Acts of 9th European Assembly of Lay Dominican Fraternities
On the 24th May the Dominican Order celebrates worldwide the Feast of the Translation, the solemn transfer of the relics of St. Dominic to the tomb in Bologna. This feast brightened the Assembly day.
In the morning the working groups of the two earlier Assembly days reported the harvest of their discussions. The first day the question was: ‘Taking the friendship of Christ in the margin of society – Pope Francis and the call to dialogue with all humanity: how do we Lay Dominicans answer this call?’ On the second the question was: ‘What is our relationship with young people and how can it be improved?’ All this harvest will be bundled and sent to all the lay fraternities in Europe.
During the day there was the last chance to bring forward the candidates for the new European Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities (ECLDF) and for the international Council (ICLDF). Therefore the participants talked intense to oneanother about it. Around noon there were 11 nominees for the ECLDF and three for the (ICLDF). In person and via Skype the Assembly learned more from the nominees and could ask questions.
Democracy is one of the main pillars of the Dominican Order and an essential element in our way of life. That is why this process is so important: it goes to the heart of the charism that St. Dominic has left us. With all the knowledge the participants have heard, they can think, discuss and pray: what would be a good Council for the next three years.
Before the Tractatus started the Assembly had a special tour through the priory guided by Brother Adriano. We saw the Inquisition room, the magnificent library and of course the cell of St. Dominic where he died.
At 6 pm there was a celebratory international Mass at the tomb of St. Dominic with the Italian Dominican Family, followed by vespers. During the social evening the Assembly met the laity of Bologna and the friars of the priory of Bologna. The staff of the Collegio offered a marvelous buffet and a few local lay Dominicans took a group of delegates to San Luca, on the hill above the city. Until the late hours people were drinking and talking on the terrace. It was a day of hard working and good celebrating.
Click here for:
• the liturgy book 24 May 2014.
• the meditation of Ruth Anne Henderson about the Feast of Translatio
• the Homily of Brother Riccardo Barilo, prior of the Dominican community of Bologna
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