Caritas et Veritas and the Dominican Tradition

Over the past few days I have been privileged enough to learn about the history and tradition of Dominican University. Unlike Meredith College's traditions, most of the ones at DU are based on core values and the founding Dominican Sister's vision for the school. Everything has a deeper meaning and significance and the entire campus fully embraces them. In fact I have never been someplace where not only do the staff know the school motto (traditionally in Latin on the official shield) but EVERY student knows it by heart AND what it means. Not only that, but they are all too eager to explain and show how it's incorporated into daily life at Dominican. The motto here being Caritas et Veritas: meaning Love and Truth.

The students take this motto very seriously, especially the leaders I've gotten to know over the few days of training so far. In fact one of the leaders, Cody, told me that it was the deciding factor in choosing Dominican over other schools. This surprised me, not because if you were to just randomly run into Cody somewhere and see his multiple tattoos and his bouncer-like build without ever getting to know him it would be odd hearing him say those words, but because I seriously had never met anyone who knew their school's motto, let alone chose a school for it. But that's something that's great about Dominican. Students do know the motto and work to share the message with everyone. The school puts it as high up as their mission statement on the list of priorities and they ensure that everyone on campus adheres to the standards set. The Dominican community embraces these concepts whole-heartily and strives to be welcoming and inviting to everyone from all backgrounds and faiths (Caritas) and is honest and truthful in it's pursuit of knowledge and educating.


The efforts the school makes has so far been reflected in its students leaders and incoming class. This school is by far the most diverse I've ever step foot at since leaving high school. Nearly half of the student body is from a minority group, with the largest representation from the Latino/a and Hispanic groups. Many of the students come from families who speak another language at home and while Spanish is the most common, the Polish-speaking population is quite high as well. So high in fact that during parent sessions at Welcome Week, there is a Polish option publicized as highly as the Spanish session. Females vastly outnumber the males here, but unfortunately that is somewhat understandable since the school was once a single-sex institution (reflected in the alumnae/i office on campus). But all of this is so exciting to me. I LOVE being around such an interesting group. The caritas spirit has allowed all of these students to come to Dominican and feel as unique and welcome as they are. They don't have to worry about not being accepted or standing out like a sore thumb, they are seen for what is on the inside. While most schools say this is true about them, history and unfortunately subconscious bias tends to undermine that. But at Dominican, it has always been that way.


Here's what the website has to say about the history of Dominican:

History

Dominican University was founded as St. Clara College in Sinsinawa, WI in 1901 by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary. In 1922, under the leadership of Mother Samuel Coughlin, the sisters relocated the institution to its current location in River Forest, IL, where it was renamed Rosary College. The new college began immediately instituting new programs and improving its curriculum, establishing one of the first study abroad programs in the country in 1925 and offering courses in library science leading to the university's first master's degree in 1949. Recognizing its responsibility to all students, Rosary College became coeducational in 1970. In May 1997, in the context of an aggressive strategic plan, the school name changed to Dominican University, communicating the increasingly comprehensive nature of the university's programs and, at the same time, its continued commitment to its Catholic Dominican mission. There are currently six schools affiliated with Dominican University.

Today Dominican's Catholic affiliation still stands VERY strong. There are two chapel on campus, an active ministry team, degrees in pastoral ministry, Dominican Sisters who live and work at the school, and an active monastery for monks(?) on the upper floors of the Priory Campus halls. It's not unusual to see a nun or two walking around, but most of the time they aren't fully dressed in their traditional gear. The Sisters are very active and well known on the campus and the students love them, I can see why with the few I met. The Sisters whole heartily care about every single student and know everything you could ever want to know about the campus. But the best part is that regardless of how tradition heavy and religiously connected the campus still is, the students have the entire spectrum of beliefs and still feel comfortable.

In training this week I have so far encountered two instances where the presenters almost were preaching and teaching scripture, but even the students who are self-proclaimed agnostics in the room, were following along and at ease. One student, Jen, described her feelings through veritas, meaning that she took the opportunity to learn and search for truth versus reject what she didn't belief. She said that Dominican makes her feel comfortable that she can openly not be catholic but still be accepted. That was awesome, and it made me a little sad to remember how it felt to have even slightly different views than my friends in the Baptist Student Union at UNCW. Granted not everyone (not even close!) openly made me feel a little wrong for being a Methodist in a Baptist group, but there were still some who flat out told me I believed the wrong things. There was no talk of personal truth or the search of truth, it was just clear cut "my truth is right, yours is wrong". How great is it that an entire school can embrace the difference of truths and ideas. In fact, talking to other students  I learned that very few of them were Catholic and many weren't even religious. But the thing I heard that I enjoyed the most over the past few days that I think embodies Caritas et Veritas came from Sister Mary Ann. She said (and I will leave you with this):

"I believe that no matter what God is at the core of all the traditions out there. Some of us may have found him through the word of Jesus Christ, some through the Koran, some through Buddha, but at the very heart there is God and he is teaching us to do his work, spread his love and be his children. THAT is what is important and that is what Dominican is about."