The Dominican Seminar

The annual Dominican Seminar this year was held at Hinsley Hall, Leeds, from the 3rd to the 5th of January. The seminar is a chance for Dominican Friars, Sisters and Laity to meet, and have talks and discussions. This year's theme was 'Living the Good Life'. Proceedings were opened with a talk on virtue ethics by the Student Master, Fr. Vivian Boland. Other talks given were on the Transfiguration, on teaching ethics and the moral life, on being good in a world of 'spin', and on the representation of judgement and eternity in art.

The students of the English province were represented by Brs. Lawrence Lew, Romero Radix and Robert Gay. Br. Robert gave a talk entitled 'Creation, Ecology and Redemption: Seeing God in a blade of grass'. In his presentation he outlined something of the complex and intricate nature of interactions that exist in the natural world, and the dependence of human life on these interactions. He suggested how the findings of ecological study and the accounts of creation and redemption in Scripture help us to develop a sense of our stewardship of creation. He then offered some thoughts on how we might develop a more 'Catholic' understanding of environmental concerns that places them in the context of wider issues such as the sanctity of human life.

The seminar was not all work and no play. Much time was spent in informal discussion of the topics raised, and sharing time with fellow Dominicans, catching up on the latest news from around the country.