DOMINICANS are set to push for “renewed evangelization” as superiors of the worldwide order gather for their General Chapter in Krakow, Poland.
In a relatio or report released ahead of the meeting, Dominican Master General Fr. Gerard Timoner III, O.P. urged his fellow friars to prioritize reaching out to “four publics.”
A relatio is a comprehensive report presented by the head of the Order Preachers at the start of the chapter, which is held every four years. The document covers the state of the order, its achievements, challenges, and future directions.
The Dominicans, the top promoters of the Marian rosary devotion, are among the first Christian missionary orders sent to the Philippines. The order operates two educational systems in the country, the University of Santo Tomas system and the Letran system.
“After considering the contexts, issues, and strategies of the complex mission of evangelization, I call on the Order to focus its attention to the “publics,” the persons to whom we address the Gospel, within the Church’s mission of ‘new (renewed) evangelization,’” Timoner wrote.
“Evangelization brings with it the grace of conversion, both for the evangelized and the evangelizer,” he said.
The “four publics” are:
- missio ad Gentes – those who have not yet known Jesus;
- mission to deepen the faith of believers;
- mission to those who have walked away from the Church, or those on the margins of the Church; and
- mission to the young people.
Timoner, the first Filipino master of the Dominicans, said these four priorities should be “systematically and intentionally adopted” by the province.
“The vision and priorities will help a province in the formation and complementary studies of the brothers who will carry out the vision and serve in the priorities of the province,” he said.
“Our vision and priorities should guide our decisions in opening or closing a Dominican presence.”
On July 17, Pope Leo XIV commended the order’s focus on the “four publics,” saying addressing these during the Krakow chapter would be timely.
“I trust that these grace-filled days will prove to be an opportunity for renewal, rooted in the hope which never disappoints and in the knowledge that the Lord has called you as preachers to proclaim the Good News in the midst of today’s unique challenges,” the pontiff said in a letter addressed to Timoner.
“I pray that your deliberations will enable you to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church in the fullness of truth,” he added.
Dominicans in numbers
The number of professed Dominican brothers went down to 5,145 in 2024 from 5,175 in 2023, according to Timoner’s relatio.
Of the 2024 total, 42 are bishops, 3,995 are priests, 138 are transitional deacons, and 13 are permanent deacons.
As of January 2025, there are 2,030 Dominican nuns living in 180 monasteries in 46 countries. There are 16 federations of nuns and two associations.
The third-order Dominicans, or the members of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic, are now composed of 481 members, up from 419 in the last General Chapter in 2022.
Globally, there are 137,571 Dominican laity as of December 2024. The Order also recorded 2,307 fraternities.
Convened at the Holy Trinity Convent in Krakow, Poland, the Chapter is joined by 49 friars, including provincials, vice provincials, and former masters of the Order.
Other representatives and support staff are also present.
The chapter, led by Timoner, will discuss matters such as governance and finances, missions and apostolic work, formation, and the proposed amendments to the order’s constitutions.
It began on July 19 and will end on Aug. 8, coinciding with the feast of St. Dominic, the Order’s founder. Reya Vincent P. Misa
