|
|
Home  Home News and Updates Dominican Joint Novitiate - September 2008
|
Dominican Joint Novitiate - September 2008 |
|
|
|
This year the Dominican novices and their formators met at Montebello, Kwazulu-Natal , for their shared experience as novices.
|
Back Row: Srs Vuyiswa,
Sherry & Thulisile
Front Row: Srs Kwenzikile,
Nokwanda, Qha and Renee
|
 |
This year the Dominican novices and their formators met at Montebello, Kwazulu-Natal , for their shared experience as novices. Sr Thobile,formator, and four novices,Srs Qha, Vuyiswa, Thulisile and Nokwanda of the Dominican Sisters of Montebello welcomed the formator, Sr Thuli, and novice Sr Kwenzikile, from Newcastle and Sr Francis, formator and Srs Renee and Sherry novices of Cabra. The timetable and programme for the month had been organised by Sr Thobile Each day followed the rhythm of prayer, study and the practical elements of community life together. There was also time for celebration and a ministry experience. Each week ended with an evaluation of the week’s activities. As the sisters were of different ages, background, educational opportunities and cultures, these provided graces as well as challenges when living in community over a period of time.
Prayer:
|
Prayer was central to each day’s activities.
The Divine Office and Mass were sung each day. Ritual and the inclusion of the theme of the day in prayer and voices which harmonised well added to the richness of the liturgical prayer.
|
 |
Study:
| Ready and waiting for session to begin
The themes chosen for study during the period together were: Community Life, Justice and Peace, Ecology, Religious as Prophetic, Vows, Dominican Spirituality, Mission and Ministry in the Dominican Tradition, Zulu Culture, Relationship, Psalms and History of the Dominican Congregations. Much appreciation was expressed for the preparation time put into the topics by the presenters as well as their openness to discussing real issues.
The novices presented the history of their own congregation .
|
 |
Community Life
Care, concern and respect was shown through the care taken in the preparation and cooking of meals and keeping the house in good order. Relationships moved through periods of development and growth to times of strain and tension. Knowledge brought better understanding of the other.
| An important element of community living is celebration. A birthday and a feastday of a novice were celebrated in the community. On the opening evening the pre-novices, Juniors, St Rose’s Community and the local Prioress and Congregation team were invited to a special Mass, supper and social.
The group enjoyed an outing to Durban’s uShaka Marine and the Dominican Friar’s community, eMaphethelweni in Scotssville.
|
 |
Ministry:
| Helping out in the Home for the Chronically ill was the chosen ministry experience. As this was unknown territory for most of the novices, there was quite a lot of anxiety beforehand. Some found the condition of chronically ill patients very difficult to handle while a few gave courage to others because of the way they were able to relate to the patients.
Another ministry experience was to attend the AGM of the Vianney Home for Children.
|
 |
| The time together for the seven novices and three formators, in the beautiful setting of the Valley of a Thousand Hills surrounded by sugarcane plantations, had its moments of struggle and moments of growth and beauty. We trust that through this encounter the Dominican Novices of South Africa grew in wisdom and understanding of God, their own vocation and each other in order that they may continue the preaching of the Good News in the places to which they are called. |
 |
Sr. Francis Krige OP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
