Dominican cloistered monastic community.

Possibly one of the more structured “living in community” situations is demonstrated by the Dominican cloistered monastic community. I thought you might find it interesting to peek into their “kitchen window” for the next 3-4 posts.

The Dominican Nuns of Summit, New Jersey are a Roman Catholic cloistered monastic community. Primary mission is to pray for the salvation of souls, and to support the preaching mission of the Dominican friars.

They follow the Rule of Saint Augustine in “oneness of mind and heart” while leading a hidden life of Eucharistic prayer, adoration, thanksgiving, and intercession which proclaims Jesus Christ to the world.

What is a Dominican Nun? Like all contemplatives, their specific mission is unceasing prayer for the entire Church, a spiritual service in the form of praise, adoration, intercession, expiation and thanksgiving. By profession, they are wholly consecrated to the Church and are called to the task of spreading the Kingdom of God in the world, using only the means of prayer and penance. “We hold in our hearts the sufferings and anguish of all, and are a sign to believers and unbelievers alike of the existence and presence of God, affirming the transcendent values of the life to come. By our hidden life we proclaim prophetically that in Christ alone is true happiness to be found, here by grace and afterwards in glory.”

“Our life is apostolic and universal in scope, consisting, according to the Dominican ideal, in giving to others the fruits of contemplation: “contemplare aliis tradere.” Yet, the ultimate end of the Dominican contemplative nun is to live by God alone and for God alone, while it embraces our personal sanctification and the apostolate, nevertheless transcends them both. It is transformation into Christ through Love.”

Let a Dominican nun explain. .”My home is a monastery atop a hill in suburban New Jersey. I would like to tell something about my way of life. But in order to see the heart of it, to feel its breath, and to grasp the spirit that animates it, you must know at the outset that this cloistered Dominican life—my life—is not so much a thing as it is a Person; is not something but rather Someone. For me to live is Christ.

“Christ—His love and that of souls—is its beginning. Christ—His work, the constant accomplishment of the Father’s will—is its substance. Christ—His example and the Rule inspired by Him—is its model. Christ;—He Himself;—is its goal, both for me—the silent “Sister Preacheress” and for each soul for whom He has drawn me here.”