org/plannedgiving. If you are
interested in creating or updating your own will to
include the Dominican Friars, please call the
Dominican Foundation at (212) 535-3664 or email
df@opfriars.org for more information.
k
‘I WAS TAUGHT TO SEEK GOD ALWAYS’
California-born, Brother John Baptist Hoang, O.P. is a graduate of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville,
VA, with a degree in Religious Studies and Sociology. He completed his novitiate year at St. Gertrude’s in
Cincinnati, OH this summer.
The University of Virginia (UVA) is parish’s ministries, but
famous for its academic prestige and beau- there is one particular
tiful campus, as well as many other attrac- ministry that’s designed
tions and distinctions. Thousands of just for them— the
young people with their families come to visit the University campus ministry.
each year, hoping to land a spot at this amazing institution. The Friars do a fantastic
They are impressed when they see the statue of Thomas job of being present to
Jefferson in front of the Rotunda. But when they walk to the the students at UVA.
other side of the campus grounds, they often stop to stare and For one thing, the parish
wonder who the giant, tin oddity is sitting on Alderman is within walking dis-
Eucharistic Procession outside UVA.
Road. However, that rusty metal creature—its artistic merits tance from everything else at the University. I never had to use
aside— is actually a representation of our dear Dominican a car in-between class and Mass and dinner and Confession
brother, St. Thomas Aquinas. and studying for exams! It’s even better now that the Friars
The Dominicans run a nearby parish in Charlottesville. It is have also established a presence in the very heart of campus.
very different than your typical Church community. Officially They regularly celebrate Mass in the UVA Chapel (right next to
called Saint Thomas Aquinas University Parish, it serves to Jefferson’s statue), and they hold office hours almost daily in the
take care of families like any other parish. But the Friars that University’s student activities building. When it’s nice out,
run the community also cater specifically to the needs of students one is likely to see one of the men in white eating a sandwich
and faculty at UVA. I was privileged and blessed to discover and chatting with students at the outdoor pavilion. The Friars
the Order of Preachers there. are simply always around, and I took full advantage of that,
St. Thomas is a very active often seeking their spiritual guidance.
parish. When I ask people College students are very ambitious; they’re always looking for
why they think that’s the case, something—success, fame, money, sex. I too was an ambitious
they will unfailingly credit person when I entered college five years ago, and thanks to my
the very evident presence of contact with the Dominicans, I was taught to seek God always.
students. There’s a young col- The Friars at UVA are genuine examples of people full of joy
lege student in the parish at and holiness. Now, after a year in the Novitiate, I am begin-
Inside St. Thomas Aquinas all times of the day. Students ning to discover the source of their happiness.
University Parish. participate in all kinds of the

WHY A PROVINCIAL CHAPTER?

By Fr. Dominic Izzo, O.P.
The Order of Preachers, more popularly known as Dominicans,
was established with a communitarian form of government that
was approved by Pope Honorius III in 1216. For nearly 800
years, the Order has been governed by communitarian principles
which have been preserved in our constitutions from the time
of St. Dominic onward. Chapters are an essential element in
The new Prior Provincial, Fr. Brian Mulcahy, O.P.
this form of government. They are regular occasions—held
with the Diffinitors at the Provincial Chapter.
every four years—when we come together to make decisions
about our legislation, elect our superiors, and enter into and a time, also, to move away from any impulses that may have
build up a spirit of perennial conversion and renewal. resulted from “itching ears,” eager to accumulate teachers to
Chapters provide the Friars with a graced opportunity to suit their desires (cf. 2 Tim 4:3).
discern God’s will with integrity. We do so by honestly and Since the Chapter is rooted in our fraternal life, it is a
courageously assessing if we are truly preaching Jesus Christ reminder that we are a ‘band of brothers’ called by God—and
both in and out of season in full accordance with the Order’s not by each other—to witness to and make manifest by our
tradition of presenting Christ to others for their salvation. It is continued on page 4
3
‘BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND…’
By Fr. Dominic Izzo, O.P.
