Bishop Shanahan’s prayerful Reflections "Often I bless the sea over which you will soon sail. It is our Father's own property…You all accompany me in the sacred person of Christ of whose Mystical Body we all form a part." "You remember how we would feel our hearts throb with heavenly joy at the vision of earthly beauty—a sunset over the Niger or the rising of the moon over the palm clad hills of Onitsha. Unerringly our very hearts were wont to open up to that other vision-the vision of faith that hid Him, our heavenly Father, behind the glorious mantle of gold, purple and azure blue…"

Our Heritage

We have always been contemplative in our approach to life. Our Founder, Bishop Joseph Shanahan, saw God everywhere; in everything and everyone…The whole of creation spoke to him of God, the loving Source of all Being. This speaks to us in his writings to our sisters.

This is an approach to life which we sisters strive to maintain and allow to animate our lives today along with a great love of Liturgy, especially in regard to the Eucharist and the prayer of the Church. This love of liturgy and Church prayer passed on to us by the Dominican Sisters in our beginnings as missionaries has served all of us well, living and working with different cultural groups in various places world wide.

Symbol and Ritual

Symbol and ritual, song and dance are pathways to God for most of the ethnic groups where we live and work. Our liturgical celebration of high points in the Church Year, e.g. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost is with the the people we work with while the prayer of the Church takes place in community as well as individually.

Personal Prayer and prayer with others

Our response to God’s Call is nourished and sustained by our personal prayer. We are called to maintain regular and substantial periods of private prayer, how and when we pray depending on our individual needs and choices. In addition, some sisters choose to meditate together on a regular basis. They may ponder the Mysteries of Christ using the Rosary as well as other means suited to the people with whom they live and work. We are prompted to pray using forms of prayer best expressing our response to the Spirit.

Prayers of the people in countries we serve

From Zambia, the Hail Mary in Cibemba language

In Portuguese, from a woman arriving at
the Blessed Mothers Shrine in Brazil

From Kenya, a prayer before work

From Ireland, a prayer after Communion

United States, The Our Father, a prayer for all times and seasons

Request a prayer or send your favorite prayer.

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