August 8, 2026

The mother of Dominic de Guzmán, a 13th century Spanish priest and mystic, had a dream before her baby boy was born: a dog, instead of a child, emerged from her womb and leapt into the world carrying a torch in its mouth, apparently a reference to Jesus’ proclamation that he had come “to set the world on fire” (Lk 12:49).  She was convinced that her son had been consecrated for a divine mission, so she named him, Dominic, meaning “belonging to the Lord.”  In a funny twist of fate, when this boy had become a grown man, some forty-five years later, he founded the Order of Preachers to serve the needs of the Church in a rapidly evolving Europe, but, by popular acclamation, they became known as the Dominicans, which can also mean, “God’s dogs” (Domini canes).  This red-headed, white-habited, rosary-carrying mendicant gathered a group of kindred spirits who travelled the countryside preaching the gospel with him.  They slept on the floor, begged for food, and owned nothing.  In an age that was dominated by papal bulls and crusades, the witness of their fraternity and fidelity impressed many.  Today, there are over twenty-five thousand Dominicans worldwide who carry on this same tradition of sharing the fruits of their contemplation with others.  On this feast of St. Dominic, the self-effacing man of God who truly did set the world spiritually ablaze, let’s, like him, be loyal little puppies and allow our single-hearted service to the one true master inject joy and happiness into our hurting world.  Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare +