A Reflection by Fr. Giles Dimock, OP, STD

An interesting thought:

Through time, I have come to see clearly the urgent need for women religious in the world. While some groups of sisters were embracing a secular view of religious life and loosing their numbers, I never realized that a corresponding drop in priestly vocations would also be coming. Since those days, I have come to realize that John Paul II's teaching on the complimentarity between men and women holds also in the suprenatural realm; numbers of vocations among men tot he priesthood are proportionate to those women religious who support them in prayer and friendship

Taken from "Community Prepares to Celebrate a Decade of Blessings, 1997-2007,
A reflection by one who was there...
Fr. Giles Dimock, OP, STD,
Adjunct Professor of Theology,
Franciscan University of Steubenville

In
"Mater Eucharistiae" Vol. 10 Issue 2, Dec 2006
A publication of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
http://www.sistersofmary.org

Humble Beginnings; 800th Anniversary Celebration

On December 17, 1206, Notre Dame de Prouille opened its doors to the first vocations. On December 22, 1216, pope Honorious III established the Order of Friar Preachers (Dominicans). To celebrate these events, Bro. Carlos A. Azpiroz Costa OP, Master of the Order, has announced a Jubilee and a “Novena of Years” to celebrate these events. Addressing the Order from Prouille, the Master General said:

May all of us, the sons and daughters of Saint Dominic, prepare ourselves [to return to our foundation] joyfully; let us there drink of the fresh simplicity of the "love we had at first", feeling ourselves at the feet of Jesus, that we may be with Him and listen to Him. Let us live this time with intensity and grace, sharing with our contemplative communities the joy of their consecration, the fruitfulness of their silence, the beauty of their liturgy, their special love for the Word.

The Dominican Laity of Idaho extends a warm welcome to all, to join us on Dec 17, 2006, at our regular chapter meeting at St. John’s Cathedral (parish office building) to celebrate with us these providential events. Further information may be obtained by calling Bonnie Fitzpatrick (442-7139) or at http://dominicanidaho.org.

Lacordaire on St. Dominic meeting St. Francis

Yet these two men, whose destinies were so harmonious in the sight of heaven and earth, were strangers to one another, and although both were in Rome during the fourth Lateran Council, it does not appear that they ever heard of each other. One night when Dominic was praying, he beheld Jesus Christ filled with wrath against the world, and His blessed Mother presenting to Him two men, in order to appease Him. He recognized himself as one, but did not know the other, whom he regarded so attentively that the face was ever present to him. On the morrow, in a church, we know not which, he beheld, in the dress of a mendicant, the face seen by him the preceding night, and running to the poor man, embraced him with holy effusion, uttering these words, “You are my companion; you will walk with me; let us keep together and none shall prevail against us.” He then related his vision, and thus were their hearts blended in one.

Either Peace or Life – Benedict XVI Debunks a False Dilemma

From www.chiesa

Speaking to the Swiss bishops, the pope replies to the main objection directed against the Church’s hierarchy by the progressive Catholics. And to the German bishops, he says...

by Sandro Magister

full story here:

Life of Saint Dominic, by Henri Lacordaire

I've begun the task of transcribing this wonderfully written book. Here is Lacordaire's recounting of the famous night in the inn, which resulted in the resolve to found Order of Friar Preachers.

CHAPTER III.
St. Dominic arrives in France

At that time, Alphonso III., king of Castile, was meditating a marriage between his son and a Danish princess, and entrusted the negotiation of the affair to the Bishop of Osma, who, taking with him Dominic, set out for the North of Germany towards the close of the year 1203. In passing through Languedoc, both were deeply grieved at beholding the alarming success of the Albigenses. On reaching Toulouse, where they had to pass the night, Dominic perceived that their host was a heretic; and although time pressed, he was anxious to be of service to the poor deluded man under whose roof they then were. Jesus Christ has said to His Apostles, When you come into a house, salute it, saying, Peace be to this house. And if that house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.[Mt. 10:12-13] The Saints, to whose minds all the words of Jesus Christ are ever present, and who know the power of a benediction given even in secret, regard themselves as God’s ambassadors to every creature whom they meet, and strive to part from none until they have implanted in his heart some germ of grace. Dominic did not rest content with merely praying for his host, but passed the night in converse with him; and the ready eloquence of the stranger made so deep an impression on the heretic, that he returned to the faith before the dawn of day. Then another wonder occurred; touched by the conquest he had just effected in the cause of truth, and also by the sad spectacle of he ravages made by false doctrine, Dominic then first conceived the idea of founding an Order in defense of the Church, the mission of which should consist in preaching. This sudden resolve took lasting possession of his mind; and now that the secret of his future career was revealed to him, he quitted France, as if that land, jealous that this great man owed her not his birth, had nevertheless obtained from God this favor, that he should not tread her soil in vain, and that to her he should be indebted for the decisive counsel of his life.

It is good to remember the purpose to which the Order was founded, a purpose as necessary today as in 1203.

Next Chapter Meeting

Will be on Sunday, November 19, 2006

For meeting syllabus, click here

Burnett on the real presence

I'm about half way through Burnett's treatment of the Protestant objections to Transubstantiation. Starting with John 6, he makes the following observations:

1. If Jesus did not mean literally to eat his flesh and drink his blood, what is the metaphorical meaning which the Jews of his time would have understood? There are 4 occurances in the OT, and two in the NT. Metaphorically it is always ill will wished upon a person; Ill will to Jesus earns eternal life? The metaphorical meaning is out of the question.

2. When Jesus is missunderstood in other passages, He always corrects, or the apostolic author provides correction. No speaker delivering something important leaves His audience in error, otherwise he does an idle thing.

3. When the liseners understand and object, Jesus always repeats himself more emphatically (for example, Peter's response to the foot washing), as he does repeatedly here.

4. Jesus says those who object do so for their lack of faith. How can you be condemned for not believing something that is not what you are meant to believe?

5. The apostles clearly understood Jesus' words in a literal fashion, even if they did not comprehend. Since at this point they clearly understand it literally (you must eat my flesh and drink my blood), the protestant is constrained to show where scripture clearly says they changed their belief, otherwise he has no justification to offer a different understanding as the apostolic understanding. Search in vain...