Pilgrim Friars in our Nation’s Capital
May 24, 2012
In anticipation of the Feast of the Translation of our Holy Father St. Dominic (May 24) a number of our student friars, Fr. Raymond Vandegrift OP (83 years old!) and I took a walking pilgrimage for about 8 miles through Washington DC with pilgrim stops and prayers at our parish St. Dominic’s, St. Joseph’s on Capital Hill and St. Matthew’s Cathedral. We carried a first class relic of St. Dominic with us. In each church one of the friars gave us a short “ferverino.”
We were praying in a particular way for our five friars who will be ordained to the priesthood on May 25 – you are invited. I of course was praying for each of you and for an increase in vocations for the Dominicans. In the churches we visited and the streets we walked, we prayed the entire Rosary, the Office of Readings, Midmorning Prayer (Terce) and Midday Prayer (Sext) and a Holy Hour with Vespers. The rains came and we were drenched right after our last stop at the Cathedral – a true pilgrimage! – thanks be to God and our Holy Father Dominic. May our brothers who will be ordained have a grace-filled priesthood and Dominican life!
As we passed by the Human Rights Campaign Headquarters in DC, we stopped and said a prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe that she would crush the head of the serpent and that the Light of Christ which shines in the darkness will show the way to protect traditional Christian marriage and values.
(the Washington Times photographer caught us walking on the streets of DC so keep your eyes open for photos.)
