Bishop Teodoro Bacani, retired prelate of the Diocese of Novaliches in the Philippine capital, has joined the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic on September 28.
The Dominican Province of the Philippines announced that the bishop together with 11 priests made their profession at the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.
Bishop Bacani said he is happy that he is now a member of the Dominican family.
“That means I have to live my priestly life according to the Dominican spirit as exemplified by St. Dominic and St. Thomas (Aquinas),” said the bishop.
“I will accentuate preaching in my ministry,” he said.
Members of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic are diocesan priests who are formally affiliated to the Order of Preachers through a Rule of life that they profess, and so strive for evangelical perfection under the overall direction of the Dominican friars.
The Dominican fraternities originates from the Dominican Third Order Secular that include priests and lay persons as members.
In 1968, separate Rules for the laity and for the priests were created.
The Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic continues to be guided by the Order in embracing the gift of the spirituality of St. Dominic in the unique context of the diocesan priests.
Along with the special grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which helps them to perform the acts of the sacred ministry worthily, they receive new spiritual help from the profession, which makes them members of the Dominican Family.
While the Order provides them with spiritual aids and directs them to their own sanctification, it leaves them free for the complete service of the local Church, under the jurisdiction of their own bishop.
