We are members of the worldwide Order of Preachers

The Dominican Sisters of Hope invite you to learn more about our worldwide Dominican family, the Order of Preachers. Since the time of St. Dominic, more than 800 years ago, Dominicans have been living and sharing the message of the Gospel. Today, thousands of sisters, nuns, priests, brothers, associates, and laity minister in more than 100 countries around the globe.

As Dominicans we inherited Dominic’s priorities of prayer, study, community and mission. Mission is central to our lives and we recognize both Mystery and gift in our call to be Hope. We seek to enflesh Gospel values and strive to promote right relationships and mutuality with all of creation. Through our diverse ministries, simple lifestyle and commitment to peace and justice, we bring truth and mercy to a world in need. We celebrate the sharing of our lives in mission as we discern new possibilities for promoting the Dominican Charism.

Mission Statement:
We Dominican Sisters of Hope are called to preach the Gospel to our world. In communication with all creation, we commit our lives to the transforming power of Hope.

Our History:
In 1995, we became something new - a new religious Congregation of Dominican women. Of course it didn’t happen all at once. Three Dominican groups, from Fall River, MA; Newburgh, NY; and Ossining, NY, had been working for years on the preliminary steps. Finally, on July 20, 1995, we celebrated the formal founding of the Dominican Sisters of Hope.

How We Received Our Name:
It was the last day of our chapter meeting, a very special Sunday morning, and time to name our new congregation. The day before we had listed possible names on newsprint, talked about them, affirmed some names and ignored others. We were tired and couldn’t see how we would be able to settle on a name together. We had ended the day before with no consensus, and no real excitement. However, we placed ourselves in the presence of God and returned to the task. Sisters began to approach the microphones at various locations in the room, each of them speaking in support of one of the names. Still there was no real excitement.

Then something happened. There was an alertness among us that hadn’t been there before, a kind of hum spreading through the room, much nodding, sounds of agreement, one word spoken over and over. The sound grew louder and we were laughing. As one Sister later said, “you could see excitement jumping from table to table. It was a little epiphany- a small Pentecost.”

The word on newsprint that we had seen so often, that had been spoken so casually throughout our lives, taken so much for granted, we now saw as if for the very first time: HOPE.

All of a sudden and from the beginning of time, Hope was our mission; the meaning of our Gospel study, the crying need of our times, the truth of our existence, the identity that we claimed together.
The Spirit named us “Dominican Sisters of Hope”.

Consider walking with us...

For information contact:

Sister Janet Marchesani, OP
Email: janetm3856@earthlink.net