All who are gathered for this auspicious event:
the Celebration of the Founding of the Dominican Sisters of Peace; and

All who are united with the Dominican Sisters of Peace in spirit and in prayer; and

All who will serve in mission with or will be served by
the members of the Dominican Sisters of Peace that:

Whereas in the year 1822, at the call of Dominican Friar Samuel Wilson and under the leadership of
Angela Sansbury, nine women founded the Congregation of St. Mary Magdalen, later to be known as the Congregation of St. Catharine of Siena, as the first community of Dominican women in the United States in Springfield, Kentucky; and

Whereas in the year 1830, four Sisters from Kentucky, including Angela’s sister, Benvin Sansbury, and companions Emily Elder, Agnes Harbin, and Catherine Mudd, arrived in Somerset, Ohio, to found the community that would be known as St. Mary of the Springs: and

Whereas in the year 1860, under the leadership of Mother Mary John Flanagan, six professed Sisters and one novice arrived from Cabra, Ireland, to found a new Dominican congregation in New Orleans, Louisiana, known as the Congregation of St. Mary; and

Whereas in the year 1902, Mother Antonina Fischer, with companions, arrived in Great Bend from Amityville, New York, and incorporated the Dominican Sisters in the state of Kansas: and

Whereas in the year 1913, four Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of Blessed Zedislava of Olomouc, Repein, Czechoslavakia, arrived in Pennsylvania, and ten years later, three American women began a new foundation with Sister DeSales Savodnik as Provincial, which later became
the Congregation of St. Rose of Lima, Oxford, Michigan; and

Whereas in the year 1927, Catherine Bostick and Margaret (Zoe) Grouchy began living as women religious within a Dominican parish and observing the Constitutions of the Congregation of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Eucharist approved by Archbishop Shaw of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Louisiana; and

Whereas, in the year 1929, the congregation of The Sisters of St. Dominic of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was founded in Akron, Ohio, when 67 members officially transferred from the Caldwell Dominicans and elected Mother M. Beba Schmid as the first Major Superior; and

Whereas the above named congregations, recognizing their unity under the patronage of Dominic de Guzman, the founder of all Dominicans, elected to discern with each other to determine a possible future together; and

Whereas this discernment led to the agreement that each of the congregations would cease to exist in separation, and that one new congregation would be formed; and

Whereas members of this new congregation of Dominican Sisters, known as Dominican Sisters of Peace, have gathered to make our commitment as one to God, to Church, and to one another.

We now proclaim this to be a day of great blessing, joyful celebration, and prayerful hope for a future of blessed and Holy Preaching of the Word.

We proclaim this to be the beginning of a new congregation, Dominican Sisters of Peace, who choose to live into the future under the guidance, patronage, and watchful eyes of all who have gone before us, especially St. Dominic, St. Rose of Lima, and St. Catherine of Siena. We place ourselves in the hands of Mary, the Mother of God, in the name of Jesus, her Son.

Now let this be known to all, on this, the fourteenth day of April, in the year two thousand nine.