The Thomas More Center Story

The Thomas More Center for Preaching and Prayer (known in Australia as The Dominican Preachers) was founded in 1979 to revitalize Catholic parishes through effective proclamation of The Word of God.

The concept of a center committed to preaching and prayer resulted, in fact, from numerous challenges expressed by lay people to improve the quality of preaching within the Catholic Church. Because of this involvement and interest on the part of lay people in the work of the Center, St. Thomas More was chosen as its patron. Thomas More, layman and Lord Chancellor of England, was beheaded under King Henry VIII in 1535.

The first and primary way the Thomas More Center staff attempts to meet these expressed challenges of lay people is by providing parish missions or programs of spiritual renewal. The staff also offers an internship program in collaborative preaching for beginning preachers as well as for seasoned ministers of The Word.