Acts of the

7thEuropean Assembly
of Lay Dominican Fraternities

Annex II l
 LAY DOMINICAN FRATERNITIES

PROVINCIA SAN DOMENICO

IN ITALIA
THE THREE DOMINICAN PROVINCES
IN ITALY

San Domenico in Italia

Santa Caterina

San Tommaso
The present Province was born out of the
unification of two previous provinces and it is
located in northern Italy, including 8 regions and 41
fraternities. Some of them are old.
• The spreading centre of
the Dominican spirituality,
since St. Dominic’s times,
is Bologna, where, in the
Basilica, St. Dominic’s
body is preserved and
venerated.
• Since the beginnings of Dominic’s
preaching in Bologna, near the friars
a group of lay people, eager to live
the Dominican charism, was formed.
From there, the lay movement - the
future fraternities - developed.
 The fraternity is a prayer community
• Prayer is the first pillar of the common life in fraternity.
Dominic “speaks to God and of God”.
Contemplation, fidelity to prayer at community and individual
level, necessary to Dominican life, are before preaching. The
celebration of the Hours, the Rosary and Eucharist are
essential times of our monthly fraternity meetings.
 The fraternity is a study community
• Dominic wanted his sons intent on study, as a means to
know and face problems.
Study of the Word and of the signs of times.
• Our provincial Council, some years ago, provided a
course of initial formation, in 4 years, before the final
promise, and it organizes provincial meetings useful for
the permanent formation of all the members of the
fraternities.
The fraternity is a preaching community

• Preaching is testifying through our own life, but through

words, too.
Lay preaching is witness to our own faith within family life,
at work, in parishes, praying and serving our neighbours.
 Fraternity activities
• Our fraternities live the traditional Dominican life:
1 monthly meeting, prayer, study, preaching.
• Some of them collaborate with friars and sisters
in the preaching of popular, parish missions. We
want to become “companions in preaching”.
 Special experiences

• Some members of a fraternity experiment a form of

common life.
About 20 years ago a community of lay people (2 women
and 3 men), living in the same place with 4 friars, was born.
• There is also a group of consecrated lay Dominican people.
• The recent meeting of the fraternities with the Master of Order in
Bologna confirmed our vocation as preachers, prophets and
apostles according to the mission of the apostles.
Lay Dominicans have to be creative and respond to the
contemporary needs of the Church and the Order .
 • Lay Dominicans are women and men walking on
the world roads and, like St Dominic, they take
care of the needs of human beings.
“What about sinners?”
To this question we have to find an answer and
work to announce God’s mercy.