 First Vows
by Fr. Peter Rogers, OP
The first Dominican I ever met was at the Newman Center at the University of Utah in Salt
Lake City in 1994. After exploring the Benedictine Order and being attracted to their
monastic prayer, but disappointed with their lack of emphasis on active ministry; and
exploring the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, and being attracted to their active
ministry, but disappointed with their lack of emphasis on monastic prayer; I was led by
the Holy Spirit to the Dominican Order which carefully balances a life of active ministry
and a deep devotion to a monastic style of prayer. In professing my vows of obedience,
chastity, and poverty, I realized a strong commitment to obey God in living these vows.
God wants all His children to live these vows, even if not in the same way or in the same
degree as we in religious life. As a Dominican, the vow of obedience to, not only my
superiors, but more importantly to God, entails the vow of chastity and poverty, by
professing the vow to obey God's will within a context of a celibate life-style and a life
of charity through poverty.
I have made these vows to fulfill a promise I made to God: to obey His will at the time
He called me to the priesthood. Although that calling occurred a few years ago, and the
journey to where I now am as a Dominican has had its challenges, the remembrance of my
promise to God at the moment He called me, gives me strength to continue the journey to
serve Him as He has willed for my life. My goal is to continue to make my will His will so
that they indeed become united as one.
First Vows |
