Postulancy: Getting Started as a Lay Dominican

What is a “Lay Dominican?”

Lay Dominicans (also known as “Third Order Dominicans”) are Christians who belong to a Lay Fraternity connected to the religious order founded by St. Dominic in 1216, known as the “Order of Preachers” or “Dominicans.”

Lay Dominicans order and direct their lives around our four pillars: Prayer, Study, Community, and Preaching.

What is a “Fraternity”?

A fraternity is a stable community formally affiliated with certain groups. In the case of Lay Dominicans, a Lay Fraternity is affiliated with the Order of Preachers. This means that the fraternity is under the leadership and authority of different representatives of the Order (in our case, the prior provincial and provincial council).

More than that, though, your fraternity is a group of spiritual brothers and sisters that help you in your formation as a Dominican. They are your friends in fellowship, colleagues in your apostolate (the special mission of your fraternity), and teachers and fellow students in your formation.

What is an “Order”

During the history of Christianity, groups of men and women have often created communities to serve the God and His Church. Early monastic communities are examples of this, where individuals joined together to offer prayer, asceticism, and study under a common rule and way of life. Their rule and mission “ordered” their lives. In the West, the Benedictine Order of monks and nuns are an example of this. Later, during the middle ages, as the needs of the Church evolved, new orders were founded to address specific challenges. St. Francis, for example, founded the “Order of Friars Minor” in 1209 specifically to serve the poor in urban environments. Our founder, St. Dominic, founded the “Order of Preachers” in 1216 to preach against heresy and teach the faith.

Each order is unique in its rule and its charism (its purpose). For example, the Dominican Order is unique in that following our rule is obligatory, but we are not bound to it under pain of sin, the way that members of other orders are. So, for example, we are obligated to pray the Rosary every day, but not under pain of sin if we don’t. Similarly, while there are many fine preachers in other orders, only the Dominicans devote their entire order to this purpose.

What is a “Third Order”?

Religious orders are generally made of of monks, friars, and nuns who live in community and make vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience. However, many orders also have branches for those who are attracted to the charism of the order, but are unable to live in community or take these vows.

For example, St. Rose of Lima was not able to join a convent as a nun because she needed to help take care of her family, and so she joined the Third Order of St. Dominic, which allowed her to live at home but still take part in the mission of the order. Another example would be St. Louis de Montfort, who was a parish priest, but later became a Third Order Dominican to help in the Order’s promotion of the Rosary. Obviously, married persons are not able to take a vow of celibacy, and so many married people who are attracted to the charism’s of different orders join their third order branches.

Secular Franciscans, Lay Dominicans, and Benedictine Oblates are examples of third orders.

How does the Order of Preachers fit in the Church?

The Order of Preachers–the Dominican Order–is primarily dedicated to preaching and fighting heresy. Because of this, many Dominicans work in parishes, give retreats, write books or articles, or teach. For this reason, assiduous study of sacred scripture, the Church Fathers, and other religious works is a hallmark of Dominican Formation. Dominicans also are responsible for the promotion of three confraternities:

The Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, which promotes the Rosary
The Angelic Warfare Confraternity, which promotes purity
The Holy Name Society, which promotes the spiritual and corporal works of mercy

The mottos of the order give a good idea of what the Dominicans do:

“Veritas” (“Truth”)
“Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare” (“To Praise, to Bless, to Preach”)
“Contemplare et tradere aliis contemplata” (“To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of your contemplation.”)

This last motto shows how the Dominicans fit a bridge between the contemplative life exemplified by the Carmelites and the active life exemplified by the Franciscans.

Dominicans also have a special devotion to praying for the dead, and a long tradition of praying Psalm 129/130 prior to dinner in remembrance of deceased Dominicans.

How do Lay Dominicans fit within the Order of Preachers?

Every Dominican directs and orders his life towards the successful preaching of the Gospel or assisting those who preach.

