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MEET THE DICKEYS
Counsel to Kings: Dominican Friar
Addresses UN Delegates
By George Goss
Br. Cassian Derbes, O.P., was recently invited to speak to a group of delegates and
diplomats from various countries at the United Nations in New York City. Hosted by
Francis Dubois of France and Josef Klee of Germany, Br. Cassian’s presentation was
entitled “Counsel to Kings: the Order of Preachers, Past and Present.” In it, Br. Cassian
sought to show how Dominicans like St. Raymond of Peñafort and St. Thomas Aquinas
served as wise and learned counselors to leaders of both Church and State as preachers
of the truth in the service of the common good. Br. Cassian was ordained to the
diaconate in September and is assisting the Dominican Foundation as he prepares for
his priestly ordination in May.
Dominicans Host a Conversation Between a
New York City Pastor and a Vatican Official
One week before the celebration of Christmas, the Dominican Foundation hosted
Br. Cassian Derbes, O.P., and
a dinner with friends at Saint Vincent Ferrer Priory in New York City to share in a
Francis Dubois.
conversation between Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia, O.P., the Adjunct Secretary of
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican, and
Father George W. Rutler, the pastor of the Church of Saint Michael
in New York City. Archbishop Di Noia is a son of the Dominican
Province of Saint Joseph and a native New Yorker.
The topic: the humanity of Christ and its relevance today.
The grace of the Incarnation is the very grace we need to
become holy. This lively and fraternal conversation took place
between Dominicans, members of Saint Vincent Ferrer parish,
and prominent New Yorkers. The teaching on the humanity of
Christ remains timely and relevant, especially given the
Left to Right: Sean Feiler, Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, O.P.,
powerful preaching of Pope Francis.
Advance with a Pure Heart
Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P. and Fr. George Rutler.
On January 28, the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P.,
the student master, and Fr. Benedict Croell, O.P., the vocation director, met
with the Catholic Midshipmen Club at the United States Naval Academy.
Fr. Hofer gave a talk, “Advance with a Pure Heart: Sharing in the Victory of
St. Thomas Aquinas.” Afterwards 20 midshipmen were formally enrolled in
the Confraternity of the Angelic Warfare. This confraternity helps members
to promote and grow in chastity together under the powerful patronage of
St. Thomas Aquinas and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In October, Fr. Bruno Shah, O.P., parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas
parish at the University of Virginia, led the United States Naval Academy
Fall Retreat and in February, Fr. James Brent, O.P., professor of Philosophy
at The Catholic University of America, together with Fr. John Paul Walker,
O.P., chaplain at Johns Hopkins University, and Fr. Benedict Croell, O.P.,
will lead the “Catholic Boot-camp” FOCUS Regional Retreat for about 100
missionaries and student leaders in Maryland. A number of these same
midshipmen will be in attendance.
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Fr. Benedict Croell, O.P., the vocation director, and
Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., the student master with
Catholic midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Dominican Foundation • Dominican Friars • Province of Saint Joseph
W
hen Mr. and Mrs. Dickey
first attended the All
Hallows Eve liturgy, hosted
by the Dominican friars at Saints Philip
and James, they were awe-struck by
the sight of many young men and
women in their 20’s and 30’s praying
together. This certainly did not fit the
description of a Church struggling to
connect with the next generation of
faithful.
It wasn’t long before they began
attending mass regularly at Saints
Philip and James near the Johns
Hopkins University campus. The more
they got to know the Dominicans,
the more they liked them, and they
began growing spiritually as well. Mr.
Dickey had gone to Johns Hopkins,
and he was able to connect with
Fr. John Paul Walker, O.P., a fellow
alumnus and currently the Catholic
Chaplain to Johns Hopkins.
Mrs. Dickey remarked, “Reenergizing young people is one of
the most important missions of the
Church today.” Mr. Dickey said that
the Dominicans are having a real
impact at Johns Hopkins “simply by
their presence on campus and their
availability to students in a variety of
settings. They offer a dynamic range
of activities appealing to the 18 to 30
year old crowd.”
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