Pope Leo XIV tells Dominican priors to ‘listen attentively to the Holy Spirit’

ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 24, 2025 / 15:35 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV in a letter this week encouraged the prior provincials of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) to “listen attentively to the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church in the fullness of truth.”

The pope expressed his hopes and prayers for the Dominicans in the letter addressed to Father Gerard Francis Timoner III, OP, master of the Order of Preachers, on the occasion of the general chapter of prior provincials taking place in Krakow, Poland, July 17 to Aug. 8.

‘The most important assembly’ of the Dominicans

The Dominicans emphasized on their website that the meeting, held at Most Holy Trinity Convent, is “the most important assembly” for the order. 

“The deliberations will be very intensive,” the Dominicans stated, explaining that “the friars will work in commissions and plenary sessions, considering hundreds of proposals submitted from around the world — from individual friars, convents, and provinces. Each of these voices expresses a desire to build unity, faithfulness to the charism of St. Dominic, and an even deeper listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church today.”

Furthermore, they noted that the meetings held within the framework of the general chapter will bring together diverse perspectives — cultural, linguistic, and spiritual — from friars in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

“This makes prayer all the more necessary, to open the hearts of the capitulars to the Holy Spirit and help them discover God’s will for the order in these times. We desire that every decision, every word, and every entry in the acts of the chapter be born from prayer, from listening to the Word, and from deep concern for the Church and the world,” they noted.

‘An opportunity for renewal’

In his letter, the pope said: “As you gather during this jubilee year, I trust that these grace-filled days will prove to be an opportunity for renewal, rooted in the hope which never disappoints and in the knowledge that the Lord has called you as preachers to proclaim the good news in the midst of today’s unique challenges.”

“Your chosen theme to address in a more dedicated way your varied forms of preaching to “four publics” — those who do not yet know Jesus, the Christian faithful, those who have fallen away from the Church, and the young people found in these situations — is particularly timely,” he added.

“I pray that your deliberations will enable you to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church in the fullness of truth,” the pope continued.

Leo XIV also expressed his hope that “this time together will strengthen your commitment to serve the body of Christ in the form of evangelical life chosen by St. Dominic. May your shared experience of fraternity and prayer enhance the bonds of communion that unite you as Dominicans and inspire you to live out your vocation ever more fully as contemplative preachers.”

“In this way, faithful to the charism and the spirituality of your founder, you will surely continue to carry out your mission in the heart of the Church,” he added.

The Holy Father concluded his letter by entrusting the general chapter to Our Lady of the Rosary, who, according to tradition, appeared to St. Dominic de Guzmán — founder of the Order of Preachers — and gave him the rosary, taught him how to pray it, and encouraged him to promote the Marian prayer.

The ‘indispensable foundation’ of the Dominicans

In March of this year, in his Relatio — a report on the current situation of the Order of Preachers, in view of this general chapter — Timoner emphasized that “the form of evangelical life chosen by Dominic is not an adjunct of our apostolic mission; on the contrary, it is an indispensable foundation.”

The report shows a downward trend in the number of professed Dominican brothers, who currently number 5,145 worldwide. A graph shows that after a significant increase between the 1920s and 1960s, when they reached almost 10,000 professed brothers worldwide, a steady decline has been observed in subsequent years.

Timoner emphasized in the Relatio that “Dominican life has various constitutive elements or aspects: religious consecration, common fraternal life, intellectual life, apostolic life, etc.,” noting his surprise that “we sometimes feel the need to ‘balance’ or ‘harmonize’ life and mission, as if there could be a ‘Dominican mission’ that is not rooted and nourished by the ‘Dominican life’ with all its integral elements.”

Spiritually accompanying the general chapter

The Dominicans have invited the faithful throughout the world to “spiritually accompany the chapter,” saying: “Pray for the friars participating in the chapter, that they may be instruments of God’s peace and light.”

They also encouraged people to offer “fasting or the difficulty of daily duties” for this intention, and to ask for “the light of the Holy Spirit for all those who will discern and make decisions.”

“May common prayer ensure that the fruits of the chapter are a blessing for the entire order and the Church,” the Dominicans encouraged.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265547/pope-leo-xiv-tells-dominican-priors-to-listen-attentively-to-the-holy-spirit