Meet Br. Cassian, the New Associate
Director of the Dominican Foundation
THE NEW YORK TIMES,
WALL STREET JOURNAL,
INQUIRING CATHOLICS
ALL WANT TO KNOW:
“WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE
DOMINICANS THAT IS
ATTRACTING SO MANY
YOUNG, TALENTED, AND
HOLY MEN?
The following is from an interview of
Father Benedict Croell, O.P., conducted
by Regina Magazine
WHY DOMINICAN?
BY FR. BENEDICT CROELL, O.P.
A
s one of our friars noted a few
years back, it seems that many
young men who come to us have
had the experience of “arriving to
the edge of an abyss” in our culture
with which there is no compromise if they are to follow Christ.
This is not to say they are running
from the culture, but it seems it has
radicalized them before they come
to us. If they are going to follow
Christ in today’s environment
something more rigorous is needed – something like a living tradition of 800 years of a life founded
by St. Dominic that has produced
many saints. Anyone who reads
the history of the Church knows
Dominicans have played significant
intellectual and evangelical roles.
We are made to evangelize and to
engage the culture – we do this as a
community of friars (brothers).
This corporate witness that goes
out to the world is attractive for
young men today. When they see
us trying to follow Christ in the
way envisioned by St. Dominic,
they want to be a part of it. It seems
that a number of men are coming to visit us because they have
Why did you decide to
join the Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph?
What is your conversion
story?
&
heard we are having a “vocations
boom” and they want to see what
is happening. We do have a certain
momentum going. If a young man
thinking of a vocation comes to
visit us, it is impressive to see the
sea of white in our chapel when
over 80 friars gather for prayer four
times each day at the Dominican
House of Studies. Most young men
who come to us v