On January 14, 2013, the Master of the Order will formally establish the Vice Province of Bolivia, a blending of the former Vicariate of the Province of St. Albert the Great, and the Vicariate “Fray Vicente Bernedo” of the Province of Teutonia. As one of our Bolivian friars commented, “Instead of being ‘German Dominicans’, or ‘American Dominicans’, we will be ‘Bolivian Dominicans!’ ” This is a great moment of pride for our Bolivian friars that has been over fifty years in the making, and not without significant obstacles!
There are now two priories in Bolivia (there had been none until just a few years ago). First to be built, the Convent of St. Jude Thaddeus constructed by the Province of St. Albert the Great to be the studentate in Bolivia, is located in Coña Coña (or Rumy Mayu) on the edge of the City of Cochabamba. The second priory is now in Santa Cruz. It is temporarily located at the parish of Santo Domingo in the city of Santa Cruz. The Province of Teutonia is building a separate priory to house the friars there. “La Mansion” (the charismatic center) will remain as it is, possibly as a “filial house”.