Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Last week I presented the luminous figure of Francis of Assisi; today I would like to speak to you of another saint who, in the same period, made an essential contribution to the renewal of the Church of his time. It is St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, known also as the Dominican Friars.
His successor in the leadership of the order, Blessed Giordano di Saxony, gives a complete portrait of St. Dominic in the text of a famous prayer: "Inflamed by zeal for God and supernatural ardor, by your limitless charity and the fervor of a vehement spirit, you consecrated yourself wholly with the vow of perpetual poverty to apostolic observance and to evangelical preaching." It is in fact this essential feature of Dominic's witness that is underlined: He always spoke with God and about God. In the life of saints, love of the Lord and of neighbor, the seeking of God's glory and the salvation of souls always go together.
Dominic was born in Spain, in Caleruega, around 1170. He belonged to a noble family of Old Castille and, supported by an uncle priest, he was educated in a famous school of Palencia. He was distinguished immediately for his interest in the study of sacred Scripture and for his love of the poor, to the point of selling books, which in his time constituted a good of great value, to help victims of famine with what he collected.
Ordained a priest, he was elected canon of the chapter of the cathedral in his native diocese, Osma. Although this appointment could represent for him some motive of prestige in the Church and in society, he did not interpret it as a personal privilege, or as the beginning of a brilliant ecclesiastical career, but as a service to render with dedication and humility. Is not perhaps the temptation to a career, to power, a temptation to which not even those who have a role of leadership and governance in the Church are immune? I recalled this a few months ago, during the consecration of some bishops: "We do not seek power, prestige or esteem for ourselves. [...] We know how in civil society and often also in the Church things suffer because many people on whom responsibility has been conferred work for themselves rather than for the community" (Homily, Cappella Papale per l'Ordinazione episcopale di cinque Ecc. mi Presuli, Sept. 12, 2009).
The bishop of Osma, who was named Diego, a true and zealous pastor, very soon noticed the spiritual quality of Dominic, and wished to make use of his collaboration. Together they went to Northern Europe to carry out diplomatic missions entrusted to them by the king of Castille.
While traveling, Dominic became aware of two great challenges for the Church of his time: the existence of people who were not yet evangelized, in the northern limits of the European continent, and the religious scourge that weakened Christian life in southern France, where the action of some heretical groups created disturbance and a falling away from the truth of the faith. Missionary work on behalf of those who do not know the light of the Gospel and the work of re-evangelization of the Christian community thus became the apostolic goals that Dominic intended to pursue. It was the Pope, to whom Bishop Diego and Dominic went to ask advice, who requested the latter to dedicate himself to preaching to the Albigensians, a heretical group which held a dualistic concept of reality, that is, of two equally powerful creative principles, Good and Evil. This group, consequently, had contempt for matter as coming from the principle of evil, even rejecting marriage, and reaching the point of denying the incarnation of Christ, the sacraments in which the Lord "touches" us through matter, and the resurrection of bodies. The Albigensians esteemed a poor and austere life -- in this sense they were even exemplary -- and they criticized the wealth of the clergy of that time.
Dominic accepted this mission enthusiastically, which he carried out precisely with the example of his poor and austere existence, with the preaching of the Gospel and with public debates. He dedicated the rest of his life to this mission of preaching the Good News. His sons would fulfill St. Dominic's other dreams: the mission ad gentes, that is, to those who did not yet know Jesus, and the mission to those who lived in the city, especially in the universities, where new intellectual tendencies were a challenge for the faith of the well-educated.
This great saint reminds us that a missionary fire must always burn in the heart of the Church, which drives incessantly to take the first proclamation of the Gospel and, where necessary, to a new evangelization: Christ is, in fact, the most precious good that men and women of all times and all places have the right to know and to love! And it is consoling to see how also in the Church of today there are so many -- pastors and lay faithful, members of old religious orders and of new ecclesial movements -- that with joy spend their life for this supreme ideal: to proclaim and witness the Gospel!
Other men associated themselves to Dominic Guzmán, attracted by the same aspiration. Thus, gradually, from the first foundation of Tolosa, was born the Order of Preachers. Dominic, in fact, in full obedience to the directives of the Popes of his time, Innocent III and Honorius III, adopted the ancient Rule of St. Augustine, adapting it to the needs of apostolic life, which led him and his companions to preach, moving from one post to another, but returning, later, to their own monasteries, places of study, prayer and community life. In a particular way, Dominic wished to highlight two values considered indispensable for the success of the evangelizing mission: community life in poverty and study.
First of all, Dominic and the Friars Preachers presented themselves as mendicants, that is, without vast properties of land to administer. This element rendered them more available for study and itinerant preaching and constituted a concrete witness for the people. The internal government of the Dominican monasteries and provinces was structured on the system of chapters, which elected their own superiors, confirmed later by major superiors; hence, an organization that stimulated fraternal life and the responsibility of all the members of the community, exacting strong personal convictions. The choice of this system stemmed precisely from the fact that the Dominicans, as preachers of the truth of God, had to be consistent with what they proclaimed. Truth studied and shared in charity with brothers is the most profound foundation of joy. Blessed Giordano of Saxony said of St. Dominic: "He received every man in the great bosom of charity and, because he loved everyone, everyone loved him. He made a personal law for himself of being joyful with happy persons and of weeping with those who wept" (Libellus de principiis Ordinis Praedicatorum autore Iordano de Saxonia, ed. H.C. Scheeben, [Monumenta Historica Sancti Patris Nostri Dominici, Romae, 1935]).
