August 4, 2024

Eighteenth sunday in ordinary time

by Fr. Boniface Endorf, OP

Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,

This Thursday, August 8th, is the Solemnity of Holy Father Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers (aka: the Dominicans). He’s, of course, the patron of the Dominican friars serving at St. Joseph’s, but also your patron too as parishioners of a Dominican parish. It’s good to have many patrons! Make sure to celebrate this important feast day.

Also, on the Solemnity of St. Dominic, we vest in the Dominican habit those men beginning their novitiate, their start as Dominican friars. The novitiate is held at our parish in Cincinnati, St. Gertrude, which is where Fr. Jonah, Br. Paul, and I all first met the Dominicans. 16 men will begin the novitiate this year and will undergo a year of intense training—essentially spiritual bootcamp. Those who make it through novitiate will then be assigned to our House of Studies in DC to begin six to seven years of theological and spiritual training. Please pray for them—some will certainly serve at St. Joseph’s one day. And one was a FOCUS missionary last year serving at NYU, so especially keep him in your prayers.

God Bless,
Fr. Boniface