New Springtime: Dominican Nuns to Buy JPII Cultural Center in Washington, DC

By Sonja Corbitt
10/30/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

If you've ever prayed for a revitalization of goodness in Washington, DC; for more purity, decency and peace, your prayers have been answered

There could not be a place more suited for the truth, beauty and joy of the Catholic religious life of these Dominican Sisters than at the John Paul II Cultural Center in the heart of Washington, DC.The Dominican Sisters have signed a contract to buy the JPII Cultural Center in Washington, DC, to be used as a House of Studies for the continuing education and formation of their Sisters.

Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

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NASHVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) - If you've ever prayed for a revitalization of goodness in Washington, DC; for more purity, decency and peace, your prayers have been answered. The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist have signed a contract to buy the JPII Cultural Center in Washington, DC, to be used as a House of Studies for the continuing education and formation of their Sisters, and are currently in the inspection phase of that agreement.

As an exciting new option for the center that is currently the Washington location for EWTN studios, the Sisters hope their religious women will be "fully alive for Christ there." Because the city is at the forefront of what the world sees when they think of America, the Sisters feel that their presence there as religious women of faith who are bringing the truth to the world is especially appropriate.

After their move to Ann Arbor, MI the vocations "poured in" according to Mother Mary Assumpta Long, OP, and it was necessary to make a new foundation of Dominican Sisters for the flourishing Order. To aid in expansion needs all over the country, the Sisters hope to convert part of their new space into a House of Study to enable centralized professional education and training, and another into living quarters for the sisters suitable as a monastic setting where their spiritual formation and community life can continue to flourish.

Because study remains an essential part of the religious life of a Dominican and is present at all stages in a Sister's life, they searched extensively for a place close to a Catholic university "that they believed in" where graduate level studies and apostolic venues were readily accessible and that would be located within a supportive ecclesial environment. The cultural center is happily adjacent to the Catholic University of America, is part of the Archdiocese of Washington, and close to a House of Study for Dominican Friars already located and thriving there.

Founded in the Dominican tradition to spread the witness of religious life according to Pope John Paul II's vision for a new evangelization, the community's initial impetus for the new location was spreading the message in the spirit and heart of John Paul the Great. After their first profession of vows, the Sisters begin preparing for a teaching profession through both Catholic and secular studies.

Their studies continue throughout their religious lives in order to maintain teaching certification and effectively engage in the teaching apostolate and new evangelization. From the newly appointed JPII Cultural Center, they are confident the Sisters will go into schools all over the nation, exploding all over the globe, and setting the world on fire, "wherever obedience and Mother Church needs them."

Sister Mariana feels a particular, even more personal, connection to John Paul II. "[He] was a big part of my vocation. His call to just not be afraid to give your life totally to Christ really reached me at that time, and I think part of it was that he was such a beautiful example of that. You could just tell by looking at him that he was filled with God's love," she said.

Through profession of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, along with a contemplative emphasis on Eucharistic adoration and Marian devotion, the community exists for the salvation of souls and the building of the Church throughout the world, and its apostolate, as spiritual mothers, is the preaching and teaching of Truth. Through this call, the Sisters feel that wherever the Holy Spirit leads them is where there is the greatest need for their charism. Indeed, there could not be a place more suited for the truth, beauty and joy of the Catholic religious life of these Dominican Sisters than in Washington, DC.

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Sonja Corbitt is a Catholic speaker, Scripture teacher and study author, and a contributing writer for Catholic Online. Visit her at www.pursuingthesummit.com.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: nuns, Oprah, dominicans, John Paul II, cultural center, house of studies, new evangelization, washington dc, catholic university of america

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1 - 8 of 8 Comments

Francis H. Boyer
2 years ago
I don't understand. It's obviously a very good thing for the Sisters and the vision of the Church, but what was happening at the Center before-hand, besides EWTN use? Was the Cultural Center a nothng place, engaged in evil and anti-Catholic activities? Who are the Sisters buying it from? I'd be interested to know. Your article left too much unanswered.
JeanCatherine
2 years ago
Carla

God Bless but by the sisters presence at the JPII Center does much for those who live and work there,

They show growth and they are teachers so they will expand out and they need places to go. There is great demand for housing because the planted seeds are procuring more vocations. They need places to go. This is ok. Maybe by their presence people will donate to the JPII Center.

We hope money isnt a great factor here other than to make things happen in God's time. As for the Vatican I dont think they are really involved in what is done here in America when it comes to our institutions. I believe the local Bishops steward this end of it as the Vatican stewards their end.
ccs
2 years ago
Oh this makes my day! We so desperately need a revitalized religious life in this country.
Ced
2 years ago
Who and why was this fairly new JPII center for sale? Praide God that it is going to such a wonderful purpose!
Michael D. Mann
2 years ago
Almost daily over the last year I've said a rosary or two with the intention that "the Catholic Church leads America back to goodness and decency and the rest of the world, too."
God is answering my prayer.

Thank you Lord,
Carla
2 years ago
I hope that the sisters and their order would honor the church and all that it stands for and teach through the JPII Center by working to keep it open instead of using it for student housing. I cannot believe that money alone is the ruling factor in this. The JPII Center would close for lack of funds, but does no more teaching of the church by its example, than to become a place of income, not in priests or religious to learn or be spurned on to become religious, but for pure profit. Think of all of its contents, much to be returned to the Vatican, I am sure. How many of you have placed your hand inside the bronze hand of JPII, and not felt a deep presence. Now that presence and all the teachings of the church and its contents thereof from the JPII Center to be swept aside in order for the sisters to be more worldly than Godly in their attempts to help the people of today to learn of our Catholic heritage. The sisters need to seek funding. I have not ever been asked to donate but once to the JPII Center. I would gladly do that now. What happened? The sisters could teach more fully of their belief in the church by keeping it open than by using it for housing. God help us all.
Pam
2 years ago
How wonderful, wonderful to see these communities of Sisters beginning to flourish once again. We need them so much! Our Catholic schools lost an unreplaceable treasure over these past 40-50 years. Thank God, some of these communities are bringing back the traditional vows, religious values, and community support of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Faith has faltered and grown weak in many of us for lack of once Catholic Schools--staffed by dedicated teaching Sisters. The same can be said of Catholic Nursing Homes. It is so disheartening to see the diminution of "Christ-like" care extended to family members who need selfless love and assistance on a daily basis.... I pray that Catholc Schools for the young will spread once again all over the country, as well as.Catholic Nursing Homes--all sustained by religious communities of dedicated Sisters!
cgk
2 years ago
Hurray!!!!!!!!!!!

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