In the second place, with a courageous gesture Dominic wished that his followers acquire a solid theological formation, and he did not hesitate to send them to the universities of the time, even though not a few ecclesiastics regarded with diffidence these cultural institutions. The Constitutions of the Order of Preachers give great importance to study as preparation for the apostolate. Dominic wanted his friars to dedicate themselves to study, sparing no effort, with diligence and compassion -- to study founded on the soul of all theological learning, that is, on sacred Scripture, and respectful of the questions posed by reason.
The development of culture imposes on those who carry out the ministry of the Word, at various levels, to be well prepared. Hence I exhort all, pastors and laity, to cultivate this "cultural dimension" of faith, so that the beauty of the Christian truth can be better understood and faith can be truly nourished, reinforced and also defended. In this Year for Priests, I invite seminarians and priests to appreciate the spiritual value of study. The quality of the priestly ministry depends also on the generosity with which one applies oneself to the study of revealed truths.
Dominic, who wished to found a religious Order of Preachers-Theologians, reminds us that theology has a spiritual and pastoral dimension, which enriches the spirit and life. Priests, consecrated persons and also all the faithful can find a profound "interior joy" in contemplating the beauty of the truth that comes from God, truth that is always up-to-date and always living. Hence, the motto of the Friars Preachers -- contemplata aliis tradere -- helps us to discover a pastoral yearning in the contemplative study of such truth, by the need to communicate to others the fruit of one's contemplation.
When Dominic died in 1221 in Bologna, the city that declared him its patron, his work had already had great success. The Order of Preachers, with the support of the Holy See, had spread to many countries of Europe to the benefit of the whole Church. Dominic was canonized in 1234, and it is he himself, with his sanctity, who indicates to us two indispensable means for apostolic action to be incisive. First of all, Marian devotion, which he cultivated with tenderness and which he left as precious legacy to his spiritual children, who in the history of the Church have had the great merit of spreading the prayer of the holy rosary, so dear to the Christian people and so rich in evangelical values, a true school of faith and piety. In the second place, Dominic, who took care of some women's convents in France and in Rome, believed profoundly in the value of intercessory prayer for the success of apostolic work. Only in Paradise will we understand how much the prayer of the cloistered effectively supports apostolic action! To each one of them I direct my grateful and affectionate thoughts.
Dear brothers and sisters, may Dominic Guzmán's life spur all of us to be fervent in prayer, courageous in living the faith, profoundly in love with Jesus Christ. Through his intercession, we ask God to enrich the Church always with genuine preachers of the Gospel.
]]>Shown below is a translation of the January 13, 2010 address Benedict XVI delivered during the general audience in Paul VI Hall. His topic of the mendicant religious orders speaks directly to our Dominican charism and life.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
At the beginning of the new year, we look at the history of Christianity, to see how a history develops and how it can be renewed. In it we can see that it is the saints, guided by the light of God, who are the genuine reformers of the life of the Church and of society. Teachers by their word and witnesses with their example, they know how to promote a stable and profound ecclesial renewal, because they themselves are profoundly renewed, they are in contact with the true novelty: the presence of God in the world.
Such a consoling reality -- that in every generation saints are born and bear the creativity of renewal -- constantly accompanies the history of the Church in the midst of the sorrows and the negative aspects of her journey. We also see come forth, century by century, the forces of reform and of renewal, because the novelty of God is inexorable and always gives new strength to go forward.
This was what happened in the 13th century, with the birth and the extraordinary development of the Mendicant Orders: a model of great renewal in a new historic period. They were called thus because of their characteristic of "begging," namely, of going to the people humbly for economic support to live the vow of poverty and to carry out their evangelizing mission. Of the Mendicant Orders that arose in that period, the most notable and most important are the Friars Minor and the Preaching Friars, known as Franciscans and Dominicans. They have these names because of their founders, Francis of Assisi and Dominic de Guzmán, respectively. These two great saints had the capacity to wisely read "the signs of the times," intuiting the challenges that the Church of their time had to face.
A first challenge was represented by the spread of several groups and movements of faithful that, although inspired in a legitimate desire for authentic Christian life, often placed themselves outside of ecclesial communion. They were in profound opposition to the rich and beautiful Church that developed precisely with the flourishing of monasticism. In recent catecheses I reflected on the monastic community of Cluny, which had always attracted young men and, therefore, vital forces, as well as goods and riches. Thus logically developed, initially, a Church rich in property and also immobile. Opposed to this Church was the idea that Christ came on earth poor and that the true Church should be, in fact, the Church of the poor; a desire for true Christian authenticity was thus opposed to the reality of the empirical Church.
