http://www.syracuselaydominicans.org/

Syracuse Lay Dominicans, Syracuse, NY (2026)

05/10/2026

Watertown NY - The Square 9 May 2026

Saturday 9 May 2026 was the opening day for the Watertown, New York St. Paul Street Evangelization Team in the city square surrounded by local businesses, central park benches, nice walking paths to our table and a scenic water fountain being overseen by a towering historic church with a clock and bell that sounds off at certain times. The day started out with some local confrontations between a man and woman in the square over some bags which resulted in the police being called out. Please pray for Christ to heal all divisions and strife in people we encounter. While out there, food and water were provided along with rosaries, information about the faith, and material donated by Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Ministries. Here are some of my experiences and encounters – please pray for them:

Evangelization Encounters:

EE1. Chad and Patrick came up to the table and was looking around. They seemed interested but not willing to engage in conversation. They were headed to get some food at the Crystal Restaurant in the square. Please pray for Christ to lead them to faith if they are lacking and to strengthen it if already there.

EE2. Chris came by the table with a red mark on his face. He seemed to be in a difficult situation. He also had what appeared to be some occult marking tattoos on his arms. He took some food and water along with the Good News and Salvation information tract that mentions these topics regarding the Church. He also took three blessed Rosaries for himself and his wife and kids. He also took a blessed Miraculous Medal after I gave him a brief history about The Virgin appearing to a nun giving her the design of the medal and attributing many powerful graces to it. Chris did not know what we should pray for, but I promised that I would still send his name out on a prayer chain for him and his family. I also told him about the love of Christ and that He is for everyone. Chris agreed without question. Please pray for Chris to lead his family always to God and for his family to always know God.

EE3. A young man in a hoodie walked by the table. I asked if he wanted any religious items or wanted to talk about faith. The young man responded “no, I am good,” and kept walking by the table stoically. On the back of his hoodie there was a text in big bold letters that read “Don’t reach for me.” This made me sad, because I know there are many people out there like this who are hopeless as I was once like this as an atheist before Christ Jesus converted me. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to come for this young man and to bring him into knowing of the truth and God’s mercy and love.

EE4. A group of young men came up to the table – Anthony, Jayden, Chris, another man I did not catch the name of (might have been Bradf), and yet another man (did not catch this one’s name) who followed on later in the square who seemed to know the group (this last man had a Jesus tattoo on his neck, a diamond cross around his neck (among other flashy jewelry), and dressed like a Nu Metal lead vocalist singer which I could relate to with the snappy duds as I grew up in the 90s listening to Nu Metal) who was mostly interested in the food, as he said to me “man, I got to eat.” As this man was picking through the food, I was talking mainly to Chris and Anthony. Anthony immediately asked me respectfully but with caution, “do you think God performs magic?” almost as if he was telling me that he practices magic, and trying to receive some kind of moral guidance in its practice pertaining to faith (from what I gathered). I explained to Anthony firmly the Church’s position on these things; God is not “magic,” but rather divine power. Magic is the inverse of the divine worship justly and rightly due to God who is the Creator of all thing’s material and immaterial. Additionally, I explained that the practice of magic is a direct sin against the first commandment and opens doorways to the demonic (who seek our destruction). Anthony seemed a bit shocked when I said this. Chris began talking about when he was in jail, they had some recent demonic horror movies on for the community space for the inmates to watch (because I mentioned the practice of magic is linked to the fallen angelic substances). I talked to both of them about the purpose of the angels, as those who chose to adhere to their purpose for existence followed God, and those who chose to reject their purpose (what they were made for), fell and became the inverse of what they were made for (which is why they are condemned forever and cannot be forgiven because they knew what they were doing and not sorry for it). Unlike humans, who are not in full knowledge of things, but come to know things gradually by time until death when our soul is locked in its spiritual state forever. Anthony replied to this, “if we were in ancient times, that statement would have cut through me like a sword.”

