St. Dominic, Confessor, A.D. 1221.
by VP
Posted on Monday August 04, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"A HOLY man, born in Spain, who having applied to learning, was first made a canon, and afterwards became the founder of the Order of Preachers,
from him called Dominicans. He was eminent for his zealous labours in
reclaiming those who had been misled into error or vice; and by himself and his followers he had great success in reviving the spirit of the gospel, and establishing the faithful in the love of virtue and truth. Having for many years been an example to his disciples of charity, humility, and poverty, and to the world a rule of innocence and piety, he departed this life in the year 1221.
Pray for all the religious of this holy Order, that the spirit of their founder may be their rule; that they may edify all by their regularity and strict discipline, and be as so many lights to the world. Pray that you may be exact in all the observances of a Christian life. Living amidst the disorders and solicitude of the world, you have much greater difficulties to overcome than religious, who by retiring from the world, are freed from a great part of the dangers to which you are daily exposed. Ought not then your care and watchfulness to be proportioned to your dangers, and your labours to the difficulties of your life? How can you otherwise hope to overcome? The world is a torrent, and you are bound to stand against it. This cannot be done without perpetual resistance, which must cost you trouble and pains. Be therefore constant in your prayers, watchful over all your inclinations, resolute in self-denials, exact in all discipline. Learn to contemn the goods of this life, and to be solicitous for those of the next. This is the life of religious; and this must be yours, if you expect your portion with them. A life of sloth, self-love, and ease becomes not the followers of Christ and his saints. They are called forth into the field of battle; they have many enemies to overcome, many temptations to resist, and many great duties to perform." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
DEVOTION TO BLESSED MARY.- St. Dominic, born at Osma in 1170, was destined by Almighty God to convert a vast multitude of sinners, as well by his own labours as through the agency of the Order that bears his name. The first efforts of his zeal were displayed in Languedoc, which was then beset by a vast number of heretics, known as the Albigenses. There it was and on that account that he founded the Order of Dominicans, specially charged with preaching in Christian countries, and also with the seeking out or inquisition of heretics, with the view to lead them back to God. The superadding of torture which was subsequently resorted to against such as did not yield to conversion, was in nowise the work of St. Dominic; the Church has never allowed any means to be availed of more urgent than simple persuasion. To his zeal for the conversion of sinners and a great love for the poor, Dominic united a tender piety to the Blessed Virgin. It was he who instituted the devotion of the Rosary, and the custom of saluting Blessed Mary at the beginning of the sermon. He died at Rome in 1221, illustrious for miracles.
MORAL REFLECTION.- It is to the whole human race in the person of the beloved disciple that the Son of God said, in speaking of Mary: "Son! behold thy mother." - (John xix. 27.) Pictorial Half Hour with the Saints by Fr. Lecanu
Saint John Vianney Feast Day
by VP
Posted on Monday August 04, 2025 at 12:00AM in Documents
"Through the character of Sacred Orders, God willed to ratify that eternal covenant of love, by which He loves His priests above all others; and they are obliged to repay God for this special love with holiness of life... So a cleric should be considered as a man chosen and set apart from the midst of the people, and blessed in a very special way with heavenly gifts—a sharer in divine power, and, to put it briefly, another Christ... He is no longer supposed to live for himself; nor can he devote himself to the interests of just his own relatives, or friends or native land... He must be aflame with charity toward everyone. Not even his thoughts, his will, his feelings belong to him, for they are rather those of Jesus Christ who is his life." -- Encyclical of Pope John XXIII on St. John Vianney ( August 1, 1959 )
Prayer for a Pastor and His Parish to St. John Vianney
Saint John Vianney, we pray you to bless
and help our pastor so that he may love dearly in this life and be
richly rewarded in the next. Obtain for him the grace always to be kind
and generous, self-sacrificing and zealous. Watch over the people of our
parish, and keep them free from all evils. Help them to be loyal and
generous in the support of our pastor.
Help us particularly
always to give him the respect and honor due him as a priest. Except for
him we should not have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or Your presence
among us, or the other sacraments that we so dearly love and need.
From
his anointed hands we receive the food of our souls, the most precious
Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ from his lips we hear the word
of God. By the power given to him our sins are forgiven, and we are
given all blessings and it is he who will anoint us when we are dying,
and will offer the Holy Sacrifice for us when we are dead.
Help us, dear Saint, to see Christ in him, and to cooperate with him in all his work for the good of our souls. Amen
