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The Ongoing Adventures of the Black and White Brigade: The Novice Class of 2002-2003 storm the Southern Part of the Western Dominican Province

PHOENIX, ARIZONA (as told by Brother Christopher)—We arrived in the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix, Arizona, from Los Angeles on February 15th, a Saturday afternoon.  Phoenix is my lifelong home and is currently home to the Dominican brethren of Most Holy Trinity Parish and School, a vibrant church bustling with activity and three languages—English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.  In addition to myself, who attended Most Holy Trinity School while growing up, the other novices staying at the Holy Trinity rectory were Bros. Giovanni, John Marie and Stephen Maria.  Novice Master Fr. Anthony also made Phoenix his temporary home.   Our other novice brothers stayed with the Dominicans in Tempe.

Within hours of arriving in Phoenix, we were at work, preaching our vocation stories at the two Saturday evening Masses.  At the seven o’clock Mass, Bro. Stephen related the tale of his journey in Spanish to an appreciative congregation.  On Sunday, the friendly folks at Most Holy Trinity gave a warm reception to us all as we continued to preach at many Masses throughout the day.  My parents and my godson Marco paid us a visit, eventually stealing me away for some time with my family.

Monday was a day of well-deserved rest and recreation for the crew, as Brs. Stephen and John took advantage of a great hiking spot in Phoenix—Squaw Peak—and Giovanni took advantage of the overstuffed couches at the Dominican convent.  All of us then spent Monday evening with the novices and the Dominican community at Arizona State University.  On Tuesday we visited the students at Most Holy Trinity School, moving from classroom to classroom, answering questions, cracking jokes and playing some tough Tether Ball at recess. Fr. Vincent of Holy Trinity treated us to his own vocation story during lunch that day, relating many tales of his missionary work in Chiapas, Mexico.

After another evening together in Tempe, Bros. Giovanni, John and Stephen awoke early Wednesday morning and began a hunt for donuts that took them as far as Tempe and to such sites as Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral, Saint Francis Xavier Church and Jesuit-run Brophy Preparatory, where I spent my high school years.  In the meantime, I spent the day with my parents.  That night, all of us returned to the Tempe house to celebrate Fr. Anthony’s birthday.   Thursday morning we said our good-byes to the Dominicans in Phoenix and met up with our brothers in Tempe for a special breakfast with my parents and Bro. Kohl’s parents, who live in Mesa, AZ.  Once again, the intrepid bunch hit the highway, this time headed south.

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