CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Lay Dominicans celebrated their 12th anniversary in the Diocese of Charlotte Sept. 25 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. Father Matthew Codd, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, celebrated Mass and presided over the annual Rite of Admission and Promises ceremony.
The Charlotte Lay Dominicans, known as the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Group of the Southern Province of St. Martin de Porres, was formed in 2009, and today has more than 40 members, with new inquirers every year.
Lay Dominicans share in the charism of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominican Order, founded in 1216 by St. Dominic de Guzman. For more than 800 years, the Dominicans have been committed to the salvation of souls. The Dominican motto is “To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation,” with the overarching striving toward “veritas” (“truth”). As the Order of Preachers, Dominicans are dedicated to sharing God’s truth with others and spreading the fire of Christ’s love throughout the world. Such powerful and influential saints as St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of Lima and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati were all members of the Lay Dominicans, drawn to the charisms of St. Dominic and the fervor to save souls for Christ.
The spirit of St. Dominic and the Dominican Order is still alive and strong today, even as the order celebrated the 800th anniversary of St. Dominic’s death and entrance into the heavenly kingdom last August, as evidenced by the growing numbers of Lay Dominicans within the Charlotte diocese.
After completing their five-year formation, Matthew Dimock Sr., Mark Dorsett and Sylvia Haddar made their Perpetual Promises in the family of St. Dominic. As lifetime members of the Dominican Order, they participate in the apostolic mission of the order through constant prayer, study and preaching according to the state of the laity.
Also during the ceremony, those who completed their first inquiry year advanced to candidate members. This included Suzanne Albertson, Kathryn Evans, Isabel and Steve Tchorzewski, and Francisco Zarate. Members who completed their second year made their Temporary Promises: Mary Clark, John McElravey, Renate Rayner and Jeanne Winkelman. Matthew Bosnick and Carolyn Franks will make their First Temporary Promise on Oct. 30.
Lay Dominicans are distinguished both by their spirituality and by their service to God and neighbor in the Church. They draw their strength from listening to the Word of God, reading sacred scripture, attending daily Mass, daily praying of the rosary, frequent confessions, celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in union with the entire Dominican family, and study. There are four branches of the Dominican Order: the friars, the cloistered nuns, the sisters and the laity. The four branches are all considered part of the Family of St. Dominic, with St. Dominic himself as spiritual father and guide from heaven. The four pillars of the Dominican Order are prayer, study, community and apostolate.
New inquirers are invited to discern and learn more about the group at a meeting on Saturday, Oct. 30, starting at 8:30 a.m. The group meets monthly at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, with Father Matthew Kauth as their spiritual advisor. Father Kauth is also the rector of St. Joseph College Seminary and a member of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic for Diocesan Priests.
If interested, RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To learn more about the Dominican charism, visit www.CharlotteLayDominicans.org.
— Kathryn Evans, Correspondent