Saint Dominic and the Dominican witness to truth

What would you do if someone you knew claimed to be a Christian but also professed beliefs that were dangerous to his health, his relationships, and even his salvation?

Dominic de Guzman’s response was to establish a religious order.

Of course, founding a religious order was not his original goal. Saint Dominic de Guzman – who was born on August 8, 1170 and died on Aug 6, 1221 – was just an Augustinian canon and Spanish priest traveling through France with his bishop when he accepted an invitation to stay at the home of a wealthy man. That night, after dinner, his host told Dominic that he was a follower of a common teaching at that time: the heresy of Albigensianism.¹ Dominic spent the entire night patiently discussing the truths of the Catholic faith with the man, who finally agreed to come back to the Church.

Although Dominic had hoped to become a missionary in Russia, it wasn’t long before the pope ordered him to go to France instead and address the dangers caused by that heresy. Since other Catholic preachers had tried and failed to make headway against Albigensianism, Dominic first carefully analyzed its beliefs and the behavior of its leaders. The band of preachers that he trained to combat Albigensianism eventually became the Order of Preachers, commonly called Dominicans after him.

Since its founding in the thirteenth century, members of Dominic’s order have traveled all over the globe, armed with the truths of the faith and preaching the Gospel. The Dominican motto Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere explains the reason that Dominic and his followers have been able to evangelize so effectively for centuries. That is, Dominicans are called to contemplate God first in prayer and study, and then hand on the fruits of that contemplation to others.

In eight hundred years, Dominic’s order has produced 282 saints and blesseds: 183 martyrs and 99 non-martyrs. While Dominicans are most often thought of as theologians—in the footsteps of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican priest who is certainly one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church—Dominicans have become famous for other reasons.

Four of Dominic’s earliest disciples have been recognized for their holiness by the Church. For example, Dominic’s friend, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, became master general of the order after Dominic’s death. He was known to be a strict but kind leader, as well as a wise spiritual guide.

The male branch of the Dominicans, also called its first order, is primarily remembered for the theologian and philosopher Saint Thomas Aquinas. But Thomas wasn’t the only brilliant Dominican alive in the thirteenth century. He was educated by the learned professor Saint Albert the Great, and one of his classmates, Blessed Ambrose Sansedoni, was a noted scholar who evangelized throughout Hungary.

Of course, the Order of Preachers expects its members to preach, and to preach well. Two of the most famous examples are Saints Vincent Ferrer and Louis Bertrand, both of whom attracted huge crowds and made many converts and reverts to the faith.

However, you don’t have to become a famous theologian or preacher to fulfill your vocation as a Dominican. The world class painter Fra Angelico was also a Dominican priest, although he was known in the order as Blessed Giovanni of Fiesole. Dominicans sometimes offer spiritual direction; Blessed Raymond delle Vigne of Capua served as a spiritual guide to many Catholics, most notably Saint Catherine of Siena. Many Dominicans have been elected pope, including Saint Pius V, Blessed Benedict XI, and Blessed Innocent V. Of course, one of the most famous Dominicans, Saint Martin de Porres of Peru, was a miracle worker and a religious brother, though not a priest.

Saint Dominic’s opponents repeatedly threatened him with physical violence, and many of his followers have experienced persecution as well. For example, Dominicans have died as martyrs in thirteenth century Poland (Blessed Zadok of Sandomierz); fourteenth century Italy (Blessed Peter Cambiani of Ruffia); fifteenth century Tunisia (Blessed Anthony Neyrot); seventeenth century Ireland (Blessed Peter Higgins); eighteenth century France (Blessed Jean-Georges Rhem); nineteenth century Vietnam (Saint Joseph Do Quang Hien); and twentieth century Poland (Blessed Michal Czartoryski).²

Dominican nuns, sometimes called members of the second order, have included a Hungarian princess (Saint Margaret of Hungary); a Portuguese princess (Blessed Joan of Portugal); and the widow of a marquis (Blessed Margaret of Savoy). Dominican religious sisters, on the other hand, combine contemplation with active service. Saint Marie Alphonsine Danil Ghattas was a Dominican sister who spent her life educating children in the Holy Land.

The famous wonderworker and Doctor of the Church, Saint Catherine of Siena, was a third order Dominican, not a nun. But she is certainly not the only female Dominican who developed a reputation as a mystic during her lifetime. Saint Catherine de’ Ricci and Blessed Margaret Ebner, both Dominican nuns, were known for their mystical gifts, as was third order Dominican Saint Rose of Lima.

Some third order Dominicans, such as Saint Zdislava Berka, spent their lives tending to the poor and sick. Saint Margaret of Castello, though blind and disabled, also became a third order Dominican and cared for the children of the poor while their parents worked.

But perhaps the most fitting example to conclude this overview of Dominican holiness is the life of Blessed Bartolo Longo. Bartolo was a college student in nineteenth century Italy when his atheist, anti-Catholic professors led him out of the Church. He promptly fell into the clutches of a cult. In this cult, he offered his soul to the devil, and the devil accepted his offer. Thankfully, devout Catholics reached out to the possessed man and patiently led him back to the Church. Bartolo became a third order Dominican and spent his life helping ordinary people pray and understand their faith.

Every faithful Catholic alive today knows someone who has endangered his or her soul by accepting toxic ideas from our faithless culture. Thankfully, we don’t all have to establish a religious order to know how to respond. But we can thank Saint Dominic, and we can turn to him and his Dominican descendants for their wisdom as we try to lead others back to Jesus Christ and His Church.

Endnotes: