Seven years since it first organized a meeting of diocesan priests who have shown interest in joining the Family of St. Dominic, the Roman Province of St. Catherine of Siena officially established the Dominican Priestly Fraternity under the patronage of St. Albert the Great, on whose feast day the decree was promulgated, 15 November 2021.
With the priests assembled at 10:00 in the Provincialate receiving room, the decree of erection was read by the new Provincial Promoter, Br. Domenico Vendemmiati, OP, who painstakingly organized and consolidated the protocols that led to the canonical establishment of the fraternity. Thereafter, the priests proceeded to make a tractatus and subsequently elected its first prior, Don Ennio Grossi, who was likewise confirmed on the same occasion. All these culminated in the solemn celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided over by the recently elected Prior Provincial, Brother Antonio Cocolicchio, OP, at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
Documenting the entire event was a representative of the Lay Fraternities of the Province, who was also present during the Mass. Afterwards, the friars of the Convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, led by its prior, Br. Christian Steiner, OP, warmly welcomed the priests of the fraternity over lunch.
It can be recalled that the Province first organized a gathering of priests on 15 December 2014 in order to introduce the fraternity to its first inquirers. Almost a year later on 16 November 2015, a stable group of priests commenced its regular meeting, which continues up to the present. A number of diocesan priests have come and gone since the encounters began, but the pioneer five members remained to be the core group that gave stability to the fraternity until its eventual establishment: Don Enzo Ferraro of the Diocese of Rome; Don Ennio Grossi of the Diocese of Avezzano; Don Marco Sorgia of the Diocese of Cagliari; Don Alexander de Leon of the Diocese of Rome; and Don Alessandro Caserio of the Diocese of Rome. In all these meetings, Br. Cocolicchio had devotedly accompanied the priests in his capacity as Provincial Promoter.
fr. Florentino Bolo, OP