In 1218, St. Dominic sent the early brethren to study and preach
at the great universities of Europe which included those of
Paris, Oxford, Cologne, and Bologna. The Friars readily estab-
lished themselves in these university cities and they excelled in
study, and disputatio, that is, the great debates of the day. More
importantly, they also offered a strong witness to Jesus Christ,
who was poor, chaste, and obedient, which increased their
number with new vocations.
St. Dominic emphasized the intellectual formation of his sons
which remains a priority in today’s formation of a Dominican
Friar. Why was—and is—this important? It equips the
Dominican Friar with a solid understanding of faith that, in
turn, strengthens his witness of faith.
We all know that the forma-
tion of the mind makes for
convictions that affect lifestyle
and life choices. Whenever
someone is convinced of some-
thing—whether or not that
‘something’ is actually true—it
will be supported, argued for,
and, at times, fought for with
great passion. For better or for
worse, it has become some-
Sts. Philip and James Church. thing deeply personal.
St. Paul writes in his Letter to the Romans: “Do not be con-
formed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of
your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what
is good and acceptable and perfect (12:2).” The renewal of
one’s mind—the opening up to a different way of thinking
that views the world, one’s neighbor, oneself, and God from
His divine perspective—is a crucial, indeed indispensable ele-
ment in the process of conversion. When the mind becomes
complacent or is no longer nourished by new insights and
authentic research on whatever level, it becomes stagnant and
resistant to life’s momentum, struggling and afraid to venture
into unchartered waters as required by the adventure of faith.
Why a Provincial Chapter? continued from page 3
vocation and various preaching apostolates God’s desire for
mankind’s “universal reconciliation rooted in Christ.” Therefore,
a Chapter is an occasion to be open to God’s two-fold grace:
to be granted the courage to be renewed in our faith; and to
adjust our witnessing to Christ so that it may be clearly and
effectively manifested according to the needs of the times.
Fundamentally, a Chapter marks a moment of acknowledg-
ment that we are accountable to God and all people for the
gift of a Dominican vocation and the vows we profess publicly.
Dominican Friars-Province of St. Joseph
141 East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065-6699 • Phone: (212) 535-3664 • Fax: (775) 542-5511 • Email: df@opfriars.org
How often have we heard people say, “My faith doesn’t make
sense anymore—it doesn’t fit my situation?” Most of the time,
such statements reflect a spiritual life whose growth has come
to a halt. So many people think that the faith of their child-
hood will be sufficient to help them cope with the complex
challenges of adult life. They have grown up in many ways—
but their faith has not. The Dominican Friar bridges this gap
with a unique form of preaching that powerfully demonstrates
the relevance and application of doctrinal truths to everyday life.
According to “the Dominican Way,” Church teaching is not a
compilation of dos and don’ts but an expression of God’s love
geared toward promoting the full flourishing of the human
person. It is thus that people discover and encounter God who
is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Moreover, it is in this encounter
with the living God that the answers to all of today’s most
burning questions are found.
Humbly emulating St. Dominic’s bold move in 1218, the
Province of St. Joseph recently accepted the invitation of
Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore to staff a new
endeavor in the archdiocese. The Newman Center at the city’s
prestigious Johns Hopkins
University will be merged
with Sts. Philip and James
Church, which will hence-
forth be served by the
Dominican Friars as a new
university parish.
There, following in the foot-
steps of St. Dominic, the Interior of the Church.
Dominican Friars will
present ‘Christ perfect’ to all. Thus, parishioners’, students’,
and faculty’s minds will be renewed in the midst of cultural
debates and in light of the most difficult questions of faith so
that their witness to Christ may become ever more personal
and passionate. God be praised that Dominican Friars are able
to continue a longstanding tradition of preaching there where
today’s most crucial debates form the minds and passions of
future generations: the universities.
Today, we continue to fan the flame of the charism of the
Order of Preachers given to us through our Holy Father
St. Dominic and the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church.
A Chapter is an occasion to give thanks to God for all that
He has accomplished within us, through us and through our
collaborators. It is also a time to remember that our work
is far from over. Accordingly, at each Chapter, we ask the
question: “Where is God calling us to be His contemplative
preachers so that all may have life and have it more abundantly
in Christ Jesus?”