Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.
Saint Dominic.
Confessor.
Feast Day 4 August.
Greater-Double.
White Vestments.
Saint Dominic receives The Holy Rosary
from The Blessed Virgin Mary.
Stained-Glass Window, by Franz Mayer,
in Carlow Cathedral, Ireland.
Photo: 3 September 2009.
Source: Own work.
Author: Andreas F. Borchert
(Wikimedia Commons)
English: The Order of Preachers.
Español: Orden de Predicadores.
Date: 15 April 2015.
Source: Own work.
Author: Cybhernan
(Wikimedia Commons)
Saint Dominic.
Artist: Claudio Coello (1642 to 1693).
Dates: Approximately 1685.
Current location: Prado Museum , Madrid, Spain.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Church of France was ravaged by the heresy of The Albigenses, who, not satisfied with teaching false Doctrine, pillaged the Churches and massacred the Priests. In 1215, Pope Innocent III saw in a dream the tottering walls of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Rome, held up by the powerful shoulders of a Friar. This Friar was Saint Dominic, whose Preaching defended Catholic Doctrine against the new heresies (Epistle).
Before his birth, his mother saw in a vision, her child in the shape of a little dog, holding a lighted beacon in its mouth, which was "To Set The World On Fire".
Called "Dominic", because his parents attributed his birth to the Prayers of the Holy Benedictine Abbot, Dominic of Silos, he truly belonged to The Lord, as his name suggests.
Born in Spain, of the noble family of Gusman, he distinguished himself by his purity, as is signified by the Lily that he holds (Alleluia) and his White Habit.
Saint Dominic.
Artist: René de Cramer.
"Copyright Brunelmar/Ghent/Belgium".
Used with Permission.
Illustration: UNA VOCE OF ORANGE COUNTY
Having witnessed many evils caused by the heretics in the South of France, he Founded, opposed to them, The Order of The Friars Preachers (Communion), whom he armed with The Shield of Truth, to teach Doctrine, and The Sword of The Word, to Preach it.
The Dominicans number many Saints of both sexes, who, like their Founder, ardently studied The Word of God in the Gospel, which, as Saint Dominic says, is The Book of Truth and The Book of Charity.
[The Order of The Friars Preachers (O.P.) has given to The Church, as at 1945:
Four Popes:
Blessed Innocent V;
Saint Pius V;
Benedict XI;
Benedict XIII.
Numerous Cardinals, Bishops, Doctors, Preachers and illustrious writers.
It numbers eleven Saints and four female Saints, Beatified 268 men and twenty-four Beatified women and 300 Martyrs.
The Census of The Order, in 1935, showed there were 6,000 Friars.
The Dominican Nuns, in The Second Order, and in The Third Order Regular, amount to 40,000.]
This Saint loved Our Lady in a special manner and Preached The Devotion to The Rosary. He died on 6 August 1221.
Mass: Os justi.
This Saint loved Our Lady in a special manner and Preached The Devotion to The Rosary. He died on 6 August 1221.
Mass: Os justi.
Thank you, Zephyrinus, for this outline of the great S. Dominic and of his order. Of course, like the current Pope (and also, the beloved S. Anthony of Padua, d. 1231 AD), he first was trained and ordained as an Augustinian and was assigned to the Cathedral of Osma as a canon to pray the liturgy of the Hours. It was in this capacity he heard the call to become a mendicant friar dedicated to preaching the Gospel in the cities of France and Spain in particular.
ReplyDeleteHis life was threatened many times by militant Albigensians, but he miraculously survived them all through Our Lady’s protection and his dedication to spreading the Rosary. Surviving descriptions of him are of a rather slight man, rather similar in build to S. Francis, his contemporary, with very earnest eyes, an engaging temperament, a very quick intellect, a pleasant and gentle voice, and a winning personality that was the overall effect of God’s grace upon this humble and dedicated servant.
Despite many setbacks during the Vatican II era, the men’s and women’s orders of S. Dominic appear poised for a comeback, in 2018 numbering over 5700 1st Order Dominicans and over 2800 2nd Order (nun’s order) Dominicans. (This article describes 6000 members of the 1st Order in 1935). Many reports of large numbers of vocations in the US are in the Catholic news, obviously young people seeking an order wearing a traditional identifiable habit, a balanced life of prayer dedicated to reciting the daily Office and the Rosary and to public service in teaching, preaching, and hospital and college chaplaincy, with study of the great legacy of Dominican writings, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
Ave Maria, and Hail, S. Dominic! -Comment by Dante P
A marvellous contribution from our Mediæval Liturgical Correspondent, Dante P, for which we are indebted.
DeleteZephyrinus certainly learned several things from this erudite contribution. Such good news to hear that there appears to be a most welcome resurgence in numbers for the Dominican Order. Such Divine Traditional practices, of course, will always be attractive.
One assumes that, besides the increases in the 1st Order Dominicans and 2nd Order Dominicans, mentioned by Dante P, there would also be an increase in 3rd Order Dominicans (Lay Persons) ?
Such good news. Our Lady and Saint Dominic, as always, watching over this very special Order, of course.
Deo Gratias.