A DOMINICAN VOCATION

Begin your journey to DOMINICAN VOCATION with a step - Write An Application.

The first thought or feeling that becoming a Dominican is attractive or possible for one's own life can raise many questions and responses in us. It can be disconcerting, exciting, puzzling. Most friars have experienced some of these.

If God is calling you to a life of Prayer, Study, Community, Preaching and brotherhood, in the Order of Preachers (Province of St. Joseph the Worker) then we are committed to helping you discern your vocational call.

The first email, letter or phone call to the friar appointed to help men interested in becoming Dominicans (often called the “Vocations Director”) can be the most daunting. Thus one of the most difficult decisions in Becoming a Dominican is making that initial contact.

Discernment

The application process is a time of mutual discernment between the candidate and the Order of Preachers, Province of St. Joseph the Worker, during this the candidate gains experience and familiarity with the Dominican life and can clarify his desires and learn more about the Order of Preachers.

Initial Formation

The formation process of becoming a Dominican friar takes 9-10 years; 6 months of Pre-novitiate, 1 year of Novitiate, 4 years of Philosophical

studies, a pastoral year, and 4 years of Theological studies. After five years of simple vows which include the pastoral year, a student brother may request the Order for solemn profession.

Friar: Brother or Priest

The term "friar" comes from the Latin word “frater”—literally, "brother.” As such, all Dominican friars are considered brothers to one another, regardless of whether or not they are ordained to the priesthood. You cannot tell the difference between a Dominican priest or non-ordained brother within our community; we wear the same Dominican habit of St. Dominic. As brothers and priests, we both belong to what is called the “religious-consecrated life.” That’s a “church term” for a life characterized by the public profession of our commitment—our “vows” to live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Their vows are not different between a non-ordained or ordained friar. They are equal in solemn vows. We do this in a stable state of life—the community of brothers recognized by the Catholic Church as the Order of Friars Preachers.

Videos on Dominican Life

CLICK the picture to view the Vocation Series videos that express who we are as Dominicans. It will help young men who would like to know about our way of life. You learn about the difference between a Dominican priest or a non-ordained brother, our community life, wearing the Dominican habit of St. Dominic. The religious-consecrated life and the “vows” of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The Rosary and the hymns (Salve Regina and O Lumen Ecclesiae) of the Order. The importance of study and formation in the Order. Thanks to Dominican Media for these videos.

Inquiry

Begin your journey to DOMINICAN VOCATION with a step - Write an application

Do you believe that God might be calling him to live as a Dominican friar, he ought to pursue this desire through prayer and learning about the Order. During the inquiry phase I, he should explore the questions below, consider visiting a Dominican parish and meeting a friar, and contact the Director of Vocations.Depending on age and stage in life, inquiry could last a few months to serval years.
Questions you must ask yourself and answer "yes" or "no"
1. I desire to live my Christian life in a community of brothers who share all things in common.
2. I desire to live the vow of poverty and renounce all personal possessions (house, car, bank account etc.) and endeavor to live simple life style, identifying more with the poor in society than the rich.
3. With the help of God's grace, I have been living a chaste life, abstaining from sex, and believe I can live a life of consecrated celibacy.
4. I desire a regular and disciplined prayer life where I pray with my brothers at appointed times during the day. I also desire to spend time alone in quiet prayer.
5. I have a great desire to study - especially God's Word. I am the kind of person who enjoys reading and learning.
6. I am attracted to the ministry of preaching, of sharing the Word of God with others, I am anxious to bring others to a fuller knowledge of Christ.
7. I am able to live easily with all kinds of people in an international community (different tribal groups, from different countries etc.) and can accept those who hold different opinions than myself.
8. I am willing to let my life be governed by a religious superior, and would move to a new place of my ministry if he so decides.
9. I am willing to live away from my family in another part of Nigeria, or even in a foreign country as a missionary.
10. I am prepared to undergo the basic formation of 6 months Pre-novitiate, 1 year of Novitiate, 4 years of Philosophy study, and 4 years of Theology study.
If you have answered "Yes" to all these questions, then proceed to write your application to any of the addresses below:

Application Process

If both the aspirant and the Director of Vocations agree, he may follow the link at the bottom of the mage and make an application.

The application process involves general application forms, including letters of recommendation, a criminal background check, sacramental and financial records, and full medical exams. In addition, each application will be interviewed by the members of the Province’s formation team and go through a psychological evaluation.

When the application is completed, it is the Prior Provincial, at the recommendation of the formation team, who decides whether or not to accept the individual.

Novitiate

Having been admitted to the novitiate to discern a possible Dominican vocation the novice begins his discernment.

