2026 European Meeting for Young Dominican Sisters
The annual European meeting for young Dominican sisters took place on February 13th to 15th/2026. Sister Catharina Al from Nijmegen traveled to Paris and Tours for a full program of meetings, excursions, prayers, lectures, and pilgrimages to special Catholic and Dominican sites.
The meeting was organized by the European branch of the Dominican Sisters International Confederation (DSIC), the worldwide organization of Dominican congregations. DSIC promotes contact and cooperation between congregations and encourages mutual interaction.
A separate branch is active on each of the five continents. This is important because many active Dominican sisters fall under the Third Order and, unlike the Dominicans, are distributed worldwide across no fewer than 148 congregations. Each with its own governing body and history. “It is very nice to hear about each other’s vocations and how young sisters live in all those different places. And also about the difficulties involved. The sisters came from all over, such as Ireland, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Italy. Some congregations, such as the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation, number about a thousand sisters worldwide. Others are smaller. Our own congregation currently numbers 21 sisters,” says Sister Catharina Al.
Her congregation, the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Family, is not affiliated with an international federation. “That has advantages such as flexibility and little bureaucracy, but also disadvantages, for example regarding training and available study houses. International meetings help to share experiences and seek collaboration.”
This fourth meeting was intended for the youngest generation of sisters, who do not yet hold leadership positions. The goal was to gain new courage, receive inspiration, and meet one another. There were lectures, joint prayer moments, and also opportunities for exchange. A subsequent meeting will focus on sisters aged fifty and older who do hold leadership positions within the congregations. “This was my fourth meeting. It always does me good to speak with people who share the same calling but live in a different country, with different work, who may or may not wear a habit, or who pray differently,” said Sister Catharina.
She traveled overnight by bus from Nijmegen and arrived in Paris in the morning. Even before the program began, she went to the sanctuary on the Rue du Bac. This was followed by a joint lunch at the convent of the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation and a visit to Notre-Dame in Paris. On Friday afternoon, the Crown of Thorns was displayed there. “That was very impressive. We prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary there.”
The following day, the group traveled by train to Tours, where, among other things, a lecture on hope was given. “There were a few sisters who wondered how they should proceed after the conclusion of the Jubilee Year, with hope as its theme. In Tours, it was reported how many people contributed to the reconstruction of Notre-Dame, and that even more was raised than was needed. That has once again drawn attention throughout France to the importance of Christianity and the Church. A true sign of hope.”
In this city, the sisters also visited the tomb of Saint Martin and attended Mass there. Cloistered Dominican nuns were also present. One of them spoke about the life of Saint Martin. “I was deeply moved by the image of the cloak. That is such a powerful call to help the poor, even if you only give half a coat. For the poor, that means the difference between life and death. That is how we help each other through life. Christian hope is real.”
Another lecture was about Dominicans for Justice and Peace, a branch of the order that focuses on justice and peace. “How can we help create a just society, so that we can maintain hope for ordinary life? One of the sisters is a worldwide promoter in this field and spoke about it.”
Young sisters from the Czech Republic, among others, spoke about their situation. There, the departure from communism has led to a revival of Christianity and new vocations. They remain strongly involved in education, but young sisters also dedicate themselves to student counseling and pilgrimage guidance. This inspired Sister Catharina: “Nowadays, you hear that many students no longer come from the families their former Catholics came from and have to make it on their own in a rather difficult world. What we can mean for them is a listening ear. Someone asks how you are doing instead of just how your studies are going. The human aspect is very important in this.”
This article was first published in Dutch on Dominicanen.org by Sister Catharina Al
