Our walk in the desert is over! After eight years of living the life of Love, we commit to reaching the next stage in our evolution!  Please see the attached letter from our presiding minister and bishop. The text of the letter can be found below the image.  Our June 2012 annual meeting will be of great value and importance to our path towards resurrection!

New formation material will be distributed after the June gathering. Bishop has asked that all reference to sacrifice be removed from your local training materials.  If you have any questions, contact me directly at OPDcommunications@live.com
-Br. John M, OPD 

May 21, 2012

Brothers and Sisters,

We have heard it said that it is the Word of God that brings light to the heart. Word, in our tradition is not just important, but Divine. It is because of this idea that today we change our words to more closely mirror the image of the Divine. Our Community has been known as the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic because we came out from the Order formed by the idea of Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers of the Roman way. This year marks the eighth year of our inception. Like our founder, symbolized by the eight-pointed star, we represent oneness, peace, and divinity in the world. The idea of penance is foreign to us although we chose the title Order of Penance as homage to our founder and to the generations of men and women who gave their lives to perpetuate the mission of the preacher of Love.

In these last few years we have listened closely to the Voice of Love and followed the path of Love as we have continued to do the work of evolution…putting out into the deep of Life so that we may return to our source with Love unbound, ready for the next stage of existence. We are ready now to stand firmly on the foundation of Love. We are ready now to come into our own.

We reject the idea that suffering is of value. We reject the idea that a Loving Divinity would ask us to suffer. We reject the idea that a Loving Divinity would ask its own creation to suffer in order to gain eternal life. We repent of our former belief in a God that permits His own Son to suffer unjustly for the failings of others. No loving parent would permit this. Therefore no loving Divinity can abide in this idea.

Today we pronounce with the power of God’s own voice a new name for our Community and with it freedom from suffering and penance. We have walked the path set out for us in all humility. Now we walk our own path of oneness, peace, and divinity. We lay down the idea of penance and take up the idea of Peace. We are the OPD. We stand for Oneness, Peace, Divinity.

By the authority of my voice and by my own seal, I am,

+Tomas Martin Bell, OpD

Bishop and Presiding Minister of the

Ecumenical Brothers and Sisters of OPD

God Directs the Truth of your Heart

Truth given with direction

Psalms 24:5

Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Savior; and on thee have I waited all the day long.

The days of old are again upon us and some have a weight of hardship to carry. Some are lonely; some are in despair and confusion.  Hold onto the love and truth you learned from God in your youth for the young are holy. Take refuge in God’s teachings heed God’s words and follow those who know God and have joy within their spirit.  Those who live with Joy have complete trust and faith in truth and have given up everything to be God’s own. Hardships will prove not to be difficult at all but a passing avenue that allows lessons of advancement to guide our ways.   When we receive the love given from our Savior nothing will harm our spirit. Recognize that you have peace, kindness and companionship.  When we open our hearts and turn to God’s teachings and strive to understand God’s word, we then merge into the waves of contentment and no doubt well ever again be within our thoughts.

Together with God’s love we are committed to keep on the true Way. The teachings receive through God’s words are the instructions we must consume in order to travel the way of Divine wisdom. Allow self to merge with peace so control of will can bring us to the joys of happiness. Think thoughts of contentment with every avenue given for even in difficulty we must stay connected to the love of our Savior.  When God’s love covers us, there isn’t anything that could bring disruption to our way.  So I say take refuge in God’s teaching, heed God’s word and follow those who know God for they have the joy within their spirit which will be given to who ever seeks knowledge of our maker. Acknowledge the gift of God and help the spirit to advance in Wisdom.  Embrace and nurture God’s gift without doubt so that our faith and trust advances to cause of Love in the world.  God will use those who have received God’s gifts, according to their understanding, to intervene in the world and come to our aid when we are with difficulty.

The Divine Father stirs and excites our spirits and brings love through truth and word to those who listen. Believe the words of peace.  Strive to understand the ways of God.  Focus your spirit on God’s guidance.  Stay in the Divine path and discouragement no longer has effect on your life and the fullness of love covers your heart.  Come to the safety of God and enjoy the waves of joy for God will always protect you for God made you and loves you unconditionally for ever.  The love of your heart will merge like the breathe given to complete the process of endurance which eliminates separation which in turn gives peace and understanding of what is and what must be.

 -Sister Dominica Marie Schiliro, OPD

He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely. - Letters of St Catherine of Siena

Experience Grace and become Creation

They that trust in him, shall understand the truth: and they that are faithful in love shall rest in him: for grace and peace is to his elect. -Wisdom 3:9 

As we embrace spirit and being, we see that there is hope in creation.  With hope comes joy.  We know that the joy of our heart will overflow into the world by the connections we have made with God's truth and love.  Joy becomes a guide for us as we walk the path of life.  As we walk in truth and love, we walk in joy.

From love comes strength.  This holy strength is the spark that lights the flame of faith inside you.  God will nurture this faith with life's own joy.  Angels will guide you to feel the love of God through trust in the gentle guidance whispered to the heart from the Spirit of God's own voice.  This voice is Grace. To hear it is to experience the connection to heavens.  This is God's own hand upon you.  True creation emerges from this process of being filled with God's grace.

Creation exists to be in the presence of God.  To be in God's presence is to be loved without being judged, to be free to live without opposition and explore the possibilities of a Grace-filled life.  Those in the Grace of  God can look about and see the angels creation moving like a breeze that brings comfort and peace to all who seek goodness.  

Those who have Grace will speak with instruction like a beam of light that will surround those who have an open heart.  This process by which God's own voice comes into the world, through Grace entering creation and then answering itself in voice, is Creation.  In this process is all the mysteries of Life.  To embrace this process is to embrace life and become the work of God.

Choose well which path you take.  Let Joy guide your steps so as to experience this process of Grace.


From Sr. Dominica Marie:
Our contentment from the joy of Grace brings the understanding of who exactly we are where we should be and what has been given to us. Creation is love given and formed by the one who brings us life, to complete and connect to this source of life and become one.  This oneness is the goal of contentment. To be within this Spirit and to feel the security of strength is what my soul strives for. This is what we are and who we are with our Messiah as our guide for his love is great and with him our existence is of love and all things are possible.

From the Letters of St Catherine of Siena:
 "I long to see you so totally ablaze with loving fire that you become one with gentle First truth. Truly the soul's being united with and transformed into him is like fire consuming the dampness in logs. Once the logs are heated through and through, the fire burns and changes them into itself, giving them its own color and warmth and power."