Anthony then gave me a follow-on question about homos*xual relationships. I explained to him the Church’s teaching on the matter, that the proper order of s*x is between a man and woman in marriage for the purpose of children. I further explained that fornication (outside marriage) between members of the opposite s*x is also wrong, as God told us what the normal means of generation for man would be through the biblical covenant of marriage. Anthony seemed a bit shocked by this as well, so as a result I handed him an information tract that explains the Church’s position on s*xual purity in more depth to which he received. After talking about this for a while, Anthony asked me if I was a Mel Gibson fan and watched the movie he directed about the Aztecs. We talked about this, to which he led into the Spanish conquests being brutal towards natives. I responded by reminding him that the Dominicans followed these explorers and Armies throughout the Americas during this time and kept them in check through the Church’s teaching on morality and the teachings of Christ, although there was brutality committed and we acknowledge that it is wrong to harm others for the sake of harming them alone (so as to attack dignity). Additionally, since such pagan societies like Aztecs and Mayans offered human sacrifice towards men, women, and children and performed other horrific ritual acts for good harvest that would be highly illegal and cause outrage today, we believe that the divine providence of God calls for justice on earth when nations are stood up to punish other nations for their transgressions towards people; for example, the Vikings, pagan Rome which sacrificed many people in blood games for entertainment, Sparta, Canaan and the like. I also mentioned the Just War theory of the Church, which states the conditions for just war to be waged. Anthony seemed to accept this answer.

Finally, Anthony didn’t know that the Dominican Republic was named after and consecrated to Saint Dominic and the Virgin Mary, as he thought I was talking about the country of the Dominican Republic. After I explained what I meant (that it was the religious order that followed the explorers and armies), his other friends had to go somewhere after saying goodbyes to me. Anthony stayed a bit longer to talk to me about other topics such as salvation, Christ’s sacrifice and the garden narrative (mainly God not making us to die, but to live forever). Once Anthony had to leave, I went behind the table and provided him Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire bible which had all four gospels with commentary. Anthony was very happy with this and indicated that he would read it so I could make a good decision. Please pray for Anthony to consider Christ and His Church and to reject anything contrary to true worship to God.

EE5. Ryan and a friend of his who was wearing an ankle bracelet came up to the table and began talking to me about God and the various trials in life. Ryan’s friend was very interested in the case of Ramen noodles that were provided, so I gave him the entire case (not many people wanted it at this point). Ryan asked for a prayer request for financial stability and no negative energy around him. Both also stocked up on a bunch of rosaries they put around their necks, some books on the discipline of religion, miraculous medals and information about various topics of the faith. I promised them I would send up their prayer requests. When they left, the other friend who took the Ramen and some religious items began passing some of them out to people he walked by on the street who looked like they were in need. It would appear he also had the love of God in his heart and was sharing what little he got with others who didn’t have anything either. Please pray for Ryan’s financial situation to stabilize and for the Holy Spirit to always surround him with good people. For his friend in an ankle bracelet, please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide him through his current situation and to grow in the love of God and neighbor and for God to provide for his future needs when necessary. Amen!

Good start to the street evangelization season in Watertown, New York. Please pray for these people I encountered and be on the lookout for more evangelization reports. Thank you!

https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/?team-chapter=watertown&bpost-id=1997

https://www.syracuselaydominicans.org/articles/evangelization-watertown-ny-9-may-2026

05/04/2026

Course:

This presentation talks about the key points regarding the Holy Trinity per Saint Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, the various Trinitarian heresies, and some examples from the Saints who encountered the Holy Trinity.

