In our life of prayer we follow the example of St. Dominic, who both at home and on the road, day and night, was diligent in the divine office and in prayer and celebrated the divine mysteries with great devotion. According to the desire of St. Dominic, the solemn and common celebration of the liturgy must be maintained among the principal duties of our vocation.
Liturgical Prayer
In the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist, the mystery of salvation is present and at work which the brethren share and contemplate and even proclaim in preaching to others so that they may be incorporated into Christ through the sacraments of faith.
In the liturgy, together with Christ, the brethren glorify God for the eternal plan of his will and for the wonderful order of grace, and they intercede with the Father of mercies for the whole Church as well as for the needs and the salvation of the whole world. Therefore, the celebration of the liturgy is the center and heart of our whole life, whose unity especially is rooted in it.
Mass
Celebration of the conventual Mass is the center of community liturgy. For the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord is the bond of fraternal charity and the primary source of apostolic strength.
Liturgy of the Hours
Dominicans also sing the various hours of the Divine Office: Matins, Lauds, Sext, Vespers, and Compline.
Sacraments
Dominicans are exhorted to receive sacramental confession frequently to foster the conversion of one’s entire life by the virtue of penance.
Renewal of the Liturgy
The Province of St. Joseph aims to assist creatively in the renewal of the liturgy of the Church, in a manner that is prudently receptive of the liturgical aims of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. We encourage the renewed interest in the recovery of the Latin liturgical heritage of the Church and the Order within the context of an informed Dominican theological education that stresses the legitimate value of the post-conciliar liturgy, the value of vernacular translations, the pastoral care of persons, and the importance of an informed participation in the liturgy by the laity.
Other forms of prayer
Secret Prayer
Since the contemplation of divine things and intimate conversation and friendship with God are to be sought not only in liturgical celebrations and in reading Scripture but also in diligent private prayer, the brethren shall zealously cultivate this type of prayer. All the brethren are to spend at least half an hour in mental prayer at a time to be determined by the conventual chapter and, in so far as possible, in common. The brethren are to worship Christ in the Eucharistic mystery so that from this wonderful relationship they may derive an increase of faith, hope, and charity.
The Rosary
The traditional devotion in the Order to the Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Apostles as well as an example of meditation on the words of Christ and of obedience in one’s own mission, should be cherished by the brethren. Dominicans recite daily one set of mysteries of the rosary in common or in private. This form of praying leads us to contemplation of the mystery of salvation in which the Virgin Mary is intimately associated with the work of her Son.
Devotion to St. Dominic and the Dominican Saints
The brethren are exhorted to foster true devotion and veneration toward St. Dominic, the mirror of our life, and for the saints of the Order that they may be moved to imitate them and may be strengthened in the spirit of their vocation.
Retreats
Each year the brethren spend six full days in spiritual exercises, either alone or together as a community, pondering the word of God in their heart and praying more earnestly.
Community Devotions
Each day before the principal meal, the names of all the brothers who died on the following day are proclaimed and the brethren recite prayers for the dead. Many communities also have particular customs such as singing an antiphon to St. Joseph after the meal.