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Wilmette, Illinois – The Dominican Preachers at Regina Dominican High School were honored for their service and seven new preachers were welcomed during a recent prayer service and breakfast. 

Dominican Preachers are Regina Dominican students who attended or plan to attend the Dominican High Schools Preaching Conference in Adrian and were active leaders in the spiritual life of the school. The prayer service and breakfast was organized to thank the graduating preachers and to welcome seven new preachers: five sophomores, one junior, and one senior.

After introductions and breakfast, the students entered a prayer circle. The current preachers each placed a lit candle in a circle around a large candle. They called forth the new preachers to live out the Dominican charism and pillars as they placed their candles in the circle. The Dominican Blessing was prayed at the closing. 

Following prayer, the graduating preachers were thanked for their ministry to the Regina Dominican school community and for achieving the two goals they developed at the Dominican High Schools Preaching Conference last June: to empower Regina students to discover and deepen the preacher within themselves and to incorporate service opportunities that address the signs of the times.

In their application form, some of the new preachers noted that they had first considered becoming a Dominican Preacher in August, during the freshmen retreat. They admired the enthusiasm of the preachers as they shared talks on the Dominican pillars and modeled the spirit of Dominican hospitality in small group discussions.

This year, the Preachers invited Regina Dominican students to discover and deepen the preacher within by increasing their participation at Mass as readers, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, and ushers. They also shared personal reflections on the Dominican charism at Masses.

The second goal was completed through service trips and projects during the year, such as packing food at Feed My Starving Children and the Chicago Depository, making baby blankets for the Women’s Shelter, assisting Big Shoulders in a Give Back Day at Queen of the Universe Catholic School, and participating in a day of service to the Adrian Dominican Sisters at the Motherhouse. Although not one of the original goals, the Dominican Preachers also showed a commitment to a sustainable Earth by developing PowerPoint presentations for use during Masses to eliminate the duplication of 300 worship aid copies per Mass.

The soon-to-be alumnae shared their plans for college. Two of the Preachers will continue to minister in faith-based communities on their college campuses. 

Four of the new preachers will attend the Dominican High Schools Preaching Conference in Adrian, Michigan, in June.

Sister Patty Harvat, OP, General Councilor for the Adrian Dominican Sisters and liaison to Regina Dominican, shared her gratitude for their ministry as Preachers and presented each of the graduates a thank-you card and holy card of St. Martin de Porres.

Feature photo: Back row, Ms. Lisa Boris, Campus Minister, Sister Jean Williams, OP, Director of Mission Integration; Front row, students Kate Sutts, Grace Steffen, Nora Clancy, and Elie Murphy.