Thomas More Center

THOMAS MORE CENTER STORY

The Thomas More Center for Preaching and Prayer (known in Australia as The Dominican Preachers) was founded in 1979 to revitalize Catholic parishes through effective proclamation of The Word of God.

"The Word and the Spirit are the two hands of God, to use the phrase from Irenaeus. Both conservatives and progressives are likewise two hands of God. We must see in one another a deeper mystery at work. They are not to be seen in opposition to each other, as contradictory, but as manifesting contrasting emphases. The challenge is to see, in the other, God’s providence at work."

(This quote is taken from a letter by Fr. Don Goergen, OP on preparing for the 2008 election. The letter can be found, unedited, under "What's New?" on this website)

The concept of a center committed to preaching and prayer resulted, in fact, from numerous challenges expressed by lay people to improve the quality of preaching within the Catholic Church. Because of this involvement and interest on the part of lay people in the work of the Center, St. Thomas More was chosen as its patron. Thomas More, layman and Lord Chancellor of England, was beheaded under King Henry VIII in 1535.

The first and primary way the Thomas More Center staff attempts to meet these expressed challenges of lay people is by providing parish missions or programs of spiritual renewal. The staff also offers an internship program in collaborative preaching for beginning preachers as well as for seasoned ministers of The Word.

Board of Directors

Today the preaching work is governed and guided by a lay board of directors. The current Board of Directors are Joanie Byrnes, Amery, WI, Brian Byrnes, Amery, WI, Frank Dorman, Clarksville, GA, Jill and Phil Nehro, Darien, CT, Bob Walsh, Stinson Beach, CA, and Mark Zumtobel, Denver, CO.