Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic (1170-1221), son of Felix Guzman and Blessed Joan of Aza,
was born at Calaruega, Spain, studied at the University at Palencia, was probably ordained
there while pursuing his studies and was appointed canon at Osma in 1199. There he became
Prior Superior of the chapter, which was noted for its strict adherence to the rule of
St. Benedict.
In 1203 he accompanied Bishop Diego de Avezedo of Osma to Languedoc,
where Dominic preached against the Albigensians (heresy) and helped reform the Cistercians.
The Albigensians falsely taught that all things corporal were inherently evil. Dominic
founded an institute for women at Prouille in Albigensian territory in 1206 and attached
several preaching friars to it. When papal legate Peter of Castelnan was murdered by the
Albigensians in 1208, Pope Innocent III launched a crusade against them headed by Count
Simon IV of Montfort which was to continue for the next seven years. Dominic followed
the army and preached to the heretics but with no great success.
In 1214 Simon gave him a castle at Casseneuil and Dominic with six
followers founded an order devoted to the conversion of the Albigensians; the order
was canonically approved by the bishop of Toulouse the following year. He failed to
gain approval for his order of preachers at the fourth General Council of the Lateran
in 1215 but received Pope Honorius III's approval in the following year, and the
Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) was founded. Dominic spent the last years of
this life organizing the order, traveling all over Italy, Spain and France preaching
and attracting new members and establishing new houses. The new order was phenomenally
successful in conversion work as it applied Dominic's concept of harmonizing the
intellectual life with popular needs. He convoked the first general council of the
order at Bologna in 1220 and died there the following year on August 6, after being
forced by illness to return from a preaching tour in Hungary. He was canonized in
1234 and is the patron saint of astronomers. His feast day is August 8.
St. Dominic was the first to propose an Order dedicated to preaching, at a time
when no one but bishops preached regularly. Dominic's vision and insights attracted
many saintly and talented men. In the first one hundred years of the Order's existence
30,000 members from all the countries of Europe joined; and soon the Order began to
spread around the world.
On his deathbed he gave his brothers his last will and testament: "Have charity,
guard humility, hold fast to voluntary poverty." He promised them that he would be
of more use to them in heaven than on earth- a promise which he continues to keep even
today. He was buried according to his wishes "under the feet of his brethren."
Dominicans all over the world continue to draw upon the charism of St. Dominic in
order to serve as preachers of the Gospel. To be a Dominican is to be part of a family
that includes cloistered nuns, ordained and non-ordained friars, religious sisters
and laity. Dominicans are formed throughout their entire lives according to the four
pillars established by St. Dominic: Prayer, Study, Ministry and Community. The
Dominican tradition of spirituality is rooted in common life: liturgical prayer
and meditation, study, and ministry of the Word. It is a spirituality that was
meant to bear the fruit of an active apostolate. These values continue to
guide the steps of faculty, students, and staff at Ohio Dominican.