https://www.syracuselaydominicans.org/theholytrinitycourse.html

05/04/2026

Syracuse NY - Columbus Circle Evangelization 2 May 2026

It was opening season for the Syracuse Saint Paul Street Evangelization team. I (Mr. Scott Lowry, OP) and Mr. Dave Heywood, TOC went to Columbus Circle in downtown Syracuse in front of Immaculate Conception Cathedral on Saturday May 2nd, 2026, during the Church’s mass and confession times. This place was ideal for several reasons: first, it was right across the street from Syracuse City Hall (as you can see in the picture behind us), second, it is right next to the YMCA that also holds housing for people in challenging situations, three the general exposure of the circle that allows much visibility for any type of event going on in the circle, and four (most important) we would have the opportunity to direct people we meet off the street to mass and confession. Once we got into the circle, we provided newly donated material from Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Ministries that included the Word on Fire bibles, Arguing Religion, Praying the Rosary with Bishop Robert Barron, and passing out of the DVD “Mysteries of God.” In addition to this, we provided pamphlet topics about the Church that could be read later by anyone who decided to pick out a topic they may be interested in (for example; existence of God, s*xual purity, why become Catholic, salvation, bible alone, intercession of the Saints, the problem of suffering, reasons to return to the Catholic Church, the Good News etc.). We also provided people in the circle Holy Rosaries and Miraculous Medals blessed by one of our parish Priests the day prior.

One of the interesting additions of the circle included a statue of the “Homeless Jesus,” laying on a park bench as we also had a significant homeless population approach our table asking about God and the discipline of religion. Me and Dave provided them with free waters and snacks for their time.
From the start of this event, we had plenty of people coming up to our table as we were setting up. Normally in Saint Paul Street Evangelization outings, we say a prayer to St. Michael the Arcangel for protection; however, this time around we were distracted and did not get to it (by God’s grace, He provides us an opportunity to pray again on the way back to my truck at the end of the event as a result of a dangerous situation – so stay tuned to the end). On the other hand, we did close out the outing with the Church’s evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. Here are some of the stories of the people we encountered. Please pray for their intentions and pass it along if you can!

Evangelization Encounters:

EE1. A man named Patrick who was badly injured on his face (looked like he been in a fight or in a motorcycle accident) came up to our table and engaged us with some conversation. He was interested in food, water, the Rosaries and prayer. Me and Dave prayed with Patrick for his housing situation to improve by using the SPSE ACTS method of prayer (Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication – then invoking the Holy Spirit to act). Patrick appeared to become very emotional from this encounter. He lived at the YMCA near the circle where we had our table. Please pray for his housing situation to improve and for his healing.

EE2. Tommy approached our table and told us that he was still exploring the different religions. He told us he wanted to read other texts before he decided. After a discussion about what the Church believe on the Holy Trinity, we offered him a Word on Fire bible with the gospels in it. He was very happy to take this and add it to his study and consideration in joining the Catholic Church. Please pray for Tommy’s study to be fruitful and lead him to the sacraments of the Church and salvation.

EE3. Jordan came by our table and was very quiet. He was interested in the information tract titled “Bible Alone.” This piece of information lays out why the doctrine of “bible alone” found in many protestant denominations negates the authority of Christ’s Church which was founded through the apostles. Jordan also grabbed some food and water. Please pray for Jordan to receive this knowledge well so he can make an informed decision on the matter.

EE4. Coral came up to our table after observing us for a short time. She is a security guard for the Immaculate Conception Church and was standing out front guiding people through the door and keeping tabs on the place. When she first came up, she talked to us about the rosary prayer and some points about faith. She told us how she has a heart for the homeless and wanted to take some Word on Fire books for herself and pass out to people she knows in need. She also decided to take a picture with us (she is to the right of me in the photo). Coral seemed like a very warm hearted and Holy person. It was very apparent that she has much love and care for others, especially those in need. Please pray for Coral’s protection in her duties and to lead many others to faith in God.

EE5. Gill was passing by on the way to work and talked to us about the Rosary for a short time. Although seeming intrigued, Gill didn’t talk about much, although he looked like he was considering the discipline of faith. Please pray for Gill to draw closer to God according to His will.

EE6. Debra, who lives at the YMCA came up to our table in a wheelchair. She talked to us about the Rosary and told us how she had been praying it her entire life. We gave her some food, water, and various sacramentals at the table. She seemed like a very strong and independent woman and firm in her faith. Please pray for Debra to always have secure housing and the medical necessities she needs to live a good life.

