St. Dominic - August 8th

 

Today is the feast of St. Dominic, who was born in Spain, in 1170. When his mother was pregnant with him, she had a dream where she saw a dog with a torch of fire in his mouth. Then St. Dominic of Silos told her that he would light a fire throughout the world and would be watchdogs of the Lord, who would defend the truth. Later, it became understood the word Dominic is associated with “Domine” “canes”, which means “hounds of the Lord” or “dogs of the Lord”.

As a student, he sold his books to feed the poor in a famine and offered himself in ransom for a slave. At the age of twenty-five he became superior of the Canons Regular of Osma and accompanied his Bishop to France. There his heart was broken by the ravages of the Albigensian heresy, and his life was henceforth devoted to the conversion of heretics and the defense of the Faith. For this end he established his threefold religious Order.

One day, a ball of fire came from the sky and landed in the place where he was to build a monastery for Dominican sisters. The convent for nuns was founded first, to rescue young girls from heresy and crime. Girls he converted from heresy became the first Dominican sisters.

Then a company of apostolic men gathered around him and became the Order of Friar Preachers. He would eventually send these friars to important centers of learning such as universities.

Lastly came the Tertiaries, persons of both sexes living in the world. God blessed the new Order, and France, Italy, Spain, and England welcomed the Preaching Friars.

Our Lady took them under her special protection and whispered to St. Dominic as he preached. It was in 1208, while St. Dominic knelt in the little chapel of Notre Dame de la Prouille, and implored the great Mother of God to save the Church, and help him convert Albigensians, which had no success. Our Lady appeared to him, gave him the Rosary, and bade him go forth and preach. She gave him the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries and told him to preach the Rosary. With beads in hand, he revived the courage of the Catholic troops, led them to victory against overwhelming numbers, and finally crushed the heresy.

The Battle of Muret occurred just several years after the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Dominic instructing him to preach the Rosary. The crusaders had a mere 800 men. They spent the night praying the rosary for victory under the direction of Saint Dominic, and in the morning, all went to confession and Holy Communion. The opposing armies, numbering over 20,000, indulged in a night of drunkenness and debauchery. St. Dominic went to a church to pray the Rosary for victory, while they went into battle. The next morning, the Catholics rushed on the disorganized bands of heretics. The battle was completed in less than twenty minutes, and thousands of the heretical sympathizers met their end on the battlefield. St. Dominic warred by prayer, while the men raised their arms in battle. The locals built the first chapel dedicated to the Rosary as an act of thanksgiving for the victory at Muret.

St. Dominic used to wear a cord around his waist, until he met St. Francis of Assisi, who used to wear a belt. The two switched so that Dominicans wore a belt and Franciscans would wear a cord.

The friars were sent to beg for food and were able to obtain bread, but they met poor people on their way back to the monastery. When they arrived, they told Dominic that they had given all they had to the poor. Dominic ordered the friars to sit down for a meal, though they had no food. Once all had gathered, two angels came with bread for all to eat.

St. Dominic nights were spent in prayer; and, though pure as a virgin, thrice before morning broke, he scourged himself to blood. His words rescued countless souls, and three times raised the dead to life.

One day, Dominic had a vision of Saints Peter and Paul. Peter gave him a staff and Paul gave him a book, believed to be either the Gospels or the constitution of the order.

He died on August 6, 1221, at the age of fifty-one, he gave up his soul to God.

The Dominicans also called the Order of Preachers and are known today for teaching in schools and giving retreats in parishes. The most famous Dominican is St. Thomas Aquinas, who was one of the greatest minds with regard to theology and philosophy in the history of the Church. He wrote many books including, a compendium of all of the main theological teachings of the Catholic Church used as introductory texts for students of theology and philosophy called the Summa Theologica.

I encourage you to pray as many rosaries as possible. A few days ago, we began a Rosary of Novena to Our Lady ending on August 15^th, the Assumption of Mary, for non-Catholics to become Catholic. We trust Our Lady will intercede for us and bring many into the Catholic Church through the Rosary.