From The Initial Formation Program of the Southern Province
The Dominican Laity is a canonical public association of the Catholic laity whose members, through a lifelong commitment, while living in the world according to the spirit and charism of St. Dominic, lead an apostolic life and strive for Christian perfection, under the direction of the Dominican Order.
As members of the Dominican family, the Dominican Laity has a distinctive character in both its spirituality and service to God and neighbor, sharing in the Dominican Order’s apostolic mission through prayer, study, and proclamation of the Word, according to the state of the laity.
Animated by the special charism of St. Dominic whose apostolic activity had as its source an abundance of contemplation, the Dominican Laity, zealously attentive to the particular goals of the contemporary Church, strive in their efforts to: witness to their faith, attentive to the needs of the people of their time and in the service of Truth; to evidence in a special way authentic mercy toward all suffering; and to defend freedom and promote peace and justice.
From The Rule of Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic
Among the disciples of Christ, those men and women who live in the world are, by their Baptism and Confirmation, made sharers in the prophetic, priestly, and royal offices of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
They have as their vocation to radiate the presence of Christ in the midst of the peoples so that ‘the divine message of salvation be known and accepted everywhere by the whole of mankind’ (Apostolicam Actuositatem 3).
Some among them are moved by the Holy Spirit to live according to the spirit and charism of St. Dominic, and are incorporated into the Order by special commitment according to statutes of their own. They form communities and together with other groups in the Order make up one family (Constitutions of the Brethren, 141).
Hence they are marked out by the particular style of their spiritual life and of their service to God and to their neighbor in the Church. As members of the Order, they share in its apostolic mission by study, prayer, and preaching, in keeping with their state as members of the laity.
From Crossroads: Lay Dominican Fraternities
The youngest lay Dominicans are 18 years of age and many remain as active members their whole life. Going through different stages in life—changing one’s job, moving to another place, marriage, raising children, retiring—a lay Dominican’s capacity or availability for participation in various Dominican apostolates will change over the years. Above all, many have chosen to live the sacrament of marriage and joyfully accept the gift of parenthood; this would then be the lay Dominican’s first and most important apostolate, to be given priority before all other tasks.