EE7. Barry, who was from Kingston, came up to our table to inquire about the Church. We passed out some reading material to him and various other people. Barry also took some food and water. Please pray for Barry to always remain in Christ and to receive adequate housing.

EE8. Davon came up to our table with some friends. He is from the Bronx in New York City. He had a short discussion with us about the last days and judgement. He is a Pentecostal but was interested in the Rosaries and instructions on how to pray it. Please pray for his conversion to the Catholic faith.

EE9. We had a few individuals who arrived in the square who seemed to become a bit aggressive towards one another. One of them yelled to the other as his friend was walking away angry – “Don’t do it man, you need to go into the Church!” This man who gave him the warning, walked up to our table afterwards and was alluding to the “sabbath” day, as if we were worshipping on the wrong day. I explained to him that the sabbath day starts Saturday evening, as we see with parishioners walking into the Church on Saturday. He did not want to engage as he walked off after I said this. If we had more time to talk with him we could have told him about how Christ is the Lord of the sabbath and that He rose on the third day (Sunday) in accordance with the scriptures, as this is why the Church celebrates Sunday for worship and rest (starting Saturday evening). Please pray for these men’s conversion and for them to be at peace with one another.

EE10. Sherry came up to our table and told us that she was a Eucharistic minister for a hospital in this area. She was telling us about how she wanted to offer the patients more. I told her about how I have been serving as a Eucharistic Minister in the hospital up in Watertown for a couple of years and how we pass out blessed rosaries, prayer cards, and information about the faith there as well. She became excited and started looking around the table for things to use in her ministry. We offered her a bunch of rosaries, prayer cards, and tracts for her to take to include books from Bishop Robert Barron. Please pray for Sherry’s mission to serve the sick and to protect her health as well so she can serve.

EE11. Steve, who was walking on a cane, holding a backpack, and a large bag with many items came up to our table looking for food and water before he caught the bus. We helped him load up his bags with some food and drink. He was interested in some of the materials we were passing out, so he took some of those as well. After a conversation with Steve, we realized that he is in a unique housing situation where he needs handicap accessible access. Please pray for Steve’s health and for him to find adequate housing that can meet his medical needs.

EE12. Joe came up to us and was interested in the concept of the Rosary. Me and Dave explained it to him. After a short conversation, Joe went on his way. Please pray for Joe to draw closer to God.

EE13. A woman in distress came up to our table. She appeared as if she had been crying earlier. She told us that her close friend Aaaron just died. We offered her food, drink, and religious items to comfort her in grief. We also promised that we would pray for her and her friend who passed away. She took off afterwards for the bus across the street. Please pray for this woman and the repose of the soul of her friend Aaron whom she seems to miss dearly.

EE14. A Catholic family with a younger daughter came up to our table. She got to pick out her favorite Rosary. Her mother wanted information about the Rosary and the faith. She took one of the DVD’s “Mysteries of God” and information on the Church to assist in her daughter’s formation. Please pray for this family always to be united in faith and to always protect their daughter’s soul as she grows up.

There were other people we talked to that were given food, water, and other religious items. We could not get everyone’s name as the pace of the encounters was steady and quick. We also reminded people of confession and mass going on during this time as we directed them to the Church, but most didn’t take up the offer. When we concluded the event, me and Dave were walking back to my truck that was parked on the road when we noticed two men from earlier who had the altercation in the circle walking down the street towards each other. One began screaming and swearing at the other while he had what appeared to be a bag of rocks in his hand. The other man was pleading for him to give him mercy. Me and Dave stopped short on the sidewalk and observed the situation to see what would happen. Dave immediately began to pray the St. Michael the Arcangel prayer for the man’s protection. After he concluded the prayer, the angry man walked off peacefully without incident.