This brought about the so-called pauper movements of the Medieval Age. They harshly contested the lifestyles of priests and monks of the time, accused of having betrayed the Gospel and of not practicing poverty as the first Christians, and these movements counterpoised to the ministry of the bishops their own "parallel hierarchy." Moreover, to justify their choices, they spread doctrines that were incompatible with the Catholic faith. For example, the movement of the Cathars or Albigensians proposed again old heresies, such as depreciation and contempt of the material world -- opposition to wealth quickly became opposition to material reality as such -- the negation of free will, and then dualism, the existence of a second principle of evil equated with God. These movements had success, especially in France and Italy, not only because of their solid organization, but also because they denounced a real disorder in the Church, caused by the less than exemplary behavior of several representatives of the clergy.
On the other hand, the Franciscans and Dominicans, in the footsteps of their founders, showed that it was possible to live evangelical poverty, the truth of the Gospel, without separating from the Church; they showed that the Church continued to be the true, authentic place of the Gospel and Scripture. Thus, Dominic and Francis drew, precisely from profound communion with the Church and the papacy, the strength of their witness.
With an altogether original choice in the history of consecrated life, the members of these orders not only gave up possession of personal goods, as monks had since antiquity, but even wanted real estate and goods put in the name of the community. In this way they intended to give witness of an extremely sober life, to be in solidarity with the poor and trust only in Providence, to live every day by Providence, in trust, putting themselves in God's hands. This personal and community style of the Mendicant Orders, joined to total adherence to the teaching of the Church and her authority, was greatly appreciated by the Pontiffs of the time, such as Innocent III and Honorius III, who gave their full support to these new ecclesial experiences, recognizing in them the voice of the Spirit.
And fruits were not lacking: The poor groups that had separated from the Church returned to ecclesial communion or, gradually, were re-dimensioned until they disappeared. Also today, though living in a society in which "having" often prevails over "being," there is great sensitivity to examples of poverty and solidarity, which believers give with courageous choices. Also today, similar initiatives are not lacking: movements, which really begin from the novelty of the Gospel and live it radically today, putting themselves in God's hands, to serve their neighbor. The world, as Paul VI recalled in "Evangelii Nuntiandi," willingly listens to teachers when they are also witnesses. This is a lesson that must never be forgotten in the endeavor of spreading the Gospel: to live first of all what is proclaimed, to be a mirror of divine charity.
Franciscans and Dominicans were witnesses, but also teachers. In fact, another widespread need in their time was that of religious instruction. Not a few lay faithful, who lived in greatly expanding cities, wished to practice a spiritually intense Christian life. Hence they sought to deepen their knowledge of the faith and to be guided in the arduous but exciting path of holiness. Happily, the Mendicant Orders were also able to meet this need: the proclamation of the Gospel in simplicity and in its depth and greatness was one objective, perhaps the main objective of this movement. In fact, with great zeal they dedicated themselves to preaching. The faithful were very numerous, often real and veritable crowds, which gathered to hear the preachers in the churches and in places outdoors -- let us think of St. Anthony, for example. They dealt with themes close to the life of the people, especially the practice of the theological and moral virtues, with concrete examples, easily understood. Moreover, they taught ways to nourish the life of prayer and piety. For example, the Franciscans greatly spread devotion to the humanity of Christ, with the commitment of imitating the Lord. Hence it is not surprising that the faithful were numerous, women and men, who chose to be supported in their Christian journey by the Franciscan and Dominican friars, sought after and appreciated spiritual directors and confessors.
Thus were born associations of lay faithful that were inspired by the spirituality of Sts. Francis and Dominic, adapted to their state of life. It was the Third Order, whether Franciscan or Dominican. In other words, the proposal of a "lay sanctity" won many people. As the Second Vatican Council recalled, the call to holiness is not reserved to some, but is universal (cf. "Lumen Gentium," 40). In every state of life, according to the needs of each, there is the possibility of living the Gospel. Also today every Christian must tend to the "lofty measure of Christian life," no matter what state of life he belongs to!
The importance of the Mendicant Orders grew so much in the Middle Ages that lay institutions, such as labor organizations, ancient corporations and even civil authorities, often took recourse to the spiritual consultation of members of such orders for the writing of their regulations and, at times, for the solution of internal and external opposition. The Franciscans and Dominicans became the spiritual leaders of the Medieval city. With great intuition, they put into practice a pastoral strategy adapted to the transformation of society. Because many people were moving from the countryside to the cities, they placed their monasteries no longer in rural but in urban areas. Moreover, to carry out their activity for the benefit of souls, it was necessary to move in keeping with pastoral needs.
With another altogether innovative choice, the Mendicant Orders abandoned the principle of stability, a classic of ancient monasticism, to choose another way. Friars and Preachers traveled from one place to another, with missionary zeal. As a consequence, they gave themselves an organization that was different from that of the majority of monastic orders. In place of the traditional autonomy that every monastery enjoyed, they gave greater importance to the order as such and to the superior-general, as well as to the structure of the provinces. Thus the mendicants were in general available for the needs of the universal Church. This flexibility made it possible to send friars more adapted to specific missions and the Mendicant Orders reached North Africa, the Middle East and Northern Europe. With this flexibility, missionary dynamism was renewed.