Friars (“First Order”)
- Priests: Preach in liturgical and non-liturgical settings
- Cooperator Brothers: non-priests who live in community with other friars. Many of them give retreats or help the priests in their mission
Nuns (“Second Order”)
- Pray for the success of the Friars in their preaching
- Promote the gospel through other means. For example, many cloisters support themselves by selling rosaries and other handmade religious goods.
“Third Order”
- Apostolic Sisters, who run schools or other apostolates
- Lay Dominicans, who run various apostolates and work in their private lives to preach the Gospel. Lay Dominicans also have a special devotion to penance (we were once called the “Order of Penance.”)
- Priestly Fraternity of St. Dominic

How do Lay Dominicans fit within the Church?

Lay Dominicans are faithful Christians in full communion with the bishop of Rome. We serve God and the Church through our support of orthodox preaching, teaching, and catechesis. Lay Dominicans participate in the liturgical life of the Church through frequent reception of the sacraments like confession and the Eucharist and in our praying of the Divine Office (“Liturgy of the Hours”) daily.

Many Lay Dominicans work in other ministiries and apostolates serving the poor, volunteering at their parish, and, in general, sanctifying the secular world.

What are the obligations for a Lay Dominican?

A Lay Dominican commits to the following (though not under pain of sin):

Following our rule
Daily recitation of the Rosary
Daily recitation of Lauds and Vespers (Morning and Evening Prayer) of the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
Attending and participating at Fraternity meetings, including the study of any formation materials or other materials as assigned
Attending a yearly retreat
Directing and Ordering one’s life towards our pillars of prayer, study, community, and preaching

There are other traditional devotions that Lay Dominicans Practice that are not obligatory.

What are the benefits of being a Lay Dominican?

Growth in holiness and nearness to Christ, His Church, and His Mother
The right to be buried in the full Dominican habit
Ongoing access to Dominican formation materials, plans of study, and education
Temporarily and fully professed members are allowed to add “OP” after their name
A long tradition (about as old as the order itself) says that members of the order are uniquely entrusted to Our Lady.

Who is eligible to become a Lay Dominican?

Christians in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. Heretics, schismatics, or those living in an irregular, scandalous, or sinful domestic relationship are not eligible to join the order. When applying for membership, sacramental records and other documents are required.

What is the process for becoming a Lay Dominican?

Postulancy (“Inquiry”). A postulant attends meetings and investigates the basics of the order to help discern if God is inviting them to join this fraternity. This process lasts at least six months. Afterwards, the postulant can ask to formally join the Dominicans as a novice. Postulants have no other obligations other than to be listening for God’s voice, although they are encouraged to start doing things like daily recitation of the Rosary and Divine Office..
Novitiate. A Novitiate receives a Dominican scapular as a sign of their affiliation with the order and begins to live a Dominican Life, including praying the Divine Office, reciting the Rosary daily, and entering more formally into formation. In many ways, a novitiate’s internal response to these three voluntary commitments are key to their discernment process. Someone who finds a commitment to saying Lauds and Vespers Daily irksome instead of spiritually fulfilling, or is unable to set aside time for formation materials may have a good indication of whether this way of life is a good fit for them. On the other hand, for many Lay Dominicans, these commitments fill a hole in our hearts we didn’t know was there.
Temporary Promises. At the end of the Novitiate (usually at least a year), the Novice can ask to make temporary promises for a three-year period. In many ways the difference is that what had been voluntary during the novitiate is now obligatory, and formation materials are more rigorous. At this point, someone is a full member of the Dominican Order, with all obligations and benefits. Before temporary promises are allowed, existing members of the fraternity will vote on whether or not to accept you into their community.
Final Promises. At the end of this three year period, the temporarily professed member will either make final (permanent) promises, renew (but only once) their temporary promises, or leave the Order.

What happens if I discern out of Formation?

Prior to your promises, you are free to come and go. For some people, discernment may take longer, and for others, they realize that the Dominican Order is not the right fit but another may be. There are no moral or spiritual consequences to not joining the order, and no pressure to make promises unless you are ready and happy to do so.

Who are some famous Third Order Dominicans?

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Rose of Lima

Bl. Bartolo Longo

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati

Jane Wyman

Sigrid Undset