Our relationship with God is central to our ability to live out our vocation as Blauvelt Dominican Sisters. Prayer, as one of the four pillars of Dominican Life, is the means for us to nourish and deepen our relationship with God. Prayer sustains us in proclaiming the Gospel through our shared lifestyle and various ministries.
A Blauvelt Dominican Sister's prayer life has two components: communal prayer and personal prayer. Our lives of communal or shared prayer are diverse. We celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours in Morning and Evening prayer. We also engage in additional prayer styles that encourage us to share the fruits of our contemplation with one another. In our lives of personal prayer, each Sister sets aside time for meditation on a daily basis.
For a number of our Sisters who are either retired or infirmed, prayer is a full time ministry. Sisters who engage in this type of ministry function as intercessors, focusing their prayer on the ministries and needs of individual Sisters or a specific community of Sisters. This full-time ministry of prayer is an on-going and critical support to the mission of the Blauvelt Dominicans. It also extends beyond the boundaries of the congregation to include the many needs of our society and our world.
We've had many opportunities to see the power of prayer at work in our own lives and amidst the turmoil in our world. We take our example from St. Dominic and Jesus himself who prayed often, placing his needs openly before God. Prayer nourishes our faith and gives us the strength to continue to serve.
Our Sisters, particularly those in full time prayer ministry, welcome the opportunity to support your needs. If you have a specific prayer request that you would like our Sisters to include in their intentions, you may e-mail them to
jmcdermott@opblauvelt.org.