Another great challenge was represented by the cultural transformations taking place at that time. New questions made for lively discussions in the universities, which arose at the end of the 12th century. Friars and Preachers did not hesitate to assume this commitment as well and, as students and professors, they entered the most famous universities of the time, founded centers of study, produced texts of great value, gave life to true and proper schools of thought, were protagonists of scholastic theology in its greatest period, and significantly influenced the development of thought.
The greatest thinkers, Sts. Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure, were mendicants, operating in fact with this dynamism of the new evangelization, which also renewed the courage of thought, of dialogue between reason and faith. Today also there is a "charity of and in truth," an "intellectual charity" to exercise, to enlighten intelligences and combine faith with culture. The widespread commitment of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the Medieval universities is an invitation, dear faithful, to make oneself present in places of the elaboration of learning, to propose, with respect and conviction, the light of the Gospel on the fundamental questions that concern man, his dignity, and his eternal destiny. Thinking of the role of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the Middle Ages, of the spiritual renewal they aroused, of the breath of new life that they communicated in the world, a monk says: "At that time the world was growing old. Two orders arose in the Church, from which it renewed its youth, like that of an eagle" (Burchard d'Ursperg, Chronicon).
Dear brothers and sisters, let us indeed invoke at the beginning of this year the Holy Spirit, eternal youth of the Church: May he make each one of us feel the urgency of giving a consistent and courageous witness of the Gospel, so that saints will never be lacking, who make the Church shine as a Bride always pure and beautiful, without stain and without wrinkle, able to attract the world irresistibly to Christ, to his salvation.
[At the end of the audience, the Holy Father greeted the people in several languages. In English, he said:]
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In our catechesis on medieval Christian culture, we now consider the movement of ecclesial reform promoted by the two great Mendicant Orders. In every age the saints are the true reformers of the Church's life. In the thirteenth century Saints Francis and Dominic inspired a vast evangelical renewal which met three significant needs of the Church of that time. The Franciscans and the Dominicans adopted a lifestyle of evangelical poverty which, unlike that of the Cathars, was grounded in communion with the visible Church and a sound Christian understanding of the goodness of creation. As zealous preachers, especially in urban environments, the Friars provided religious instruction and spiritual guidance to the lay faithful, many of whom became members of their "Third Orders." Traveling freely from place to place, they also contributed to the overall renewal of Church life and the spiritual transformation of society. By their presence in the universities, the Friars worked for the evangelization of culture, affirming the harmony of faith and reason, and creating the great synthesis of scholastic theology. May their example of holiness and evangelical lifestyle inspire our own witness to the Gospel and our efforts to draw the world to Christ and his Church.
I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from Denmark, Australia and the United States of America. My particular greeting goes to the many student groups present and to the faculty members. Upon all of you I invoke God's blessings of joy and peace!
Copyright 2010 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[In Italian, he added]
Finally, as usual, I turn to the young people, the sick and the newlyweds present. Today's liturgy remembers St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, who lived in France in the 4th century, who "was a tenacious champion of the divinity of Christ" (Liturgy), defender of the faith and teacher of truth. May his example sustain you, dear young people, in your constant and courageous search for Christ: Especially you students of the Diocese of Caserta, thank you for your presence and thank you for your commitment in the faith. I see and feel the strength of your faith; I encourage you, dear sick people, to offer your sufferings so that the Kingdom of God is spread in the whole world; and help you, dear newlyweds, to be witnesses of the love of Christ in family life.
I now wish to address an appeal for the tragic situation currently being experienced in Haiti. My thoughts go in particular to the population hit just a few hours ago by a devastating earthquake which has caused serious loss of human life, large numbers of homeless and missing people, and vast material damage. I invite everyone to join my prayers to the Lord for the victims of this catastrophe and for those who mourn their loss. I give assurances of my spiritual closeness to people who have lost their homes and to everyone who, in various ways, has been affected by this terrible calamity, imploring God to bring them consolation and relief in their suffering.
I appeal to the generosity of all people so that these our brothers and sisters who are experiencing a moment of need and suffering may not lack our concrete solidarity and the effective support of the international community. The Catholic Church will not fail to move immediately, through her charitable institutions, to meet the most immediate needs of the population.
[Translation by ZENIT]
]]>The Dominican Experience Weekend (more commonly call the DEW) provides an opportunity for you to join other men discerning a vocation and take a deeper, more serious look at religious life. When you first come to realize God may be calling you to serve Him as a priest or brother, it seems as though you are the only person in the world with a vocation. Talking about it with your friends can be helpful to a certain point, but often your questions just don't seem to make sense to them. This is where the DEW can really make an impact on your discernment process.
The Dominican Experience Weekend brings together men like yourself. These men share many of your questions and concerns. Often meeting other men in the same situation as yourself makes the whole discernment process a lot easier and less intimidating. In addition, the opportunity to meet and socialize with our friars, novices and student brothers also helps in seeing whether religious life is really for you.
