DOMINICAN SPIRITUALITY

Who Are The Dominicans???• ““How can they hear without How can they hear without

someone to reach? And how someone to reach? And how can they preach unless they can they preach unless they are sent?”are sent?”- - Romans 10:14Romans 10:14

• St. Paul posed these two St. Paul posed these two questions to the Romans of his questions to the Romans of his time questions with answers time questions with answers embedded within them.embedded within them.

• St. Dominic acted on these St. Dominic acted on these words.words.

Their Beginnings• Thirteen centuries later, in 1216, St. Thirteen centuries later, in 1216, St.

Dominic de Guzman responded to a Dominic de Guzman responded to a desperate need for informed preaching by desperate need for informed preaching by founding the Order of Preachers. founding the Order of Preachers.

• He trained his preachers to affirm the world He trained his preachers to affirm the world as the place where Christ was discovered as the place where Christ was discovered and to counter the false teachings and to counter the false teachings (Albigensians) which denied the dignity of (Albigensians) which denied the dignity of our humanity. our humanity.

The AlbigensiansThe Albigensians• The Albigensians preached that the The Albigensians preached that the

things of this world were inherently evil, things of this world were inherently evil, so the poor were told that they were so the poor were told that they were blessed in the lack of material things. blessed in the lack of material things.

• The Church reacted by sending orthodox The Church reacted by sending orthodox preachers who insisted on the inherent preachers who insisted on the inherent goodness of things, echoing the message goodness of things, echoing the message of Genesis: “And God saw that is was of Genesis: “And God saw that is was good”. good”. GGenesis 1:10enesis 1:10

• However, the message was not However, the message was not accepted partly because the accepted partly because the preachers, in the mood of the times, preachers, in the mood of the times, came with a show of display. came with a show of display. • Dominic sensed that the Gospel Dominic sensed that the Gospel

message would be more readily message would be more readily heard if preached in povertyheard if preached in poverty

The AlbigensiansThe Albigensians

A New Form of Religious LifeA New Form of Religious Life

• Dominic began a new form of religious life, Dominic began a new form of religious life, the life of the friar. Before this time the life of the friar. Before this time religious life had been monastic, but with religious life had been monastic, but with Dominic the secluded monastery gave way Dominic the secluded monastery gave way to priories in the cities. to priories in the cities.

• From their priories, the friars went out to From their priories, the friars went out to preach; to their priories, the friars returned preach; to their priories, the friars returned to be refreshed by prayer and supported by to be refreshed by prayer and supported by the brothers.the brothers.

• Dominic knew that the preaching of Dominic knew that the preaching of the Gospel must be rooted in a deep the Gospel must be rooted in a deep knowledge of and love for the Gospel. knowledge of and love for the Gospel.

• He realized the importance of study He realized the importance of study for his friars, so with his first for his friars, so with his first followers, Dominic became a student followers, Dominic became a student of theology.of theology.

A New Form of Religious LifeA New Form of Religious Life

• By the time of his death in 1221, By the time of his death in 1221, the Order had spread through the Order had spread through Western Europe, hundreds of Western Europe, hundreds of young men had joined, and their young men had joined, and their presence was being felt at the presence was being felt at the major universities of the time.major universities of the time.

A New Form of Religious LifeA New Form of Religious Life

Four PillarsFour Pillars

• The 4 pillars are the way in The 4 pillars are the way in which their life is divided; which their life is divided; 1.1. PrayerPrayer2.2. Common LifeCommon Life3.3. StudyStudy4.4. MinistryMinistry

Four Pillars• The four life of a Dominican is not divided The four life of a Dominican is not divided

at all. All four of these areas must be lived at all. All four of these areas must be lived in a faithful and rich way in order for the in a faithful and rich way in order for the Holy Preaching to be accomplished.Holy Preaching to be accomplished.

• Living a balanced life placing proper Living a balanced life placing proper emphasis on each area when appropriate emphasis on each area when appropriate helps them do the work that their founder helps them do the work that their founder Dominic and the Church have asked them Dominic and the Church have asked them to do: preach Jesus Christ!to do: preach Jesus Christ!

PrayerPrayer• They celebrate the Word in daily They celebrate the Word in daily

common prayer, meditation, study, common prayer, meditation, study, and in the proclamation that is and in the proclamation that is preaching. Their lives are nourished preaching. Their lives are nourished by God's Word as spoken in sacred by God's Word as spoken in sacred scripture, celebrated in the Eucharist, scripture, celebrated in the Eucharist, and encountered in everyday life.and encountered in everyday life.

PrayerPrayer

• Dominicans center their lives on Dominicans center their lives on Jesus Christ, the true light, and Jesus Christ, the true light, and are moved by the Holy Spirit who are moved by the Holy Spirit who radiates God's healing presence in radiates God's healing presence in the world today. the world today.

Common Life Common Life

• The basic idea of The basic idea of community is a community is a community living community living which is about the which is about the willingness to willingness to share their lives share their lives with one another.with one another.

Common Life Common Life

• For Dominicans, the communal For Dominicans, the communal dimension of their religious life dimension of their religious life challenges to them to be of “one challenges to them to be of “one mind and one heart in God.”mind and one heart in God.”

Study Study

• St. Dominic made study St. Dominic made study an essential part of the an essential part of the "Sacred Preaching." This "Sacred Preaching." This was no small innovation was no small innovation in the thirteenth century in the thirteenth century when most of the clergy when most of the clergy were uneducated. were uneducated.

Study Study

• St. Dominic sent the friars to the St. Dominic sent the friars to the universities to study, to preach, and universities to study, to preach, and to establish places of learning. The to establish places of learning. The dedication to study and teaching dedication to study and teaching continues today. continues today.

StudyStudy

• The Dominican emphasis on study The Dominican emphasis on study opens their hearts and minds more opens their hearts and minds more fully to the human condition today, fully to the human condition today, continues to build on a rich history continues to build on a rich history and tradition and has its ultimate and tradition and has its ultimate effect on their preaching and effect on their preaching and teaching.teaching.

Ministry Ministry

• As Dominican Friars, they continue As Dominican Friars, they continue the work of St. Dominic today in an the work of St. Dominic today in an active and contemplative life. Their active and contemplative life. Their mission includes preaching, mission includes preaching, teaching, and works of social justice teaching, and works of social justice in a variety of settings: campus in a variety of settings: campus ministry, parishes, high schools, ministry, parishes, high schools, colleges, universities, and retreats. colleges, universities, and retreats.

Ministry

• They are involved in full-time itinerant They are involved in full-time itinerant preaching, health care as chaplains and preaching, health care as chaplains and ethicists, and in the arts. ethicists, and in the arts.

• In their outreach to the poor they work In their outreach to the poor they work for truth, justice, and peace in today's for truth, justice, and peace in today's society though their parishes, campus society though their parishes, campus ministries, and involvement in the local ministries, and involvement in the local and universal church.and universal church.

DOMINICAN SPIRITUALITY