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Good morning, I hope this email finds you well. What is the best approach to a devotion to St. Dominic?
I understand that he is not as famous as his brother, St. Francis of Assisi. But as a Dominican yourself, how can you best approach the Holy Father Dominic?
Thank you! Thank you, Father! Father of our souls, those who question.

Priest’s answer

Dearly beloved Ralph, friend from the Philippines,
1.what you notice is true: the figure of Saint Francis enchants for his conversion, for his poverty, for his genuine evangelical life, for his simplicity, for his contact with nature, for the miracles that accompanied his person, for the meetings, for the events and for his preaching.
In a word, for those who are called the little flowers of Saint Francis.

2. For San Domenico it is different. There was not a moment in him in which he changed his life and converted.
He was born into a deeply Christian family. He received an excellent human and Christian education.
Of an intellectual background, he attended the University of Palencia. He never had a worldly life, as happened to St. Francis before his conversion.
The purity of his life shone through his face and everyone instinctively loved him.

Once he became a priest, he remained in the shadow of the cathedral where the bishop had established a community of priests who were to be exemplary for the entire diocese. Already in those days he spent the night in prayer. 

His ministry began to emerge almost fortuitously, when, having passed the Pyrenees on a task that had been entrusted to him, he realized the devastation caused by heresy.

It was devastation of places of worship, of rectories, of church assets. But above all it was devastation of souls.

His passion for the eternal salvation of all involved him in disputes, in perfecting his studies, in exhorting, in persuading, in preaching.
Even in his life, although to a much lesser extent than that of Saint Francis, there are edifying events.

3. From the beginning the Franciscans have publicized the little flowers of Saint Francis,
The Dominicans, however, more or less in the same period, publicized the Vitae fratrum, a compendium of edifying events that characterized the life of the convents and individuals in a mostly anonymous way.

This distinction seems important to me to understand the different charm: for Saint Francis the enchantment was above all for his person.
For Saint Dominic, the enchantment was above all the apostolic nature of his Order and for the life of his friars, which everywhere was beautiful, attractive, fascinating.

4. This charism of his was lived in an exemplary way by the first Dominican generation, which for us – all things considered – is what the life of the primitive Church is for the Church of all centuries.
The life of the Dominicans and their convents were the first, particularly effective form of preaching, to the point that the convents were even called preaching.

5. I like to report some very beautiful pages from the Vitae fratrum. In this story the individual characteristics of the individual friars disappear.
Here’s what we read: “Words cannot express the spirit of religious fervour which pervaded the Order in the days of our holy fathers Dominic and Jordan. Wherever we turn our eyes the same scene offers itself. There you might have beheld some who, after their daily confession, bewailed with deep-drawn sighs their own sins and those of others, while others again prolonged their nightly vigils until daybreak, rousing their flagging energies by countless genuflections. Seldom, if ever, was the church to be found without watchers, and as a result, when anyone was wanted by the porter he was surer of finding him praying in the choir than elsewhere. A pious religious tells us that in a very short space of time he heard the confessions of over one hundred brethren, sixty of whom he found had kept baptismal innocence of mind and body, a grace they could not have preserved without much fervent prayer and religious watchfulness, which are the special safeguards of purity of heart. Others were so eager for contemplation and so fervent, that seldom did they rise from prayer without having first obtained some special grace from God. One tells us how he could never sleep at night until he had first watered his couch with his tears.’’(Vitae fratrum, nn. 187-188)
These tears were not simply material. They were the tears for which the Holy Father Dominic did a particular penance every evening in atonement for his sins. Then he repeated it for the souls in Purgatory. And a third time he did it for the salvation and conversion of sinners.

6. Furthermore, in the same narrative, we can read: “Another relates that as he stood in prayer before the altar at Bologna, he saw one of his brethren rapt in spirit and uplifted bodily from the ground.

In those days they looked forward to the hour of compline as to a festival, and directly the signal was given they hastened to the choir from all parts of the convent, lovingly commending themselves to each other’s prayers. Then, when the office was finished, and the parting greeting had been devoutly paid to the Queen of the universe and special advocate of the Order, they gave themselves up to severe disciplines. After this they visited all the altars in turn, prostrating themselves humbly before each (…).
This done, far from retiring to rest, some withdrew into the chapter-house, others to the more retired corners of the cloisters or church, where, after rigidly examining their consciences, they disciplined themselves
After matins (it was at midnight, editor’s note) some betook themselves to their books, fewer to their beds, most hastened at once to prepare for their daily confession before offering up the holy mysteries.

At daybreak the bell rang for the saying of mass, whereupon several ran to each priest for the favour of being allowed to serve, and often a holy contention would arise as to whom he had first asked to do this holy duty.
Who shall tell of their devotion to the blessed Virgin! 

When the matins of her office had been devoutly recited they hastened lovingly to her altar, so that not a moment of time might be wasted which could be devoted to prayer.

After matins and compline they surrounded her altar in a triple row, and kneeling thus they fervently commended themselves and the Order to her protection.

They had her image and her Son’s in their cells, so that whether reading, or praying, or sleeping, they might cast loving glances upon them.” (Vitae fratrum, n. 189).

7. In the penitential life and in common life, so precious for the conversion of men to God, it is said that “they exchanged mutual kind deeds in the infirmary, hospice, or at table, even stooping to wash each other’s feet, and deeming him happiest who forestalled the others in such charitable offices..
Oh, how often did they strip themselves of their cloaks and scapulars to bestow them on brethren whose faces they had very likely never seen before. Such joy and fervour beamed on their faces as they waited on each other, that they seemed to be serving God and his angels instead of men. (…).
In those days they were all wonderfully rigid in keeping the silence

One abstained from drinking for eight days; (…), a third, during the whole of Lent, drank only once a day, and never spoke a word unless he were addressed. Many seldom tasted the dishes set before them, while others, more anxious to avoid notice, were content to deny themselves every day some portion of their food.” (Vitae fratrum, nn. 190-191).

8. Lastly “In the pursuit of their apostolic ministry for which the Order had been intended from the beginning, God poured out upon them such marvellous zeal and fervour that many could not eat without qualms of conscience unless they had preached that day to many or to a few, and in this matter the Holy Ghost made good, by inward unction, whatever was wanting to them in acquired knowledge. (…).
When the General Chapter held in Paris decreed that some of our, brethren should be sent to the Holy Land, Master Jordan in the course of his address told them that all who were willing to go should intimate the same to him. He had hardly finished speaking before all were lying in prostration on the ground before him, entreating with tears to be sent to that country which our Lord’s blood had hallowed. Brother Peter of Rheims, who was then Provincial of France, was so moved at the sight that he rose from his seat and prostrated himself with the rest, and cried out to Master Jordan: ‘Good Master, either put all these beloved brethren under my care, or send me with them, for I am ready to join myself with them until death” (Vitae fratrum, n. 192).

9. What do you find when you join the order of San Domenico? What Our Lady said to a well-educated young man but all devoted to a worldly life: “If you want to escape from this storm, go to San Nicolao, where the preaching friars reside and you will find the stable of penance and the nativity scene of continence, the pasture of doctrine, the donkey of simplicity with the ox of discretion, Mary who will enlighten you, Joseph who will help you and Jesus who will save you”(t/n).
That young man did so. He became a professor of theology in Bologna and was then appointed bishop in England where he came from.

With the hope that these words resonate in you as others that I had written to you resonated, I bless you and remember you in prayer.
Father Angelo