The Dominican Youth Movement USA connects today’s youth and young adults to the Dominican tradition of preaching and the participant’s own call to preach. Through our programs and workshops that offer a time, place, and context for establishing impactful relations, we build faith and strengthen our young people’s commitment to God, community, family, preaching, social justice, and the Dominican Order.
This mission is being lived out in a tangible way through our Houses of Hospitality. These houses are places for young adults who are looking to live, pray, and learn with other young adults while becoming immersed in the Dominican Charism by living with Dominican vowed religious/associates/laity. The first Dominican House of Hospitality opened in 2013 as a project of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Amityville. Since then, two additional houses – one in Wisconsin and the other in Chicago – are welcoming young adults!
Young Adults make a commitment for at least one year to share in the running of the house, be gainfully employed (or pursuing a degree), make a donation toward rent/food/etc. on a monthly basis, be willing to openly share their faith, and be people of prayer and reflection. Traditionally, a core group of Dominican sisters are responsible for the overall running of the house. This core group initiates new programs, openly shares their faith, and relate well to young adults.
This year the Community of St. Hugh of Lincoln in Huntington Station, NY is bustling with activity! Currently, there are four sisters, two Dominican Volunteers, and two young adults living in the House of Hospitality. Members of the community are very engaged with their respective ministries, volunteer sites, or educational pursuits and there is often a great sense of excitement and exchanging of ideas. The community makes it a point to share communal prayer during the weekdays. Prayer is led by a new member of the community each week which has led to the sharing of a wide variety of prayer and styles. The community also makes it a point to share a community meal (often dinner) each day for those who are in the house. This meal is a time to share with other what is happening in your life, discuss the news of the day, and explore a myriad of topics that make these meals a prime example of the Dominican Pillar of Study.
At the heart of all of this and the house is the pillar of community. Each house is organized with the core sisters taking turns with their responsibilities. Community meetings are held monthly to address community events, policies, and concerns, with all members ideas taken into account and valued when decisions that affect the whole are made.
It is this intentional communal living which makes the Houses of Hospitality such a unique offering for young adults. On any given day you could walk into a house and find someone studying, someone praying, someone cooking, someone leading RCIA, someone enjoying life, the list goes on and on! There is a built-in support system and always someone to have fun with. Living in community calls for participants to live with others in mind and to give of themselves. For in giving, we receive. These houses provide an opportunity for intergenerational learning where the community learn together and from each other to gain skills, values, and knowledge.
These are some of the activities that are taking place at the house this year:
Visits from friends and family of the house members
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) for adults in the parish (held weekly)
Associate prayer group (held monthly)
Sisters circle meetings (held bi-annually)
Celebrations for all occasions
Houses Dominican Young Adults who participate in a week-long mid-year service project.
To learn more about one of these houses please email hoh@dymusa.org!