So, all things considered, we still found time to pray, and we also learned the importance of prayer as we should never put it off for things, even distractions of the world! Please pray for all these people we encountered, in the name of Christ Jesus!

https://www.syracuselaydominicans.org/articles/columbus-circle-evangelization-2-may-2026

https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/?team-chapter=syracuse&bpost-id=1994

04/23/2026

Saint Peter Damian, bishop:

We must now cleanse ourselves, as Saint Paul tells us, from all defilement of body and spirit, so that one day we too may deserve to enter that temple of blessedness to which we now aspire.

Anyone who wishes to offer himself to God in the tent of Christ, which is the Church, must first bathe in the spring of holy baptism; then he must put on various garments of virtues. As it says in the Scriptures:

Let your priests be clothed in justice.

He who is reborn in baptism is a new man. He may no longer wear the things that signify mortality. He has discarded the old self and must put on the new. He must live continually renewed in commitment to a holy sojourn in this world.

04/19/2026

Saint Dominic was not a pessimist. We see this clearly in his preaching against the Albigensians, who believed that God did not create material things. St. Dominic saw the flaw in this belief and preached the opposite: God created us, both body and soul.

Not only has he wondrously made us, but he even more wondrously redeemed us, the whole of us. St. Dominic held fast to this notion in his preaching and in the Order he founded: we can have confidence in the human person because of our confidence in God.

How do Dominicans understand this idea of confidence? Following in the steps of St. Dominic, we have hope in God’s plan for each friar and confidence that God has called him to the Order for a reason (ST II-II q. 129, a. 6).

This confidence isn’t presumptuous. It’s a recognition of the primacy of God’s grace. This grace gives Dominican life a kind of liberty conducive to growth and maturity as we follow Christ. This confidence is what led the early friars to preach, and it’s what motivates us today.

For over 800 years, we have been compelled by grace to preach because we want to help others experience this same confidence in God’s plan for their lives. Excessive self-confidence leads many people to look inward at the cost of losing sight of their end: God. Confidence in ourselves apart from God isn’t confidence. It’s presumption (ST II-II q. 21, a. 1).

Ironically, when we engage in this God-less introspection, we don’t go deep enough. We don’t tap into the confidence of St. Dominic. Not only does God have a plan for us, but he also dwells in our souls. This awareness of the divine indwelling should spark a well-ordered hope, with confidence and compunction as we see how poorly we bear his image.

Recognizing this indwelling also sheds light on a Dominican motto: Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere (To contemplate and to give others what has been contemplated). It follows perfectly from the confidence of St. Dominic.

He preached for the salvation of souls because he recognized the One dwelling within them. He contemplated this divine image in man, and he confidently preached the One he contemplated.
—Fr. Bertrand Hebert, O.P.

04/13/2026

Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr:

Removed from all the turmoil of the world and cast aside by our sins, we are separated from life itself. For the people who live in this region are all pagans, and Christians who are known to live in the area have taken on pagan ways, showing none of that charity which human beings, even barbarians, regularly display in numerous compassionate deeds.

04/11/2026

Friday in the Octave of EasterSubscribe to EWTN’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3hBbdVXEWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 40th year, is the largest relig...

04/09/2026

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS’ THE PERSONS IN REFERENCE TO THE NOTIONAL ACTS

Whether the notional acts are to be attributed to the persons?

What the Three Divine Persons of God do or does is attributed to them. For example, if the Father were to beget a Son, this notional act would be attributed to Him. The human intellect would recognize that there are Two Persons beings described by their opposite relations; so there is Paternity (a real relation) from Father to Son and filiation (a real relation) from Son to Father; so it is how we understand the Persons of God - by their opposite relations (notional acts) which are attributed to them.

Whether the notional acts are voluntary?

