Membership is open for single men and women who are Roman Catholic and have the desire to live celibate lives and embrace the spirituality of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). If s/he has been married, s/he must furnish the death certificate for his/her spouse. Physical disability is not necessarily an impediment for membership. Members of the clergy incardinated in a Diocesan Bishop, without prejudice to those things which regard consecrated life in the Institute. Members are required to strive for Christian perfection through observing the evangelical counsel vows of Perfect Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, and Total Consecration to Mary Immaculate. Failure to observe these vows may mean sacrilege or expulsion from the Institute.
The Institute has a section for those who for some other reason cannot become full members, (like married persons) yet has a serious desire to be part of the Institute were admitted as associate members. They pledged to live the spirit of the three evangelical counsels.
(NOTE: CSD no longer accept associate members, those who wish to get affiliated to the Institute are to be members of the Lay Society of St. Catherine of Siena or OP-Siena Laity)
VOW OF PERFECT CHASTITY Chastity connotes with renunciation of married life and demanded a purity of heart. The consecrated secular must fully understand and practice the love of God and love of the community that strengthen and permit spiritual delights to succeed and achieve chaste life over carnal delights. | VOW OF POVERTY Poverty implies common ownership of good helps put the interest of Jesus Christ before the interest of the individual. Although they don’t have common life they live in the evangelical poverty and value detachment of material possessions. |
VOW OF OBEDIENCE Obedience implies caring service. Love characterizes both exercise of authority and obedient acceptance of it. A consecrated secular honors and respects the supreme moderator. The member can accept it freely and motivated by grace. | TOTAL CONSECRATION TO MARY IMMACULATE Connotes the Marian spirituality which the Order of Preachers live out. Every CSD member is a faithful devotee and defender of the holy Mother of God, the Queen of the Company of Saint Dominic. |
