Dominican House of Studies

Pope Benedict XVI is arriving in D.C. later this week, first stopping off at the White House first and then for a gathering of U.S. bishops at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It just so happened that my assignment this weekend was with the friar preachers at the Dominican House of Studies prepping for the Pope's visit. A little ironic I'd say. First, a 3-week shoot in October at the Vatican with the Pope addressing everyone and now a U.S. gig with the Pope trailing not far behind. Weird how threads of paradoxes happen over and over again.

The 800 year old Dominica order take lifetime vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The friars live in a beautiful self-sufficient ministry (circa 1905) with clean polished rose-colored marble and old wooden beams. There is a theological library, administration offices, classrooms and a dining hall facing the cloisters or courtyard area. Mistakenly our crew walked through the cloister square unescorted, a faux pas for outsiders that we were quick not to repeat. The friars treated us to a solid German dinner of red cabbage, pork and spaetzle, just like Mutti makes. The enrollment program wouldn't be able to make it without follower donations and government subsidies.