The Dominican Cluster was a collaborative venture of seven congregations of Dominican Sisters in the United States exploring the possibilities of reconfiguring for the sake of Dominican life and mission. The Cluster arose from conversations at a Dominican Alliance meeting in 2000 and then took shape since that time.

As a result of the Cluster process, the seven congregations petitioned the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Socities of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL) for permission to form a new congregation in the summer of 2007. Approval was granted in the fall of 2007 and currently preparations are being made to unite in the Spring of 2009.

The new congregation will be called the Dominican Sisters of Peace and will be officially founded on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009. A celebratory Founding Event will take place in St. Louis on April 14, 2009, with concurrent celebrations also taking place at Motherhouse locations elsewhere. The first General Chapter of the Dominican Sisters of Peace will be held in St. Louis April 15-21, 2009, at which a Prioress and Leadership Team members will be elected and direction for the new congregation will be determined.