Sunday, August 3, 2008

St. Dominic of Guzman

August 4 -St. Dominic, Confessor

The contribution of St. Dominic to the Church is expressed by the collect for his votive mass.

"O God, who has vouchsafed to make Thy Church Illustrious by the merits and teaching of the Blessed Dominic, Thy confessor: grant that, through his intercession she may not be deprived of temporal help, and may ever advance in spiritual increase, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who livest and reign forever and ever."

A very interesting line I read from Wikipedia says about St. Dominic:

"In 1208 Dominic encountered the papal legates returning in pomp to Rome, foiled in their attempt to crush the growing sect. To them he administered his famous rebuke: "It is not by the display of power and pomp, cavalcades of retainers, and richly-houseled palfreys, or by gorgeous apparel, that the heretics win proselytes; it is by zealous preaching, by apostolic humility, by austerity, by seeming, it is true, but by seeming holiness. Zeal must be met by zeal, humility by humility, false sanctity by real sanctity, preaching falsehood by preaching truth."

Prayer:

Dear St. Dominic by your example and zeal you battled with heretics and overcome them by your preaching of the gospel truths, zeal for the church, humility and love for the Holy Rosary. Our Lady of the Rosary was your vanguard to defeat heresies. In our days we are surrounded by heresies and sects, by your intercession obtain for us the grace to persevere in our faith and may we never loose heart in testifying to the truth. Above all grant us the grace of humility and obedience. Amen.



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