Dominican Youth Movement Lessons for Life

In a recent edition of the Dominican Youth Movement USA Newsletter, Simona F. ’25 shared how the lessons she gained at the recent High Schools Preaching Conference are already shaping the way she lives out her faith and leads in her daily life.

"Going into the conference, I knew very little information about each of the Dominican Pillars. I knew what it meant to be a Catholic, but I had trouble discerning what exactly the Dominican charism was. I had never gotten a chance to delve into my spirituality and how it motivates me to serve others, or re-gift what I have been given. So, when chosen to attend this conference, I was eager to learn about how I could live out the Four Pillars as an individual and within my community. 

"From the opening Mass and ritual, I could tell what a unique experience this would be; in those first hours I was moved by the unity that our collective faith fostered, and how it evoked the light of God within me. 

"Every day was more inspiring than the last, particularly Mr. Michael Petro’s captivating discussion of what each Dominican pillar instructs us to do. Following this was our first home group session, where five to six students and two mentors would meet in a more intimate setting. It was a privilege to learn how each student interprets the Dominican mission and to support them in sharing their vulnerabilities. These small group discussions fundamentally changed how I build community at my school. Specifically, I led a breakout group at our yearly New Student Retreat, and utilized the group norms set at the Preaching Conference to make the students more comfortable. In future school activities, I hope to incorporate the practice of praying before and after each session commences, establishing the safety and sanctity of our space for discussion. 

"As the week continued, every session built off of each other, each working in tandem to provide a holistic takeaway. Once we understood how to preach as Dominicans, we expanded to preaching about the Signs of the Times, then engaging in fruitful conversations about the Gospel Call for Inclusion and Immigration and the Church. All of these topics inspired me to put my preaching into action. Although I had reservations about the frequency at which we gathered for prayer services, I reaped the benefits immediately. I could always feel His presence, especially during our Preaching Through the Arts sessions. Sr. Barbara Schwarz led us through a Mandala drawing class, where we were prompted to listen to the presence of Chris within us, and let that lead our drawings. Once I took the leap and allowed Him to guide me, I felt the Holy Spirit take over and dictate my drawings. It was the closest I had ever felt to God, changing my perception of Him from an omnipotent entity to a light within me. 

"Finally, the week culminated with a closing liturgy, where I danced with Sr. Luchy Sori and a couple of other students. It was a touching way to conclude such a fruitful experience, in addition to hearing how each of us plan to put what we learned into action at our schools. Our goals as inspired by the DYM conference will come to fruition very soon, and we can preach effectively the presence of Christ within each of us, and how the charism guides us in living it out."