DOMINICAN LAITY Newsletter #4 December 2008 Dear members of the New Zealand Dominican family We have come to the end of one year in the Church and begun another, and later in this letter refer you to a splendid reflection on the season of Advent by the Master of the Order, Carlos A. Azpiroz Costa OP. But before we leave the old year behind, maybe it is good to recall some of the events of the year. This is the 4th newsletter expressly for lay Dominicans, although we recognise and treasure the fact that all of us – friars, sisters and lay – belong to the same family and share a history and the gifts. In venues around New Zealand the feast of St Dominic was celebrated in joy and prayer. We enjoyed visits from wonderful Dominicans from overseas – Bro Chrys McVey with his deep understanding of Islam and a message that we must become more pluralist in our thinking of other religions; Brian Pierce OP and Sr Ann Willits OP who helped run the parable retreat that some of us were fortunate to attend. The house of prayer in Scotland St, Dunedin was established, and is already becoming a feature on the spiritual scene in Otago. Bro Peter Murnane, with others of the Ploughshares group, made a strong statement about New Zealand’s involvement in American power games. The Dominican preaching team, including friar, sister and lay people, was again active. A course on scriptural preaching was run in
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