During the weekend you will have an opportunities to:
Join the friars and novices in their prayer and liturgical life
Socialize with friars, novices and student brothers
Participate in presentations and discussions on the vows and the reality of living religious life
Come to a deeper understanding of Dominican spirituality and mission
The Spring 2010 DEW will be held on February 26 - 28, 2010 at St. Anthony of Padua Priory in new Orleans, LA. The weekend begins on Friday evening at 5:00 PM and end on Sunday at 12:00 PM.
Spaces for the Dominican Experience Weekend fill up relatively quickly. Click here if you're interested in attending the weekend or would like to request more information. For more information on discerning a Dominican vocation visit our vocation website.
]]>“It is a very great privilege to be entrusted with this role of leadership and service in the vibrant young diocese of Parramatta,” Bishop Fisher said on Friday. “Western Sydney is one the Australia's fasting growing areas, with a median age of only 32, many young families and numerous ethnic communities. Parramatta may be one of our youngest dioceses but it is already the fifth most populous in Australia and has many exciting possibilities.”
Speaking about the impact that the 2008 World Youth Day had on him personally, Bishop Fisher said that “World Youth Day brought home to me the importance of youth ministry and the major contribution young people can make to our Church today. I will be bringing that experience and energy to my new role.”
Born in South-West Sydney and educated in local schools, Bishop Fisher eventually studied History and Law at the University of Sydney. Following his studies there, he practiced in a law firm in the city and began his involvement in the pro-life movement.
In 1985 he entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) and began his theology studies in Melbourne. He was ordained a priest in 1991 and finished his doctorate in bioethics at the University of Oxford in 1995. In addition to lecturing in numerous countries and being widely published, Bishop Fisher served as foundation Director for the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne where he is still a professor.
“I have a passion for preaching, teaching and formation, and so I will be very interested in the disctinctive contribution the Catholic Church makes in this regard in the Diocese of Parramatta,” said the Bishop.
The installation Mass for Bishop Fisher will take place at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Parramatta on March 4, 2010.
reprinted from Catholic News Agency
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The Word was the real light
that gives light to everyone;
he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had come into being through him,
and the world did not recognize him.
He came to his own
and his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believed in his name
who were born not from human stock
or human desire
or human will
but from God himself.
The Word became flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that he has from the Father
as only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
(John 1: 9-14; NJB)
As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and rapidly approach the end of the first decade of the third millennium, I encourage you to pray with this passage from the Gospel of John. 2010 will surely bring many blessings as we face on-going challenges on a number of levels. The perennial challenge for us, of course, is to respond with our whole being to the charge we have been given to preach the Word made Flesh to the ends of the earth. We remind ourselves that we all “signed up” for this; and like in the day of many of our predecessors throughout our rich Dominican history, there is still resistance in our day to the truth of Jesus Christ coming from many who do not know him; who live in a world that does not recognize him. I encourage you to never shy away from this challenge; and I encourage you to resist the temptation to simply “tickle the ears” of your listeners. There is much at stake, brothers. Realize that we indeed have been given “power to become children of God”. With that knowledge, let us always preach the incarnation of the Word fearlessly and with great passion and integrity in the footsteps of St. Dominic, St. Martin de Porres, St. Catherine of Siena and all those Dominicans who faithfully preached the Word in their time and place. It is our turn now!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,
fr. Marty, O.P.
Prior Provincial
Below is an excerpt from the Bull of Approval:
]]>Honorius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the beloved sons Dominic, prior of St. Romanus in Toulouse, and his brethren, both present and future, professed in the regular life. In perpetuum.
It is fitting that apostolic protection should be extended to those choosing the religious life, lest temerarious attacks should possibly turn them away from their purpose or, God forbid, destroy the vigour of the sacred religious institute. Wherefore, beloved sons in the Lord, we benevolently assent to your just requests. We take the Church aof St. Romanus in Toulouse, where you have given yourselves to the service of God, under the protection of St. Peter and our own, and we secure it with the present written privilege.
In the first place, indeed, we decree that the canonical Order which is known to be established according to God and the Rule of St. Augustine in the said Church should be inviolably preserved forever.
Moreover, that whatever possessions and whatever goods the said church at present justly and canonically possesses or shall be able, the Lord granting, to acquire in the future through the concession of the popes, the liberality of kings or princes, the offerings of the faithful, or other just means, should belong firmly and inviolably to you and your successors. Among these goods, we have deemed it well to name the following: the place itself where the said church is situated, with its properties; the church of Prouille with its properties; the estate of Caussanel with its properties; the church of St. Mary of Lescure with its properties; the hospice in Toulouse, called "the Hospice of Arnold Bernard," with its properties; the church of the Holy Trinity in Loubens, with its properties; and the tithes which, in his good and provident liberality, our venerable brother Foulques, the bishop of Toulouse, with the consent of his chapter, has given you, as this is more explicitly contained in his letters.
... If, therefore, in the future any ecclesiastical or secular person whosoever, having knowledge of this our document, shall rashly attempt to contravene it, and if, after a second or third admonition, he refuses to correct his fault by fitting satisfaction, let him forfeit the dignity of his power and honor; and let him know that he shall stand guilty of the perpetrated evil before God's judgment and shall be denied the most sacred Body and Blood of our God and Lord, our Saviour Jesus Christ, and shall, at the last judgment, be delivered to strict vengeance. Nevertheless, may all those who uphold the rights of the said place have the peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, receive the fruit of good action here on earth, and, before the Just Judge, receive the rewards of eternal peace. Amen, amen, amen.
I, Honorius, Bishop of the Catholic Church.
Perfect my steps in your ways. Fare ye well!
Given at Rome at St. Peter, by the hand of Ranerio, Prior of Santo Fridiano in Lucca, Vice-Chancellor of the holy Roman Church, on the eleventh of the kalends of January, the fifth indiction, the 1216th year of Our Lord's Incarnation, the first year of the Lord Pope, Honorius III.
In the summer of 2009 two of our student brothers joined 16 other Dominican friars from around the world as guests of the Institute Dominican d'études Orientales (IDEO). The goal of this program was to learn about the mission of IDEO, review some of their academic research, and encounter Islam in a predominately Islamic country. Read the reflections of this young friar's journey to a very different, but exciting world.
As I sit in a small tea house, an elderly man approaches. He does not speak English, but signals for me to remove my shoes. Knowing it is the custom in the region to do so in many buildings, I take them off and place them next to my table. The man walks off with my shoes. Much to my relief, he returns with them a few minutes later, a fresh black finish and the smell of polish greet my senses. After bartering over the price of an unwanted shine, I have my shoes back at the price of five Egyptian pounds. Within minutes of walking down the street, my shoes again are covered in dust. So begins my second full day in Cairo.
From July 1st through the 15th, Br. John Paul Phillips and I joined 16 other friars from around the world as guests of the Institute Dominican d'études Orientales (IDEO). Our goal during this visit was to learn about the mission of IDEO, review some of their academic research, and encounter Islam in a predominately Islamic country. While we reviewed some basic history of the Islamic movement, we also dug deeper into their traditions and culture, including the charismatic nature of Sufism, the mystical school of Islam.
The Egyptian mornings are cooler than one might expect, ranging between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius. Thus, we took advantage of that break in the heat. While we spent several hours in conferences, learning about the institute and its work, we also had the opportunity to experience Egyptian culture and tour places that typically are not on tourists' maps. Everywhere we went, we were welcomed with open arms and great hospitality.
We were treated to personalized tours of many prominent places, from the Ibn Tulun Mosque, one of Egypt's oldest (built in A.D. 850), to the state-of-the-art Al Azhar University, one of the world's most respected Islamic schools. Of course, no trip to Egypt would be complete without a visit to the Pyramids of Giza. Over the first few days, we met prominent writers and professors from Cairo, had conversations with many local Muslims, and visited street vendors, bazaars, parks, and even the tomb of St. Mark the Evangelist.
Although the heart of Cairo was opened for our benefit, and we were treated as honored guests, the visit should not be viewed entirely through rose colored glasses. We had several encounters with local Coptic Christians, many of whom also greeted us with great generosity and warmth. However, their daily lives differ in many ways from their Muslim-Egyptian counterparts. No one hid the fact that certain jobs, like judgeships, high ranking military offices, and many teaching positions are off limits to non-Muslims. A few Copts, speaking softly and with great attentiveness to their words, criticized government actions, such as increased taxes for non-Muslims and other domestic affairs that made life for them tougher than for the average citizen.
We did not spend the entire two weeks in Cairo. Towards the end of our stay, we made our way through the Sinai Desert to Dahab, a small resort town on the Red Sea. Both figuratively and literally, the summit of our experience in Egypt pyramidoccurred atop Mount Sinai. All but one brother walked two and a half miles up a long, winding, and steep path. I, on the other hand, paid for a camel ride. Once my four-legged friend reached the limit of his abilities, I joined the other brothers in climbing several hundred steps (actually large stones) to the peak. Once we reached the top of the mountain, we watched the sun set and celebrated Mass with a large stone as our altar.
Having stuffed our pockets with bottles of water and candy bars, we rented thin sleeping pads and blankets, smelling not unlike the camel, and settled down for the night. The atmosphere was so clear that thousands of stars could be seen across the sky. A gentle wind was the only sound.
Around 2 am, those of us who were able to sleep were awakened by Muslim pilgrims who ascend the mountain each night and chant in Arabic - a beautiful sound. Shortly thereafter, other visitors came to the top of the mountain in expectation of sunrise. At approximately 5:30 am, fifty tourists from around the world watched the first sun of the day come up over the desert.
To end our excursion, we took the steps to St. Catherine's Monastery, a 4,500 step descent from the top of the mountain to the valley below. The opportunity to visit Cairo and learn about the mission of IDEO is one that I will not forget. The greatest benefit to my education was living and studying at the institute, and its eightyyear- old endeavor to learn more about the Islamic faith. While predominately a project of the French Province, IDEO earnestly seeks friars from around the world who have an interest in advanced Arabic studies and in adding to the corpus of work produced by the institute these last eighty years. Even though the focus of IDEO centers on the Islamic faith, anyone interested in Arabic history, language or culture should contact them. The friars in Cairo have many contacts and useful resources in the Arab world.
If any communities or friars have an interest in learning more about IDEO or the program John Paul and I attended this summer, I would be pleased to present some of the information we received as well as share some of our experiences in greater detail. I wish to offer my sincere thanks to fr. Carlos Azpiroz-Costaand fr. Jean Jacques Pérennès, who made this program possible through grants and many hours of work. I also want to thank the Province and our benefactors for making this trip a possibility. My vocation has only been enriched by this opportunity to meet so many brothers from around the world and experience Dominican life in such a unique environment as Egypt.
“The brethren shall always be prompt to initiate or pursue discussions or opportunities for true dialogue with followers of other religions or with non-believers.”
The Book of Constitutions and Ordinations of the Brothers of the Order of Preachers.
The Archbishop of New Orleans would answer: no, not quite to that last question. Here's what he says in his Pastoral Letter on Racism called, "Made In The Image And Likeness of God":
"What a great grace it would be if the waters of Katrina (which means. cleansing) were not only to wreak devastation, but also to wash away the· stain of racial prejudice and division, and enable us to rise to a new life of racial justice and harmony!
" A "great grace" indeed it would be for all people. It seems though that it is difficult for us to confront the" stain of racial prejudice" and rid ourselves of it once and for all. Charles Blow, a columnist for The New York Times writes" According to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released last month January 2009), twice as many blacks as whites thought racism was a big problem in this country, while twice as many whites as blacks thought that blacks had achieved racial equality ... Talking frankly about race is still hard because it's confusing and uncomfortable."
Blow goes on to cite statistics showing that whites do not want to appear prejudiced around blacks and often go to great lengths not to appear so. As a result blacks often feel as though whites who act colorblind are often more racist because they don't bring up the subject of race even when it might be germane. Consequently, blacks tend to feel that these whites are racist. See more of the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/opinion/21blow.html?_r=1
It's obvious that the conversation on racism and prejudice needs to continue and that racism is not dead because Mr. Obama is President of these United States of America. It won't be easy, but as people of faith we are called to understand the inherent, God-given dignity of each person. Perhaps, Mr. Obama's presidency will be an occasion of unity in diversity helping to have whites and blacks (as well as other ethnic groups) begin the conversation anew.
Written by: fr. Jeffrey Ott, OP, Provincial Promoter for Justice and Peace
]]>The General Chapter in Bologna requested of the Historical Institute of the Order a study on the involvement of "some Dominicans in the Inquisition." For this reason, the Dominican Historical Institute has called upon scholars from around the world to attend to the demands made by the General Chapter in Bologna. The process has taken seven long years in which the different Seminars have approached the matter from diverse but complementary perspectives. The first was held in 2002; it considered the involvement of Dominicans in the medieval inquisitions. The second was held in 2004, when the institute approached the study of the involvement of the Dominicans in the Inquisitions of the Iberian Peninsula and their American counterparts. The third Seminar was held in 2006. I was invited to help for the first time. For the third Seminar, the different Scholars delved into the question of our involvement in the Roman Inquisition. Finally the fourth and last Seminar was held this year in Rome. For the final meeting of this momentous historical work, the different scholars were asked to consider the nature of our involvement in the Inquisitions in relation to literature, the arts and theology.
This final seminar marked the end of a serious and ultimate study of this particular chapter in our history. The Bologna chapter asked about the involvement of "some of the brothers in the inquisition" and the response from the seminars is the involvement of many friars over the centuries, as the inquisitions were instituted and executed in the old and new world.
I am convinced that a response to this study must be done carefully and only formulated after a thorough and reflective reading of the results from its findings. The question is highly complex and cannot be brushed over by a simplistic and perhaps irresponsible dismissal composed of a simple statement of regret and a request for forgiveness. We are the friars of the Order of Preachers; we must approach the truth without fear. Much can be learned from these many years of research, both for the good of the Order and for the well being of the Church and its mission in the world. That is the new challenge before us. A great part of our memory now lies collected in the many pages of the four volumes containing the proceedings from these seminars. We can now look into this chapter of our past and reflect, so as to move forward into the future having learned its lessons, not in hesitant shame or overcome by the often commonly held and highly ideological visions of these particular events, but with the truth at hand. We can face up to our guilt and also learn what there was of positive in our contribution, and then, with courage and with the strength and the wisdom that come from lessons learned in life, we can approach our mission for salvation with a new breath and ardent love for the kingdom of God.
I was engaged as Secretary General to the final Seminar. My work was to assist the president of the institute in the planning and execution of the event. I was asked to assist in communicating with all the/participating scholars, in the collection of all the materials involved, and in the administration of the Seminar while it was being held. The latter involved the task of assisting in the administration of the Seminar financially, technically and in all practical matters. It called for all the modest organizational skills that I've collected and learned over my years in the Order. The experience was rich, exhausting and unforgettable. I loved it!
Written by fr. Marcelo, Solorzano, OP
]]>The St. Martin de Porres Shrine & Institute, a ministry of the Southern Dominican Province and part of St. Peter Catholic Church, was designed to be more than a typical shrine. "A shrine in most Catholic churches is basically a side altar that's dedicated to a particular saint," says St. Martin Shrine's director, Father John Pitzer. "That's kind of the way the St. Martin's Shrine was before we brought it to Memphis. We wanted more."
Originally founded in Columbia, SC, in 1936, the shrine celebrates St. Martin de Porres, the Catholic patron saint of social justice. De Porres was born in 1579, the child of a mixed-race: marriage between a Spanish nobleman and a freed black slave from Panama. A barber by trade - in the days when barbers dispensed herbal medicines - De Porres joined the Dominican Order in his home of Lima, Peru, where he was celebrated as a creation-loving healer and worker.
"It's hard enough to be of mixed race today," says Father John. "Certainly, a few hundred years ago, it was extremely difficult. So it's fitting that today he is the patron saint of social justice in the Catholic Church." De Porres died in 1639 at the age of 60 and was canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII.
After the Columbia parish closed, the shrine moved to New Orleans - headquarters of the Southern Dominican Order - for a short lime before making its way to the Bluff City in 2001.
"We were looking for a permanent home for the shrine, a place where it could become something much more than just a side altar," says Father John, who was ordained in 1999 after serving as a seminarian at 51. Peter Church, where he also serves as associate pastor. "We wanted a phy~ical building. The New Orleans province looked at places throughout the South. We thought that with Memphis being the home of civil rights, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. having been assassinated here, and with the ongOing struggle for social justice for all people - well, here we have the patron saint of social justice, and it was a perfect fit."
Because St. Martin Shrine is the only shrine dedicated to this particular saint, it holds a special meaning to Catholics aroun? the country.
The shrine itself includes a 50seat chapel accessible through a gated courtyard on Third Street behind 51. Peter's sanctuary. A fountain in the courtyard memorializes S1. Martin with a bronze statue by Memphis sculptor Roy Tamboli. The joyous St. Martin rises from the center, surrounded by animals - symbolizing creation - and bread that represents feeding the hungry.
Statues and icons have special relevance in the Catholic tradition. "Saints are extremely popular, and sometimes that gets a bad rap," says Father John. "People on the outside ask, 'Why do Catholics worship statues?' OUf view is that saints are people we can emulate imd look to as guides in our lives. If I ask someone to pray for me, I can do that with anyone I see face to face. In the Catholic tradition, we believe we can ask someone in Heaven to pray for us."
A niche in the courtyard to the east of the fountain holds the church's columbarium, a final resting place for the ashes of cremated church members. The entire exterior of the shrine was designed to look like an original part of 51. Peter Church, built in 1855 and one of the oldest churches in Memphis.
Inside the Spanish Missionstyle chapel, the rich imagery of St. Martin continues with five painted icons on the west wall by Memphis artist Pam Hassler in which the saint is displayed in the religious postures he was known for: worshipping the Lord, serving in faith, feeding the hungry, caring for creation, and healing the sick.
Hassler also painted a larger icon of Our Lady of Guada1~ upe that hangs opposite the pews on the east side of the chapel.
In the painting Serving in Faith, as well as in an 89-yearold statue behind the altar, St. Martin is pictured with a broom, the symbol of hard work and humble stewardship. A basket of prayer petitions received from all over the world sits at the foot of the statue.
Also behind the altar is an ornate frame containing two relics of St. Martin de Porres - literal pieces of the saint's life. The tiny first class relic is a chip of one of his bones, and the second, a piece of wood, may have been part of his bed.
Classrooms, office space, and a bookstore, all on the north side of the courtyard, complete St. Martin Shrine's mission of education and outreach, symbolized by the "Institute" in the shrine's name.
"That's really what makes us different," says Father John. "We included the word institute because we intended this to become a place of learning - a place that would challenge people and address pertinent issues, whether they be homeless ness, the death penalty, or racism."
The institute is perhaps best known for last year's "Healing of the Races" symposium, a one-day conversation and community builder designed to help citizens begin addressing and understanding Memphis's complex race relations.
"The next symposium I'd like to do is something on homelessness and hunger," says Father John. "That type of outreach is what makes us an institute. /I
Education, prayer, and imagery, Father John points out, are tightl y interwoven in Catholic history and remain the basis for St. Martin Shrine's service to the people of Memphis.
"Centuries ago when people did not read, you couldn't open a history book and learn about S1. Martin, so you'd creatp. a statue you could point to and say, 'That's what 51. Martin looked like,'" says Father John. "That's why we have stained glass windows. We can point to the windows and tell our stories.
Written by: Jonathan Devin © March 2009 Downtown Productions
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During the ceremony the four brothers were clothed in the religious habit and welcomed to the Novitiate by fr. Martin J. Gleeson, O P and fr. Wilmo Candenado, OP their Novice Master. The novitiate is a time of intense prayer and study during which the novice experience the fullness of life and has the opportunity to reflect on his vocation. Throughout the year the novices study a number of topics including prayer, liturgy, Dominican history, spirituality and the Constitutions of the Order.
Please join us in welcoming these new brothers with your good wishes and prayers.