On February 3, 2024, the friars of the Province of Switzerland and delegates from the Province of France gathered in Fribourg around the Master of the Order, fr Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, to proceed with the suppression of the Province of Switzerland and the erection of the Vicariate of Switzerland of the Province of France.

Following the reading of the decree abolishing the Province of Switzerland and erecting the vicariate, the Provincial of France, Brother Nicolas Tixier, OP, instituted Brother Didier Boillat, OP, as the first Vicar Provincial of the Vicariate of Switzerland. In his bilingual address, Brother Nicolas warmly thanked Brother Benoît-Dominique de la Soujeolle, OP, who had accompanied the Swiss Province in preparing this institutional change, made necessary by the needs of the Order’s mission in Switzerland.

The Master of the Order gave thanks for the hundreds of brothers, sisters and lay members of the Order who for centuries have served the Gospel message in Switzerland by their word and their presence. He stressed that this change in status does not mean the end of the Order’s mission in Switzerland. On the contrary, the international experience of the Province of France will breathe new life into Dominican preaching in the confederation.

Nicholas Paul Crowe, OP, is the new Prior Provincial.

Meeting in Chapter, the friars of the Province of England have elected Brother Nicholas Paul Crowe, OP as their new Prior Provincial. His election was confirmed by the Master of the Order, Brother Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, on April 9, 2024.

“Deo gratias! It is with joy that the friars announce the election of a new Prior Provincial, Brother Nicholas Paul Crowe, OP, who has been elected and confirmed by the Master of the Order today, April 9, 2024″, write the friars of the Province of England. In the afternoon, after Vespers, the letter of confirmation from the Master of the Order was read and Brother Nicholas made his profession of faith and took the oath of fidelity, thus taking up his duties and succeeding Brother Martin Ganeri, OP.

Brother Nicholas grew up in Stevenage, near London. After studying geography at Cambridge University and spending a year working with Dominican Volunteers International in the Philippines, he entered the novitiate in 2008. After ordination, he was appointed vocation promoter and director for the English province, a position he held for several years before studying moral theology at the University of Fribourg. Following these studies, he was elected Prior of Cambridge in 2022, Prior of Oxford in 2023 and now Prior Provincial of the English Province.

The chapter now continues in Oxford under his presidency, as the capitulars discuss the needs of the Dominican mission in England, Scotland and Jamaica, work to implement plans and appoint brothers to further the Order’s mission for the salvation of souls. “Please continue to pray for us, and in particular for Brother Nicholas, who has been entrusted with this responsibility for the next four years. May God, who began this good work, bring it to perfection in Christ. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary and Patroness of the Order of Preachers, pray for us”, ask the brothers of the English province.

Let’s Commit to Peace and Human Dignity” Haiti 2024

Every year, from the first Sunday of Advent to the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Dominican Month of Peace is celebrated, during which the Dominican Family programs pastoral activities and proposes prayer intentions for a specific country, which this year will be Haiti, under the motto “Let’s commit ourselves to peace and human dignity”.
On the occasion of the Dominican Month of Peace, the Master of the Order writes a letter in which he gives indications on how to live it. In addition, the Order’s official website, www.op.org, shares material related to pastoral activities and prayer intentions prepared by the Dominican family.
In recent years, Dominican Months for Peace have been dedicated to the Amazon in 2023, Myanmar in 2022, Ukraine in 2020, the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018 and Colombia in 2017.