From the Director…

Dear Mission Friends:

Our Dominican Mission Team in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, consists of Fr. David Bello, O.P., Fr. Bartholomew de la Torre, O.P., Sr. Catalina Alvarado, O.P., Sr. Cristina Carrillo, O.P., and me. Both Sr. Catalina and Sr. Cristina belong to the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Christian Doctrine. The Christian Doctrine Dominican Sisters were founded by Mother Leonor Baqueriza, O.P. in Mexico City in 1948. I visited the congregation’s novitiate in 1979 and discovered that the sisters were being blessed by wonderful vocations. They had 25 novices that year. The congregation has continued to prosper and now has a new Province of St. Catherine of Siena dedicated to carrying out evangelization on both sides of the U.S-Mexican border.

Dominican Sisters of Christian Doctrine
united in the joy of St. Dominic.

The motherhouse of their province in located in El Paso, Texas with the novitiate in Chaparral, New Mexico. At this time there are six novices and four postulants. The vision of St. Dominic to form communities of Dominican Friars and Sisters praying and living in community under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and going in to the world to praise, bless, and preach is being carried out almost 800 years after St. Dominic by this vibrant, enthusiastic Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Christian Doctrine. The special charism of the congregation is evangelization, with emphasis on strengthening family life and serving the poor.

Sr. Catalina, O.P. visiting families in
the poorest colonias of Mexicali.

Although the Sisters are struggling to learn English, their primary ministry is among Spanish-speaking people along the border towns with one convent as far north as Oakland, California. It is necessary for a young woman seeking a vocation to have knowledge of the Spanish language.

For vocation inquiries one may contact the following communities:

Dominican Sisters
PO Box 17391
El Paso, TX 79917
(915) 590-3107

St. Louis Bertrand Convent
1432 101st Avenue
Oakland, CA 94603
(510) 632-2865

Dominican Novitiate
124 Tornillo Flats Drive
Chaparral, NM 88081
(505) 824-0508

In this joyful time of the glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ may the light of His peace and love dwell within your hearts and minds.

In Christ’s Peace,

Fr. Martin Walsh, O.P .

The Dominican Mission Team in Mexicali
Front: Fr. Martin Walsh, O.P., Sr. Catalina Alvarado, O.P.
Back: Sr. Cristina Carrillo, O.P., Fr. Bartholomew de la Torre, O.P.,
and Fr. David Bello, O.P., Pastor

Through the years our mission friends have read articles in our newsletters on or by the beloved former Provincial of our Western Dominican Province, Fr. Paul Scanlon, O.P. Many of you have commented on the deep spirituality found in the articles that Fr. Paul has written for our monthly newsletter. Fr. Paul’s meditations are now being published by Our Sunday Visitor in a book titled Finding the Elusive God.

This wonderful book is now available at bookstores such as Barnes & Noble or you can order it online at amazon.com.

If you would like to remember our missionary work in your will, our legal title is:

Province of the Holy Name, Inc.
Dominican Mission Foundation
2506 Pine Street
P.O. Box 15367
San Francisco, CA 94115-0367

Prayer: Triduum of Saint Martin de Porres

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