After more than two years of study and prayer as a postulant and novitiate, Mike Malone of Holy Cross Episcopal Church has become a Dominican Friar in the Anglican Order of Preachers.
“I made my Life Profession on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, at an evening eucharist at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in San Juan, Puerto Rico,” said Malone.
The roots of the his Order are entwined with that of the Roman Catholic Order, but the Anglican Order of Preachers is a distinct and separate order. It was founded in the late 20th century by the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Mackey, according to anglicandominicans.com.
Like the Roman Catholic Order, the Anglican Order is inspired by the apostolic lifestyle and spiritual traditions of Saint Dominic de Guzman, a nobleman turned priest who saw the need for informed preaching against the heresies of 13th century Spain.
In his over 30 years of attendance to Holy Cross as verger, vestryman, worship leader, eucharistic minister and other positions, Malone has heard many sermons and preached a number of them himself. He was serving as a lay preacher for the church when he became interested in the Order.
“I found that the Anglican Order of Preachers was devoted to preaching and study,” he said. “It just seemed like a good fit.”
He contacted Brother Franklin Kline at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis for an inquiry. That initial contact led to instruction into the basics of the Order.
“We both felt I had a call,” Malone said. “So I applied and became a postulant.”
His training in the Order and his new life as a Dominican Brother have come with some changes to his daily schedule. He begins each morning and ends each evening with the lengthy prayer sequence called the Daily Office. Between them, he must spend at least an hour a day studying the Bible or some other aspect of the Episcopal faith.
“Of course my wardrobe is pretty much all black pants and white shirts,” he said. “It makes choosing clothes in the mornings much easier!”
Malone took the long journey to become a member of the Order because he believes the mission of Saint Dominic still has relevance today.
“The need is still there,” he said. “The original Order was formed because of bad theology that was circulating at the time, and some of those theologies are still around. The world still needs to hear what we have to say.”
One of the pillars of the Dominican life is preaching and ministry and the Brothers and Sisters of Anglican Order of Preachers may be contacted through anglicandominicans.com. They are available to preach or speak at retreats, conferences and seminars.