Caldwell Students Attend National College "Preaching in Action" Conference

Caldwell, NJ - June 25, 2009- Students from 37 Dominican Universities or Colleges including Caldwell College gathered at Dominican College in Blauvelt, New York the week of May 19 for the 7th national Preaching in Action Conference.

Caldwell students Lauren Podkul and Valentina DiDonato, along with Caldwell Chaplain Father Al Berner, were among the group.

The young people came together to learn about the Dominican charism of preaching and how that charism can be incorporated into their own lives. They were taught how the Word of God is vital to the life of all Dominicans and were introduced to a variety of ways they can make that Word come alive bringing life to themselves and others.

Podkul, a junior and an Education and Music major, said she now has a much better understanding of what it means to be a Dominican College. "I got to learn so much about what it means to be Dominican and how to incorporate the Four Pillars of Dominican Life -prayer, study, community, and service- into my life. "

One of the most important things Podkul said she came away with was, "that prayer is an essential part of life, and that no matter what you are going through, God will get you through it."

The participants were introduced to an array of presenters representing the various Congregations and Provinces in the Order. They were given the opportunity to experience their own preaching using the mediums of art, dance, drama and music. They were also encouraged to fulfill their own Christian mission of preaching the Good News to all they encounter. Students who had been participants of previous year's conferences and are now members of Dominican Young Adults USA, came back as adult mentors for their respective schools.

Among the presentations and speakers were: Sister from Iraq, Aman Moonsor, OP who spoke about the lives of the Iraqi Sisters and their own call to preach; Joe Kilikevice, OP who highlighted the Interfaith Mission of the Order by introducing the students to dance and song from a variety of different faiths; and Margaret Galiardi, OP and Margaret Mayce, OP NGO representatives to the UN, who gave an in-depth look at "The New Cosmology" viewed through the eyes of the "Dominican Call to Justice" documents and the United Nations' "Millennial Goals."

"My favorite part of the conference was getting to meet people from all over the country, both the other students and the mentors. Everyone had something to say and different points of view, and it was amazing to be able to learn so much from everybody," Podkul said.

The students also had the opportunity to put their "preaching into action." They spent the next day in immersion sites ministering to the poor of the Bronx at POTS, the children of migrant workers in Goshen; caring for the earth at the Empowerment Center; ministering to the elderly at Dowling Gardens and helping provide food and other goods to the less fortunate of the city at People to People.

At the closing liturgy for the conference, each student presented her or his individual action plan, which is a vehicle for incorporating what was learned at the conference into their own lives and the life of their campus. It was moving to witness each student making a commitment to continue the "Holy Preaching."

Each student received the Dominican Cross and was commissioned to go forth and preach the "Good News" to their fellow students. Next year's conference will again be held at Dominican College in Blauvelt from May 25-30, 2010.