Feast of Saint Dominic

Happy feast of Saint Dominic to all readers of our vocations blog. Through his intercession, may many men and women be inspired by his zeal for preaching and the salvation of souls.

Less well known than his contemporary Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Dominic was not a big ostentatious leader. But the fact that the family of Dominic still exists almost 800 years since the Order was founded, it is clear that he had the gift of leadership.

On his feast day, I am reminded of his dedication to prayer and particularly his celebrated 'Nine Ways of Prayer'. Each of his nine ways of prayer are like an incarnation of humility. Whether he was on the ground prostrate, or on his knees, or standing with his arms outstretched - each way of prayer was a way in which he offered himself to God. Each way of prayer was a different way of asking for the grace to fulfill his call. These 'nine ways of prayer' help us to remember that whatever situation we find ourselves in, there is always an opportunity to ask for God's help.

In Ireland, we thank God for the growth of the Dominican family and we humbly pray today for an increase in vocations to the Dominican way of life.