The novice is clothed with the habit of the Order of Preachers after he is approval for simple vows.

The year long novitiate is a time to discern whether the novice is called to live the Dominican life. Emphasis are placed on prayer, the common life, the history and spirituality of the Order; the Constitutions and Ordinations of the Order Friars Preachers and lives of Dominican Saints. The novice is instructed in elements of religious life by the Novice Master and learns how to live as a Dominican friar among brothers.

During this probationary period, the novice seeks to know more deeply the nature of his Dominican vocation. At the same time, the solemnly professed members of the novitiate community discerns whether the novice truly has a call to the Dominican religious life.

Profession of Vows

All Dominican Friars profess the same vows regardless of if you are a priest or brother candidate. There are two forms of profession in the Order of Preachers. The first is “simple” and temporary, and is made at the completion of the novitiate. The second is “solemn” or "perpetual", made at the end of five years in simple vows.

Simple Profession takes place at the end of the novitiate year, inwhich a brother may choose to petition for simple vows. With the approval of the frmation community and the acceptance of the Prior Provincial, the novice makes his simple vows for two years. The brother promises to God to live under Obedience only - (Poverty and Chastity). While a simply professed brother aspires to live these vows for life, he initially binds himself for only two years, renewing yearly to complete five years.

Solemn Profession
Normally, happens after five years of simple vows, a brother is eligible to petition for solemn vows. If accepted, he vows to follow Christ as a Dominican friar until death. Kneeling before the Prior Provincial, with the Book of Constitutions in his hands, he says the following words: “I, brother N.N., make profession and promise obedience to God, to blessed Mary, and to blessed Dominic, and to you brother N.N. Master of the Order of Preachers and his successors, according to the rule of blessed Augustine and the Institutions of the Order of Preachers, that I will be obedient to you and your successors for 1, 2 or 3 years, except for the final words, "until death” for friars making solemn vows.

After solemn profession, brothers continue their formation for Holy Orders.

Studentate

After the novitiate, the newly professed friar moves and integrates into St. Thomas Aquinas Dominican House of Studies in Samonda, Ibadan, to being their Dominican formation.

During the years in the studium, the brother lives in community, primarily dedicated to prayer and study. However, he is also assigned to various part-time ministries throughout the Province during the summers. Friars generally are assigned to the studium for 9 years.

In the studium, student brothers begin their philosophical and theological studies for priesthood and prepare for the apostolate. The academic program is founded upon a broad intellectual of philosophical and theological tradition. All brothers both clerical and non-clerical follow the same course of studies for ministry as a Dominican preacher.

Cooperator Brother

Dominican Cooperator Brothers are friars who have taken solemn vows as Dominicans but are not called to the ordained priesthood. They are equal and essential members of the Order of Preachers, Like all friars, cooperator brothers share in the respnibility of the community life of prayer and study, and their ministerial apostolate in the mission of the Order. Which emphasises their fraternal presence and their common vow of obedience.

Cooperator Brothers undergo the same initial formation as those preparing for ordination. Their academic training provides them with a solid theological and philosophical background in preparation for active ministry.

Throughout the Order’s history, cooperator brothers have played a vital role in carrying out the mission and charism of the Dominicans, embodying the spirit of service and discipleship. Notable cooperator brothers include Saint Martin de Porres, Saint Juan Macias, Blessed Simon Ballachi and Blessed James of Ulm.

Cooperators brothers life is centered in the whole Church's universal call to holiness and their mission within that call is to bring ourselves and others into an intimate relationship with Jesus, as they continue to contribute to evangelization and the preaching mission for the salvation of souls.

Holy Orders - Ordination

The year before a clerical brother is ordained to the priesthood, he is ordained a deacon. During this last year of formation, he maybe assigned to a parish in the province or continuing his studies at the Studentate.

The “initial” formation of a clerical brother culminates with his ordination to the Priesthood.

Once a student brother is ordained or a brother completes his formation after solemn profession, the friar’s initial formation is complete, and he moves into permanent formation. He receives an assignment to one of our communities and apostolates in the Province of St. Joseph the Worker Nigeria and Ghana.

Preachers for Souls

All Dominican apostolate's end is towards preaching for the salvation of souls. Preaching takes on many forms and expressions. Each Dominican Community has a specific “Apostolate,” which is meant to further the goals of the Dominican Order and the Church. For example, some communities are engaged in parishes and sacraments, others teach in our academic institutions, some are itinerant preachers and promoting the rosary, others might promote certain doctrines or dogmas publicly, or justice and peace and care of the earth. Whatever a Dominican do is preach the vocation of the whole Dominican family. The Dominican contemplative nuns were the first preachers by their contemplation, silence and prayer.