Dominican Sisters
Sisters who are members of the Order of Preachers lead a life quite different in character from the nuns, though historically they are related to the monastic communities. In fact, though the first Dominican apostolic community was established in Kentucky in 1822, until the early part of the 20th century all Dominican congregations in the U.S. were technically contemplative nuns living under dispensation from those portions of the rule that imposed a strict monastic schedule. That schedule was impracticable for the mission of these first Dominican sisters in the world, who are called to a balanced life of contemplation and ministry, which they fulfill in a wide variety of ways. Today, there are about 32,000 Dominican Sisters worldwide, preaching the gospel on every continent. Sisters make profession of vows to the prioress general of their individual congregations and are governed independently, though there has been over the past twenty years a move toward much greater collaboration and interdependence among the congregations, in the United States and around the world. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield were established in Jacksonville, Ill., in 1873 and now number just under 300 members. Adapted from "Varieties of Dominican Life," Just WORDS, vol. 3, no. 4, Fall 2003.
