St Dominic
We are learning about St Dominic.
St Joseph's Cathedral is a Dominican school.
Our school was the first Catholic school established in Otago. In 1863, Father Moreau, the first resident priest in Otago opened a Catholic school on the hill below St Joseph’s Church, on Rattray Street.
There were two classrooms - one for boys and one for girls.
In 1871 a group of ten Dominican Sisters from Dublin Ireland, with the support of Bishop Moran, Dunedin’s first Bishop, arrived and took over the running of the school, naming it St Joseph’s Cathedral School.
Our Dominican Sisters.
The journey was a long and at times difficult one, with the ship they were sailing on nearly becoming shipwrecked.
They arrived in Port Chalmers, Dunedin on the 18th of February 1871. They travelled directly in to Dunedin city, to St Joseph’s Cathedral where Father Moreau and Bishop Moran said Mass followed by a feast of welcome.
Within two days of arriving in Dunedin, the Sisters were teaching at St Joseph’s Primary School (now known as St Joseph’s Cathedral School)!
Dear Lord
Bless our eyes that we may see clearly as Dominic saw, his vision to reach out to those who need us.
Bless our hands that they may be filled with compassion to touch others as Dominic’s hands were filled.
Bless our hearts that we may accept all people and creatures as God’s special gifts to us.
Bless our ears that we may listen to the words of those who are like Dominic today, that we too will recognise Veritas.
Bless our mouths that we are never silent when there is injustice and that as Dominic did we will preach God’s word of Truth and Hope.
Bless our feet that we will walk with courage and strength as Dominic did.
Amen
St Dominic taught people to pray the Rosary
