Interview with Sr. Pilar del Barrio, former Continental Coordinator of DSIC for Europe

In this interview, we speak with Sr. Pilar del Barrio, who served as the Continental Coordinator of the Dominican Sisters in Europe. Sr. Pilar reflects on the learnings that this role brought her, the fruits of collaboration among congregations, and her hopes for the future of Dominican apostolic life in Europe.

What would you say was your greatest learning during your service as DSE Coordinator?

On one hand, it gave me a deeper knowledge of the life and mission of the sisters from various congregations across Europe, which in itself is a tremendous richness. Amidst the cultural and linguistic diversity, I was able to discover the many ways in which Dominic’s charism has taken root in different places, as concrete responses to the call to preach that so many women have experienced in each country, through very different stories from one place to another. But in every case, I discovered the passion for preaching that unites us as Dominican sisters. It is the passion of Dominic, of Catherine, and of so many other men and women in our Family who have given—and continue to give—their lives to bring the light of the Gospel to the world, to make present God’s presence in the world as the reason for our hope, as the source of a love that knows no borders.

I have learned from each sister, with each sister I have encountered along the way, to enlarge our tent, to welcome and share reflection, prayer, study, and mission. We have searched together without barriers, without stopping to distinguish between one congregation or another, seeking light to offer the world, learning from one another, supporting one another, feeling like true sisters.

In this cultural and linguistic mosaic that is Europe—with a complex history that could separate us—I have experienced how we have been able to rise above our differences and meet in the heart of this shared charism rooted in the life of Dominic. We have managed to communicate, to discover one another, to celebrate Dominican apostolic life that continues to proclaim the Word within the diverse realities of European societies. We have walked together, dreamed together of new paths of preaching, and come to know each other better so that we might open paths that allow us to share the mission. I know this experience of encounter has been—and continues to be—a great support especially for the younger sisters. The DSE gatherings have helped them build a “generation” among themselves, and I trust that this will continue into the future.

In what ways would you say this experience contributed to your personal and spiritual growth?

Personally, I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to serve the sisters by broadening horizons, which allowed me to learn so much from them, to discover so many values and gifts among them, sharing in their apostolic passion and also their difficulties. Sharing this mission with the sisters of the DSE team has been a truly valuable experience. I came to know sisters I hadn’t known before and built close bonds of friendship and fraternity with them and their congregations.

On the other hand, working with the DSIC Council—as a part of it—has been a profoundly enriching experience of reflection, searching, and shared mission, serving to strengthen DSIC and help create a stronger global community of Dominican sisters. It is a project worth fighting for, and a blessing to be able to take part in it.

What are your hopes for the future of Dominican Sisters in Europe?

I trust that DSE, as part of DSIC, will become a part of the horizon of all Dominican sisters in Europe, that each and every one of them will come to see herself as part of this wider community of apostolic feminine life within the Dominican Family. I dream that we will be capable of opening new paths of Dominican presence and preaching together, with an authoritative voice born from study and contemplation, that can be a light in our world, a path for seeking truth in a world where truth seems somewhat devalued. What brings us together is the mission; what strengthens our bonds is that shared missionary journey. Like Dominic’s first companions, I would like the Dominican sisters of Europe to feel that DSE is always a community they can return to—to pray together, to share the experience of mission, the needs of the men and women we have encountered along the way, and to keep seeking together through study and prayer the best way to offer the light of the Risen One wherever it is most needed.