"Dominican" is a nickname for the Order of Preachers, a Roman Catholic religious order founded by St. Dominic de Guzman in 1216. Men and women of the Dominican Order commit themselves to a life of community, prayer, study and preaching. Since the High Middle Ages, Dominican priests have ministered in the context of universities, with houses at many of the great medieval universities of Europe: Oxford, Paris, Cologne, Salamanca, Bologna, Fribourg, and others. In the United States, Dominican Friars and Sisters have continued that great tradition of ministry to higher education on the campus of many fine institutions, Catholic and secular, around the country. The Newman Center at the University of Arizona is served by the Friars of the Western Dominican Province and the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, California. The Western Dominican Province has Friars working on Campuses all over the Western United States (including 5 of the Pac-10 Universities!). The Mission San Jose Sisters have worked at all levels of educational ministry in their long history. There is also an active chapter of lay Dominicans at the Newman Center. These are lay men and women who seek to live Dominican spirituality and values in their lives in the world. The chapter is open to students who wish to pursue a deeper understanding of Dominican life and spirituality. The Dominicans who minister at the UofA bring the Order's traditions of study, prayer, preaching, community, and service to life in the vibrant context of Arizona's oldest university!
