Who we are

“The Laity of St. Dominic are those faithful who, baptised in the Catholic Church or received into her, confirmed and in full communion of faith, sacraments and ecclesiastical governance… are called by a special vocation to progress in the Christian way of life… through the charism of St. Dominic”.
General Declarations of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic, 2019

Lay Dominicans are found worldwide, and come from all walks of life. We are ordinary people, single, married, working, students, retired, living a Christian life with a Dominican spirituality in our secular world.

Every baptised and confirmed Catholic is called to evangelize. The call to be a Lay Dominican is more focussed. Dominicans are inspired by the lives of many holy women and men from the 800 year history of the Dominican Order. They strive to live lives based on the four pillars of Dominican Spirituality – Prayer, Study, Community and Preaching.

In Ireland, there are twenty-two Lay Dominican Chapters (or groups), spread across the country, who meet regularly. These Chapters are often connected to a local Dominican Convent or Priory, though not always so.

Our apostolate “to contemplate and share the fruit of our contemplation with others” is mostly carried out within our families and work or study places, but also through involvement in parish life, catechetics, and other ministries.

Lay Dominicans, living fully in society, make a lifelong commitment in the form of profession. We follow a process of formation enabling us to become active members of the Order, and preachers of the Good News of Jesus Christ to those whom we meet every day.

If you would like more information, please contact the Irish Provincial President
Catherine Carragher