Order of Preachers

The Order of Preachers (Dominicans) is a Roman Catholic Religious Order founded by St Dominic de Guzman and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 Dec. 1216. As Master of the Order (2001-2010), friar Carlos Azpiroz Costa O.P., reminded the whole Order of Preachers in the following words: "The Order was born as a Family "thus, we belong to the Dominican family: friars (priest and brothers), nuns (contemplative), lay fraternities of St Dominic, priestly fraternities of St. Dominic, congregations of sisters of apostolic life, secular institutes and the Dominican youth movement" as if arising from a tree planted beside living fountains, the branches of the Dominican Family are numerous. Each one has its own character, its special status, its autonomy. However, since all participate in the charism of Saint Dominic, they share the very same vocation to be preachers in the Church." ~ Acts of the General Chapter of Friars (Mexico, 1992).
​The Dominican Family's common purpose is to communicate the love of God to all people, as preachers of the Catholic tradition. Each branch of preachers determines how they shall preach the Good News of Christ in their time and place. So, all Dominican preachers are in mission together. Each of us joins the branch of the Dominican Family as one feels called.

The Order Approval

On December 22, 1216, Honorius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the beloved sons Dominic, prior of St. Romanus in Toulouse, and his brethren, both present and future, professed in the regular life. In perpetuum formally approved the new Order, and Dominic served as the Master or superior of the entire Order until his death in 1221. " Honorius addressed its members as "Christ's unconquered athletes, armed with the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. Fearing not those who can kill the body, you valiantly thrust the word of God which is keener than any two-edged sword, against the foes of the faith."

MASTER GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERS
Gerard Francisco Parco Timoner III.
The 88th Master of the Order and 87th successor of Saint Dominic.

On July 13, 2019, the Order of Preachers welcomed friar Gerard Francisco Parco Timoner III, O.P., the 87th successor of St. Dominic de Guzman, a son of the Dominican Province of the Philippines. During the Elective General Chapter, the Capitular Friars elected him in Bien Hoa in Vietnam. The Master is elected for a nine-year term in an Elective General Chapter; like all the brothers, he is subject to the General Chapter as the highest authority in the Order, and must obey its directions. The General Chapter of the Order comprises 127 delegates from all the continents. Prior Provincials are members of an Elective Chapter and also the Delegates elected by the friars themselves according to the democratic tradition of the Dominican Order.
The General Chapter, the sovereign governing body, gives the elected Master his mandate and provides the Order with some important guidelines on what is expected to be put into practice during his term of office until the next General Chapter. There are three distinctive General Chapters: the General Chapters of ‘diffinitors’ 2022 (Province of Mexico in Tultenango), General Chapters of ‘priors provincial’ 2025 in (Province of Poland in Krakow). The following Chapter in 2028 is an Elective General Chapter for priors provincial and diffinitors, which will be in Colombia, Bogotá, at the Convent of St. Dominic, hosted by the Province of St. Louis Bertrand, where the next master general will be elected for the Order, respectively. Today, friars are 5,111 present in 35 provinces and 6 vice provinces. Of these provinces, 3 are in Africa, 5 in Asia-Pacific, 17 are in Europe (9 in the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Bohemia, Croatia, Malta, and Slovakia; 11 in Northwestern Europe, Canada, and Poland), 6 in Latin America and the Caribbean and 4 are in the United States of America. Of the six vice provinces, 2 are in Africa, 2 are in Asia-Pacific, and 2 are in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ten provinces have 15 provincial vicariates, which are present in Africa (3), Asia-Pacific (2), Europe-Canada (7), and Latin America (3).

PRIOR PROVINCIAL
Rev. Father Dominic Eshikena, O.P.
PROVINCE OF ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER.

At the Seventh Elective Chapter of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph the Worker, Nigeria and Ghana held at the Priory of St. Thomas Aquinas in Ibadan to decide the future direction of the Province and to elect its officials. On the 14th November 2025, the friars elected Brother Dominic Eshikena, O.P., as Prior Provincial for a four-year term (2025-2029). He has been confirmed in office by the Master of the Order, Gerard Timoner III, O.P., Br. Dominic accepted the election and made the Profession of Faith.
​ Born October 1, 1970, fr. Dominic entered the Order with his first profession on September 21, 1991 and was ordained to the priesthood on September 23, 2000. Following his ordination, he served at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Yaba, Lagos, one of the historic centers of Dominican ministry in Nigeria.
New Prior Provinical.jpeg Fr. Dominic later undertook important assignments in the United States, first as Director of the Development Office, and subsequently as Parochial Vicar in the Diocese of Portland (Maine). From 2017 to 2021, he served the Province as Vicar of the Provincial for North America and the Caribbean, offering guidance, coordination, and pastoral leadership to communities across a broad geographical region. He is currently Pastor of Holy Infant Parish in Manchester, in the Diocese of Harrisburg (USA).

​ The Order expresses its heartfelt congratulations to fr. Dominic as he begins this new chapter of service and leadership. We pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen him in wisdom and charity as he guides the brothers in Nigeria and Ghana.