First Sunday of Advent (A)

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The Unknown Day and Hour   Lectionary: 1 Reading 1 -  Isaiah 2:1-5 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 122: 1-9 Reading 2 -  Romans 13:11-14 Alleluia -  Cf. Psalm 85:8 Gospel -  Matthew 24:37-44 '... Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.' Introduction  As we gather on this First Sunday of Advent , we also mark the beginning of the Church’s new liturgical calendar and a four-week preparation period leading up to Christmas. The word Advent comes from either of two Latin words, which simply mean “to come” (Ad-venire) or “to arrive” (Ad-ventus), and as early as the fourth (4th) century, Christians have had this special time of preparation towards Christmas. Of course, Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas; Even as we begin the material preparations for the social celebration of Christmas, the liturgical celebrations of these weeks invite us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. But what does the co...
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Dominican Perpetual Profession

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My advancement to life professed (perpetual promises) took place at the Regional Meeting as part of the morning Mass at St. Pius V Catholic Church with another fellow member of the Saint Martin de Porres fraternity and two from another fraternity making temporary (3 year) promises.  The Rite of Profession is basically the same for each with the principle difference being the length of time the promise to live according to the "Rule of the Laity of Saint Dominic being either three (3) years or for "my whole life."  The Rite begins after the Gospel with the Declaration of Intent ...

PRESIDENT: My dear brothers and sister, what do you seek?
ALL Candidates: God’s mercy and yours.
ALL: Thanks be to God.

The candidates returns to their seats, and the Homily is given.  After the Homily we have the Examination and Questioning [of the Candidates] standing together in front of the altar:

FR. IGNATIUS: Dearly beloved brothers and sister, you have been consecrated to God by water and the spirit. Are you resolved to be more closely bound to Christ and the service of the Church by a new title of profession of evangelical life?
ALL Candidates: I am, with God’s help and yours.

FR. IGNATIUS: Are you resolved to walk in newness of life according to the apostolic concept proposed by Saint Dominic, as announcers of the Gospel following in the footsteps of your Savior?
ALL Candidates: I am, with God’s help and yours.

FR. IGNATIUS: Are you resolved, as you serve God and neighbor, to be of one mind with the Church, and, as members of the Order, to share in its apostolic mission by prayer, study and preaching, according to your lay state in life?
ALL Candidates: I am, with God’s help and yours.

FR. IGNATIUS: May the Lord who has begun this good work in you, bring it to completion.
ALL: AMEN

Immediately following is the Invocation of Divine Grace:

FR. IGNATIUS: Beloved brothers and sisters, let us pray to God the Father, that He may kindly pour out upon these sons and daughter of His, whom He has called to a fuller following of Christ, the grace of His blessing. In His loving kindness, may He confirm them in their holy intent.

Let us pray.
Look down, we beseech You, O Lord, on these Your sons and daughter, who today professes with a repentant heart the life of the Gospel. Grant that the grace of Baptism, which they wish to strengthen by new bonds, may take full effect in them so that, strengthened by the aid of the Holy Spirit, they may render due worship to Your majesty and spread the reign of Christ with apostolic zeal. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN

Finally we get to the actual Perpetual Profession with each candidate individually kneeling before their respective Fraternity President where they make their promise according to the provided formula (using my religious name of Joseph):

PRESIDENT: [NAME], will you please come forward and make your promise.

CANDIDATE: To the honor of almighty God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and of Blessed Mary the Virgin and Saint Dominic, I brother/sister [NAME], in your presence [NAME OF PRESIDENT], the presider of this Fraternity and Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer, the appointed Religious Assistant in place of the Master of the Order of Friars Preachers, promise that I will live according to the Rule of the Laity of Saint Dominic for my whole life.

At this point, the newly professed members are giving blessed "large" scapulars (seen in photo below) instead of a copy of the Gospel which was given to those who have made temporary promises.

FR. IGNATIUS: Let us pray.
Lord, Jesus Christ, You deigned to be clothed with the flesh of our mortal condition. Begging Your infinite kindness, we ask You to bless (+) this habit which our holy forbears established to be worn as an expression of innocence and holiness. Make the one who wears it be worthy to be clothed in You. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
ALL: AMEN

FRATERNITY PRESIDENT: Receive this habit whereby, with the help of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Mercy, perpetual admission into the Dominican Family is granted to you and membership in the St. Martin de Porres Fraternity is expressed. Act in such a manner that, through the intercession of the Mother of God, you may always strive for the glory of the Trinity and the good of the Church and humankind to clothe yourself in Christ and to manifest Him living in you.
NEWLY-PROFESSED: Amen.




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Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic (Province of St Joseph)

BOOK 2: THE PARTICULAR DIRECTORY
PART 2 - ADMISSION AND FORMATION

44.     [...] Each fraternity council should appoint one member to serve as the Formation Director. [...] This person should be appointed for a 3-year term and may be re-appointed for a second term.

45.     The Formation Director must be a perpetual professed member of the Fraternity 

PART 3 - GOVERNANCE OF THE LAY FRATERNITIES

71.     Fraternities are governed by an elected Council composed of three to seven members. The number of members is set by a majority vote of al the members of the Fraternity. The Religious Assistant and President Emeritus attend and may speak at meetings of the Fraternity Council without being members of it and are not included in quorum count to conduct a meeting. The President Emeritus is an advisory member of the Fraternity Council for six months after going out of office. 

72.     Council terms are for three years in length and will begin on January 1 and expire on December 31 of the third year. In addition to the Fraternity President and Fraternity Council, the Fraternity members elect a delegate and an alternate delegate to the Regional Council for a three-year term that coincides with the terms of the Fraternity Council.

74.     To be elected President, delegate, alternate delegate, or councilor, a member must have made Perpetual Profession.

82.     Whoever serves in any of the above positions may be elected to a second three-year term in the same office but may not be elected to that office for a third term, except by postulation (no. 262). No person is to serve in any single or combination of offices on the Fraternity Council for more than three consecutive terms. After a member has been of Council for a three-year term, he or she is eligible to be elected or appointed to any Council officer position.


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