European Assembly of Lay Dominicans meets in Ireland
Malta to be represented by fraternity president
The next European Assembly of Lay Dominicans is being held at Maynooth University, near Dublin, Ireland, from August 4 to 9. The European Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities (ECLDF) said the gathering under the theme “Witnesses to the Truth: Prophets of Hope in a Changing World – Fraternity, Synodality, Preaching,” will bring together representatives of Dominican laity from across Europe, including Malta, for prayer, reflection and shared discernment. The gathering will be a significant moment in the life of the Dominican family, offering space to reflect on how the preaching mission of the laity continues to respond to the cultural, social and ecclesial challenges of today.
The choice of Maynooth University for the assembly, a site of deep historical and spiritual importance in Ireland, underscores the ecclesial and missionary character of the gathering, which seeks to strengthen fraternal bonds among lay Dominicans and deepen their participation in the synodal life of the Church.
Lay Dominicans president Vince Galea, who will be representing the Maltese fraternity, said the event will be an opportunity to experience authentic communion of the Dominican Order, to share the richness of local realities and to encourage one another in living the Dominican vocation faithfully. Galea will be accompanied by Lay Dominican Gabriel Zarouk.
As members of the Order of Preachers, Lay Dominicans are men and women, single or married, living a Christian life with a Dominican spirituality in the secular world. They find inspiration in the spiritual path taken by many saints, blesseds and other holy men and women throughout the 800-year history of the Dominican Order.