Here is the application if you so desire to apply to the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic.
It takes time to become a Lay Dominican. It is not the religious life of the priesthood or of the women religious; but it is uniquely a participation in the life of Christ. Here is the process below.
If you are interested, please fill out an application and to the chapter closest to you.
Click here to see the list of all chapters in the province.
INQUIRER: Come any time to a Chapter meeting.
POSTULANT. A postulant takes the time to attend meetings regularly, to meet with the formation director, to discuern continued participation of the Chapter, and prays toward that end. This period of time can last for six months to one year.
NOVICE. A Novice is received into the Order as a member of the Chapter and of the worldwide Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic. You will continue the discernment process of whether to take the next step, will continue to study and pray, participate in meetings, and learn the Dominican way of life. This take about one year of time.
TEMPORARY PROFESSION. The temporary professed person continues to discern the Dominican Life, and in the practice of the Faith, participation in the Chapter, and in the stages of Dominican Life. It is a promise to live according to the Dominican Rule for three years. At the end of this teim period, you can seek to be perpetually professed or extend the time of temporary profession up to a total of six years.
PERPETUAL PROFESSION As the words reveal, it is a perpetual profession to live the Dominican Life, in the charism of Our Lord's faithful son in the Faith, St. Dominic. It is a promise, not binding under sin, to life in accordance with the Four Pillars of Dominican for your life, and for eternity!
Discernment is grounded in prayer, asking God to show you if the Dominican Life is for you. Are you meant to be a member of the Dominican Fraternity in Boise, called the Saint Margaret of Castello Chapter?
This is an one-step-at-a-time process; that starts as a postulant. The term "postulant' derives from the Latin to "postulate.' It is a questioning period of time to determine whether this life, as a Lay Dominican, is for you. Sometimes it simply requires us to take the step, as all vocations are a call, not everyone receives the answer from God with clarity and purpose; but sometimes from the call from one's mind and heart--a pull from God for you to get clser to Him. As Pope Benedict XV said the 1921 encyclical entitled Fausto Appentente Die--celebrating the 700th anniversary of the death of St. Dominic--that, Dominic thought of gathering from pious and devout lay people a certain sacred militia which would defend the rights of the Church and resist heresy with vigor. Hence arose the Third Order of the Dominicans which, spreading among lay people the institute of a more perfect life, was to be a truly great ornament and defense to the Church.
The Third Order of St. Dominic is very alive today, is a call to the modern generation to defend the faith, to love the Truth, to Study, to share in our study and Contemplation, and to live the Dominican Life in the Catholic Church.
The process starts as a postulant; where the Catholic gives his or her life in an informal commitment to live for up to one year to discern whether he or she should be a Dominican. During this period, the postulant attends Chapter meetings, and learns about St. Dominic and his charisms. If you discern in prayer with God, to give the life as a follower of St. Dominic, the Chapter Formation Director and other members of the Chapter will help you.
Part of the discernment process, is to ask, consider, and pray about certain questions and considerations regarding the Third Order as a Lay Dominican. Consider, in no particular order: