Dominican Vocations - Fraternal Life
| Fraternal life: Community |
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INTRODUCTION St Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, used to sign his name “Brother Dominic”. He was a priest long before the idea of the Order came into his head, so was it not strange that he preferred “Brother” to “Father”? Firstly we should say that he wasn’t against priesthood, quite the contrary. But once he had founded a group of preachers living and working together, he placed great emphasis on their fraternal living, on being brothers to each other. Even the full name of our Order talks about preaching brothers, rather than preaching priests: “Ordo Fratrum Praedicatorum”. This doesn’t deny the necessity of priesthood in preaching but insists on the kind of relationship that exists between the members of the Order. All are brothers, or friars. |