March 21, 2025
A Chaplain’s Thoughts: Meet the PC Dominicans
By Rev. James F. Quigley, O.P. ’60
Associate Chaplain, National Alumni Association
This is not a history, but a sketch of Dominican life at Providence College for alumni and others who might be interested.
In 1917, Bishop Matthew Harkins invited the Dominican Province of St. Joseph (East Coast) to establish a college in Providence that would bear that theological name. In 1919, 11 friars arrived and classes began. Since that time the Province of St. Joseph has assigned probably more than 500 friars to this ministry of Catholic higher education. One hundred twenty friars are buried in the college cemetery, having given their lives to this ministry.
At present there are 37 friars assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Priory on campus, of whom 30 are actually involved in the work and life of the college. The oldest working friar is 86 years old, the youngest is 31. Opening a college, of course, involved an enormous financial and personnel contribution by the Province of St. Joseph. That contribution continues. Over the years, dedicated lay women and men have joined Dominicans in commitment to the task of Catholic higher education, passing on the theological, philosophical, gospel-inspired Catholic moral vision and Dominican Thomistic intellectual tradition.
Friars serve on campus as administrators, staff members, professors, chaplains, pastors, psychologists, and mentors. Almost all friars have doctorates or terminal degrees from one of more than 20 different universities, across some 16 academic disciplines. They are published authors of various books and journal articles.
Friars have full lives at Providence College. As Dominicans they live a community religious life, sharing morning and evening prayer together, celebrating community Eucharist, engaging in personal prayer time, and meeting together in chapter to discuss life in common. They explore questions such as how to grow in their personal spiritual lives and what changes need be made in service to faculty, students, staff, alumni, and alumnae. As Dominican priests, friars give to the larger Church, diocesan, and religious communities, in addition to those with special needs. On weekends, they assist in some 20 parishes in the dioceses of Providence and Fall River, celebrating Mass and preaching. Some assist sisters’ convents, hospitals, hospice facilities, nursing homes, and prisons. Friars also serve as pastors and chaplains to Brown, Rhode Island School of Design, Catholic high schools, and monasteries.
This is a glimpse of busy PC Dominican life! The Friar community here is so grateful to God for all that has been accomplished in 100-plus years. Friars and their collaborators remain dedicated the Catholic and Dominican mission of Providence College. The community is so grateful to some 57,000 alumni and alumae for their loyalty, support, and encouragement. We pray for them, for their families, for the deceased, and for all those who ask our prayers.
