Order of Preachers All Souls Day

Today everyone in the Dominican Family celebrates ALL who have gone before us. The Order of Preachers (known as Dominicans from its founder-St. Dominic)is made up of friars, nuns, and the laity. At one time these divisions were known as First Order, Second Order, and Third Order. Since August 8, 2008, however, this terminology of "divisions" has been done away with. Now we are all one Dominican Family. Now we all use the same initials "o.p." after our names, to designate that we belong to the Order of Preachers. That's why it is so important to prefix your name with a designation, to indicate your state in life. "Lesley, o.p.," doesn't tell us whether you are a priest, or a brother, or a sister, or laity. It must be Fr. Lesley, o.p., or Br. Lesley, o.p., or Sr. Lesley, o.p., or Mr. Lesley, o.p., or Ms. Lesley, o.p., or Miss Lesley, o.p., or Mrs. Lesley, o.p. Now we now who, and, what you are!

Our big brother, St. Thomas Aquinas, o.p. would say that "distinctions are important."