All things considered, it would be easy to fall into the ancient condemned heresy of A***nism (belief that Christ was made by the will of the Father, which would render Him a creature and not divine) when considering what a “voluntary” act is in our own human condition and understanding then to falsely apply this material principle as we know it to God who is divine. First of all, Saint Thomas Aquinas has to make a distinction of what the “will” actually entails - whether choice or by nature. For example, a boat builder willingly chooses to build a boat for a client for profit. The boat is created; for this boat does not mimic the very nature of the builder, as it is just a creation of the builder for a set purpose. If we were to view the will of God in this light in relation to the Persons of the Holy Trinity, then we could falsely conclude that God the Son and God the Holy Spirit was created by God the Father by His will - but this notion would be heretical and false (the error of the A***n heresy). First of all, as our faith professes - Christ and the Holy Spirit are not creatures; they are Divine Persons and not created. Second, in this sense we must say that the will of God the Father to beget a Son in His divine nature, and to spirate the Holy Spirit (through the Son) also by His divine nature, is an act of producing something of His likeness - in this case Two Other Persons with the divine nature, just as a human son mimics the nature of his human father and of course possesses what his human father also possesses. God the Father does not make other Persons of the Holy Trinity as if they were boats to be assembled or houses to be constructed; for they come forth from Him in His very nature which is divine and like Him in knowledge, power, infinity, and divinity. Unlike mankind and the universe; God made us by the act of the will in creating; for by His hands all things below the Holy Trinity were made for love and not servitude. God the Father begets by His nature and He chooses to do this because of love and the joy He takes in this does not go against His will.

Whether the notional acts proceed from something?

Yes, as for the Holy Trinity - God the Son is begotten of the Father, as the Father’s substance (the divine substance which is something) by His nature begets a Son in His likeness (divine and eternal). God the Son was not made out of nothing; for if He were, then He would be like a creature (us), for God made man out of nothing and although man can say humans are “sons and daughters of God,” they say it in the sense that we were “MADE” in His image as creatures, but not begotten from His divine nature as God the Son is (Christ Jesus to which all created things shall kneel before).

-Paul Patrick

Source:

https://www.newadvent.org/summa/1041.htm

04/08/2026

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS’ THE PERSONS AS COMPARED TO THE RELATIONS OR PROPERTIES

Whether the persons are distinguished by the relations?

The Persons of God are clearly multiplied by their relations and are distinguished by them. Just as we would have a single large mass of land on a continent, we could say it is one country. Now, let’s say ten governments from that mass of land that are opposites in governance and way of life with their respective borders; we would distinguish them as separate countries on one mass of land, therefore ten nations on one continent. So we know of the Divine Persons; Christ’s relation to God the Father is filiation (Son) and the Father’s relation to Christ and all things in being is paternity (The First Fatherhood which is unbegotten). The relation of the Holy Spirit to the Holy Trinity is procession (Love proceeding), which means the Third Person is distinguished as proceeding from both the Father and Son. The Father and Son’s relation to the Holy Spirit is spiration - which means the Holy Spirit proceeds from both of them.

Whether the hypostases remain if the relations are mentally abstracted from the persons?

Since we know the Persons of the Holy Trinity by relation, such as The Son by way of filiation (sonship), we must say that the real relation of the Son is what constitutes Him as a Person, or the substance that He is (hypostasis). If we were to remove that relation, then we would not recognize the person and would be incorrect or wrong in our description of Him as a person. Just like if we removed the artwork from a canvas; we would just have a blank canvas and not a piece of artwork to admire.

Whether the properties presuppose the notional acts?

In the context of how one may look at the word “Father,” two answers may arise to this question. When considering the relationship between the Father and Son, the act of begetting is the notional act which constitutes the relation. So in this sense, you could say the notional act presupposes the property of the Father (the real relation which is paternity); however, on the other side, the identity of the Father is paternity (as we know Him by His real relation to the Holy Trinity), so in this sense the reality of being He Who Is Unbegotten must come first before the act of begetting. Remember that God (divine) is of a separate order than mankind (creature) and although we may understand some things about Him in ways we understand in the material principle of our own condition, they are not perfect in describing the infinite reality that is God in its fullness. Keep in mind that knowing the relations of God to identify the Persons of the Holy Trinity are sufficient in accurately describing Him in the human condition as we understand it in accordance with the faith we profess through the Nicene and Apostle’s creeds.

-Paul Patrick

Source:

https://www.newadvent.org/summa/1040.htm

Syracuse Lay Dominicans

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