14th Meeting of Dominican Sisters Under 70 in Spain
Fourteen years ago, DSI encouraged us, the Dominican sisters in Spain “under 50 years old,” to gather for meetings to share life, formation, and dream together about the future. These gatherings have continued throughout all these years, bringing together Dominican sisters from all congregations present in Spain.
This year, 34 sisters belonging to 5 Dominican congregations gathered.
As every year, on the last weekend of September, the Passionate Preachers gathered—this time in Madrid—and were accompanied by Félix Hernández OP to help us reflect on “How to Paint the Vows”.
Explaining in a text what the meeting was like is a difficult task, as it was almost entirely experiential.
After gathering on Friday evening for greetings, catching up on current tasks, changes, and so on, rest came, with everything already prepared to begin on Saturday.
In a serene environment that conveyed freshness despite the heat, we began a space of prayer-meditation in front of the artwork that Félix had brought us. We discovered what it was saying to us and where we stood before the artwork, as it served as a mirror in which to look at ourselves and reflect.
We discovered many aspects, not only of art and painting, but of how to look inward, how to discover God in art, and how our Dominican Family is inhabited by that art which transmits God through wordless preaching.
For a moment, we were able to be artists, capturing on a “canvas” our presence inhabited by God, who accompanies us and helps us bring the Vows to life.
Dialogue, active listening, sharing, opening the heart, adding color, preaching, becoming passionate, and contemplating… to give what has been contemplated; such was Sunday, which began with the Eucharist of thanksgiving for all that was shared and for the richness that God places around us.
Now, on to preparing the next one.
Sr. Esther Santana Vega – Roman Congregation of St. Dominic
