"Creating Our Future Together" Gathering

A spirited, hope-filled and hardworking group of approximately 130 Dominican Sisters, all under 70 and from different congregations, states, and countries—Philippines, Mexico, and Dominican Republic—gathered in Columbus, Ohio, this past weekend, July 27-30, 2023, to participate in the “Creating Our Future Together” convocation. The group ranged from those beginning their novitiate (5) to those who have been members for decades. Twelve sisters attended virtually. Clearly evident among all was a passion to preach the Gospel message that brings life to the world through their lives and actions.

Sisters Peggy Ann Clinton, Uchenna Okereke, Gina Scaringella, and Kathleen Tuite attended from Caldwell. For the past year, and with the support and guidance of the DSC, Dominican sisters under 70 had been invited to participate in virtual gatherings in preparation for this meeting. As a Caldwell Dominican community, we have received monthly updates from the Futuring Committee outlining the meetings and movements of this group.

Our preparation, through the virtual gatherings, was engaging in a process of contemplative inquiry facilitated by Sherryl White, CSJ. Drawing upon the strengths of communal dialogue, we have been taking the time to examine foundational Dominican values, consider their existing realities, and risk the challenge of imagining preferred futures.

Sisters attending “Creating our Future Today” explored ways to support vowed Dominican life into the future with new ways of collaborating and relating. Grounded in the shared conversations of the prior virtual gatherings, sisters came prepared to define more clearly their role in advancing the Dominican mission into the future. 

The foundational questions that guided our deliberations were: 

1. What role can we play in evolving Dominican life/mission to meet the needs of the future?
2. What can we do better together than alone?

As a result of communal discernment that included prayer, discussion, and personal reflection on the two foundational questions, sisters surfaced, and overwhelming supported through leanings, the following areas of engagement and worked to identify beginning courses of action:

• Dominican Spirituality and Theological Formation: update for 21st century
• Creation/Climate Change: see with the eyes of Earth
• Cross Cultural Competency Skills / Interculturality: address conflict through the Paschal Mystery
• Unifying Models of Organization: form a task force to study and lead DSC into discernment
• Vocations: collaborate more and share the workload and presence for greater witness
• Youth: make a preferential option for the young and build on existing efforts for outreach
• Bridging Polarization: work on a process with restorative practice

Next steps include calling on volunteers to plan and implement actions, establishing a timeline for unifying models of organization, refining the recommendations with sub-committees, sharing them with the whole cohort in the fall Zoom session and presenting progress in motion to the Dominican Sisters Conference in October.

This is the practical summary of the gathering that took place this weekend, and below is the personal experience:

"I was struck by the hope and promise I have in the future of the Order in the United States. For me, one of the highlights was spending time with my “novice crew,” the women I began this journey with 42 years ago. I was struck by how powerful it was to bless our five new novices as they begin their journey in this life. All of us gathered brought our different formation experiences, different life and ministry experiences, and different perceptions…But each of us is committed to Dominican life and bringing it into the future. I am energized. The journey continues." — Peggy Ann Clinton

"Our gathering this weekend was vibrant, intense, and Spirit-led. I found it very valuable to have meaningful conversations with sisters in this cohort, and I am hopeful about the energy, wisdom, and commitment we expressed for taking the holy preaching into our future. After serving for months on the liturgy committee, I felt blessed to see our prayer services and Eucharistic liturgy come together as beautiful celebrations. Thanks to our sisters at home for your prayers and support." — Gina Scaringella  

"I appreciate the profound gathering and movement that took place this past weekend. My experience has always been of the larger Dominican Family, and I felt quite comfortable being among my peers to discuss and transform the future of Dominican life with honest and open dialogue. It was a blessing to be able to speak freely with forward thinking, and to listen, and be challenged by the thoughts of the future, is life giving. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is at the center of the Holy Preaching we are about."— Kathleen Tuite

"It was a wonderful and insightful experience! The process was energizing and, hopefully, we will be able to carry it to the future!!!" — Uchenna Okereke