Today is the memorial of St. Dominic. He is the patron saint of my confirmation. From as far back as I can remember I had wanted Dominic as my confirmation name. I am not sure why, but I suspect my Mom must have played a part, for she in my earliest years would talk to me about the saints.
As you probably know, St. Dominic founded the order we call the Dominicans, but which is properly named the Order of Preachers. The Dominicans have had an influence in my life, as my great aunt was Sr. Dominica from that order and the great philosophy professor at St. Mary’s College in Winona was and is Fr. Cyril Fabian, O.P.
Despite my fondness for the Dominicans, when it came for me to choose between the Dominican university the Angelicum and the Jesuit university the Gregorian in Rome, I chose the Greg. You see, my other patron saint from baptism is St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J.
St. Dominic was born in Spain around the year 1170. He studied theology at Palencia. He dedicated his life to combatting the heresies of the time through magnificent preaching. In January 1217, Pope Honorius III granted Dominic the permission to call his congregation the Order of Preachers. He died at Bologna, Italy on August 6, 1221.
St. Dominic, pray for us!
