AUGUST 8: ST. DOMINIC,
Founder of Order of Preachers.
Spread the Devotion of the Holy Rosary.
“St. Dominic Félix de Guzmán (1170–1221), also known as Dominic of Osma and Dominic of Caleruega, was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers (OP). He is the patron saint of astronomers. He was educated in the schools of Palencia, joined the Canons Regular, and in 1215, St. Dominic subjected himself with six other companions to prayer and penance, obtaining authority to preach. Dominic devoted the best years of his life to combating heresy. The spread of the prayer of the Holy Rosary is attributed to the preaching of St. Dominic (From the Daily Roman Missal, MTF).”
ST. DOMINIC SPOKE WITH GOD OR ABOUT GOD
From various writings on the history of the Order of Preachers
Dominic possessed such great integrity and was so strongly motivated by divine love, that without a doubt he proved to be a bearer of honour and grace. He was a man of great equanimity, except when moved to compassion and mercy. And since a joyful heart animates the face, he displayed the peaceful composure of a spiritual man in the kindness he manifested outwardly and by the cheerfulness of his countenance.
Wherever he went he showed himself in word and deed to be a man of the Gospel. During the day no one was more community-minded or pleasant toward his brothers and associates. During the night hours no one was more persistent in every kind of vigil and supplication. He seldom spoke unless it was with God, that is, in prayer, or about God, and in this matter he instructed his brothers. Frequently he made a special personal petition that God would deign to grant him a genuine charity, effective in caring for and obtaining the salvation of men. For he believed that only then would he be truly a member of Christ, when he had given himself totally for the salvation of men, just as the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all, had offered himself completely for our salvation. So, for this work, after a lengthy period of careful and provident planning, he founded the Order of Friars Preachers.
In his conversations and letters he often urged the brothers of the Order to study constantly the Old and New Testaments. He always carried with him the gospel according to Matthew and the epistles of Paul, and so well did he study them that he almost knew them from memory.
Two or three times he was chosen bishop, but he always refused, preferring to live with his brothers in poverty. Throughout his life, he preserved the honour of his virginity. He desired to be scourged and cut to pieces, and so die for the faith of Christ. Of him Pope Gregory IX declared: “I knew him as a steadfast follower of the apostolic way of life. There is no doubt that he is in heaven, sharing in the glory of the apostles themselves.”
Responsory
℟. A new herald of salvation appeared, a man of fire;* his word flamed like a torch.
℣. The instruction he gave was true, and no word of injustice fell from his lips;* his word flamed like a torch.
Let us pray.
Lord God,
you gave St. Dominic to the Church of his day
as a great preacher of your truth.
We pray that he will help us in our time
by his merits, his teaching, and his unfailing prayer.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Dear friends, let us pray for all the Dominicans all over the world so that they be faithful to the charisms of their founder and through his intercession and example, that we may have an intense passion of spreading the truth and the Christian doctrine out of love for God and the good of all souls.
Let us also thank St. Dominic for his faithful zeal to spread the devotion of the Holy Rosary.
May Saint Dominic come to the help of your Church by his merits and teaching, O Lord, and may he who was an outstanding preacher of your truth be a devoted intercessor on our behalf. (Opening prayer, Mass proper)
St. Dominic, pray for us!
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