MISSION OF THE PROVINCE

The mission St. Dominic entrusted to his friars was simple, “Preach the Good News to all.” It left entirely open how this was to be done. It was by no means limited simply to the liturgical homily at Mass but included every form of communication, as can be seen by the example of Fra Angelico the great painter. For this task Dominic founded a community that includes priests, cooperator brothers, cloistered nuns, and sisters in active ministry all of whom contribute to this mission but in different ways. Preaching must be backed by example through living in a loving community whose contemplation overflows in sharing the truth of God with others given even to the point of martyrdom. The Order of Preachers has been graced with many martyrs even to the present.

To make this mission fruitful two means, as St Dominic wisely saw, are necessary. The first of these is prayer for the conversion of those to whom the Word is preached but also for the conversion of the preachers. Even before he founded his friars (brethren), Dominic had founded the contemplative nuns to pray for his preaching in the manner that the Blessed Virgin had prayed for her son on his mission. The second means, uniquely Dominican, was the duty to study the Word of God so as to be able to share it with all from the simplest to the most highly educated and to answer the cleverest objections that the fallen angels could suggest to Gospel’s human opponents. Thus study becomes prayer and prayer becomes study and this contemplation of the Word of God is shared in charity with all. These are the four pillars of the Order of Preachers, its mission of preaching, the community of charity that preaches, and the prayer and study from which that preaching, if it is to be effective, must flow.

St. Dominic saw from the beginning that this preaching also had to be supported by the example of a life of poverty without which that preaching would not be credible to the poor. Good study also requires a deep theological study such as is best supplied by university education and so Dominic at once sent his friars to the University of Paris. Soon, however, Sts. Albert the Great and his pupil St. Thomas Aquinas also discovered that if theology is to appeal to the educated it must be backed by secular learning (philosophy) Faith must be reconciled with reason. Dominic also retained from monasticism the extended prayer of the liturgical hours and a white habit of truth and a black mantel of the mystery of faith to make his preachers, like John the Baptist, a sign visible to all as he travels through the world. Yet the preacher is not the Truth but only the poor vessel of the living water of the Gospel. Like the Church the Order of Preachers has had its good times and bad, but has now served the Church for 800 difficult, joyful years!