 The Dominican Order began at the intersection of the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries with the birth of Saint
Dominic in Caleruega, Spain. From its very inception, the
Order has been global, democratic, and committed to
liberating humanity from economic and spiritual poverty by
translating the joyful message of the Gospel into a life
of shared prayer and shared resources.
In this third millennia, the
international Dominican Family - the Church's Order
of Preachers - continues to bring the love
of Jesus to ever-widening "frontiers of human experience."
We speak Truth for the healing and reconciliation of all
relationships on our home planet.
 Historically, the document which launched the Dominican
Order is unique. In an unprecedented gesture, a medieval
pope embraced Dominic's futuristic vision of men and
women, religious and laity united in equal partnership.
Boldly, but without fanfare or class distinction, the
document names three groups who are to share the title
"preachers:" the friars, the cloistered nuns, and a band
of lay women converted by Dominic. Then and now, Dominican
preaching is nourished by a lifestyle of prayer and study,
and expressed in human service in the light of gospel
values.
 A man of remarkable energy, Dominic was once nicknamed
"Athlete of the Lord." As he founded his Order in the last
decade of his short life, he traveled on foot all over
Europe establishing communities in nine different
countries. Following his example, his sons and daughters
were among the first to travel to the Western Hemisphere
when it was discovered two centuries after his death. On
the island where they landed, Dominican missionaries are
still remembered for their courageous stand in defense of
the human rights of the indigenous peoples. In the United
States and in the Caldwell community, the tradition of
social justice advocacy and care of all life forms on our
planet remains strong.
 Today, the Caldwell Dominican Sisters draw energy from
membership in an international family of men and women
carrying the vision and spirit of Dominic into their
personal and professional lives in classrooms and
boardrooms, parishes, and social service agencies on five
continents.
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