The Third Order of St. Dominic in Idaho, or also known as the Idaho Lay Dominicans, is an orthodox group that focuses on the Truth of the Catholic Faith, in an effort to understand it and live it, by reading, learning and imitating Our Lord, with St. Dominic as our spiritual father, and St. Thomas Aquinas as our guide, in our prayers and study to pursue the truth, and in sharing our contemplation with others.  It is all in the effort to seek and discover the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, in lifting our hearts and minds up to God in this life, with the firm faith and hope to share, love and live with  Him in the next.

Discerning the Call to be a Dominican.

     Discernment is grounded in prayer, asking God to show you if the Dominican Life is for you.  Are you meant to be a member of the Dominican Fraternity in Boise, called the Saint Margaret of Castello Chapter?
     This is an one-step-at-a-time process; that starts as a postulant.  The term "postulant' derives from the Latin to "postulate.'  It is a questioning period of time to determine whether this life, as a Lay Dominican, is for you.  Sometimes it simply requires us to take the step, as all vocations are a call, not everyone receives the answer from God with clarity and purpose; but sometimes from the call from one's mind and heart--a pull from God for you to get clser to Him.  As Pope Benedict XV said the 1921 encyclical entitled Fausto Appentente Die--celebrating the 700th anniversary of the death of St. Dominic--that, 

Dominic thought of gathering from pious and devout lay people a certain sacred militia which would defend the rights of the Church and resist heresy with vigor. Hence arose the Third Order of the Dominicans which, spreading among lay people the institute of a more perfect life, was to be a truly great ornament and defense to the Church.

The Third Order of St. Dominic is very alive today, is a call to the modern generation to defend the faith, to love the Truth, to Study, to share in our study and Contemplation, and to live the Dominican Life in the Catholic Church. 
     The process starts as a postulant; where the Catholic gives his or her life in an informal commitment to live for up to one year to discern whether he or she should be a Dominican.  During this period, the postulant attends Chapter meetings, and learns about St. Dominic and his charisms.  If you discern in prayer with God, to give the life as a follower of St. Dominic, the Chapter Formation Director and other members of the Chapter will help you.  
     Part of the discernment process, is to ask, consider, and pray about certain questions and considerations regarding the Third Order as a Lay Dominican.  Consider, in no particular order:
1.  Devotion to Our Lord, His Passion, and His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Rosary.
2.  Holiness.  A desire to achieve personal holiness through the Sacramental life is key to the Dominican life.
3.  Truth. Dominicans have a deep love of the Truth.  VERITAS.
4.  Study. A love of study is a charism of the Order of Preachers.
5.  Prayer.  The key to our relationship with God is regular and devoted prayer.
6.  Regular Life.  This simply means that a Dominican intends to life a regular prayer and sacramental life.  Under St; Dominic's Rule for the laity, a Rule does not bind under the penalty of sin if we fail to meet the rule.  It is a walk toward holiness.
        A. Contemplative Prayer.  A love of prayer and the sharing of your contemplative prayer is a vital part of the Dominican Life. 
           B.  Rosary.  A devotion to prayer of the Rosary is key.
7.  Fidelity to the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church; and, unity within the Church.
8.  Learning and defending the Faith.
9.  Apostolic Life.  You are part of the spread of Truth and of the Gospel to family, friends, and neighbors.
10. A heart and prayer for the poor souls in this life, and prayer for those in Purgatory.
11.  Devotion to the Saints, and in particular Dominican saints. 
12.  Preaching.  The way of St. Dominic includes all of the above, but also preaching the Word of God in our words and in our actions.