St. Dominic Man of an Apostolic Heart
By Sister Emma, O.P.
Metaphorically speaking, the human heart can be described in a variety of ways Temperature and size are common descriptors of the heart One can have a stone cold heart, while another is known for being large-hearted. The human heart can also be characterized by how it functions. It can be set on something, poured out, as well as indifferent or closed These ways of describing the human heart indicate something of the character of the individual We talk about guarding or forming our heart well because, as our Lord says, “From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34)
Our Holy Father Saint Dominic is invoked under the title “Man of an apostolic heart.” His heart was like that of the Apostles whose hearts were shaped daily by their close proximity to the heart of Jesus Taking in His words and actions, their hearts began to beat in time with His, and after witnessing the events of the Paschal Mystery and receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Twelve went forth to preach the Gospel as the Lord had instructed them to do, speaking from the fullness of their hearts Called from different backgrounds and occupations and possessing various levels of education, the Apostles were men after Jesus’ own heart, and thus they were easily recognized by others as the companions of Jesus (Acts 4:13).
St Dominic’s own heart was shaped by years of nearness to Christ in the Scriptures and in the Blessed Sacrament Only afterwards did he begin his apostolate of preaching in the French city of Fanjeaux, where he lived from 1206-1215. “We call an apostolate ‘ every activity of the Mystical Body’ that aims ‘to spread the Kingdom of Christ over all the earth’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 863) For St Dominic, like the Apostles before him, his apostolate took the form of preaching and teaching the truths of the Kingdom of Christ to a people living in darkness. Although it spread throughout the world, it started here in the small town of Fanjeaux
As Dominic labored for souls with not much apparent success, he sat on a hill near the city of Fanjeaux, crying out and praying. On the third night, he glanced towards the nearby city of Prouillhe and saw a large globe of fire descending from the sky and hovering over the church of Sainte-Marie-deProuillhe This fiery apparition, known as the “Seignadou” or the “Sign of God,” was Our Lady’s confirmation of where Dominic should begin his work.
Another miracle occurred in Fanjeaux. While attending a conference with those swayed by the Albigensian heresy, Dominic, along with the heretics, submitted their teachings to a roaring fire The heretics’ writings burned up upon coming in contact with the flames, but three times they threw Dominic’s book into the fire, and three times it leapt out unscathed! It was a sign to all of the truth of his teaching.
As active as Dominic was in the apostolate, his days were sustained by the time he set aside for study and prayer. He is known for keeping vigil in the church late into the night It is said that his days were given to men while his nights were given to God We read in the Catechism that “charity, drawn from the Eucharist above all, is always ‘ as it were, the soul of the whole apostolate’” (864). There is a beautiful stainedglass window in St Dominic’s Church in Washington, D.C that illustrates this St Dominic stands holding the Eucharist and sharing a heart with Jesus who is just behind him. Dominic is truly a man of an apostolic heart not so much because of his convincing sermons or miraculous signs, but because of his closeness to the Heart of the One he preached And it was from the fullness of this Heart that he preached
St Dominic’s Church in Washington, D C
Bl.PierGiorgioFrassati Dominican Saints
Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) is wellknown for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist, as well as his love of mountain climbing and practical jokes Not everyone realizes, however, that he was also a Dominican: in 1922, he became a member of the Dominican Laity, sharing fully in the charism of the Order of Preachers while remaining a layman serving God in the world
Pier Giorgo grew up in a wealthy and influential Italian family Despite their material comfort, the home was marked with its share of sorrow and strife. Mr. and Mrs. Frassati had a difficult marriage, at times coming close to separation, and neither Pier Giorgio’s parents nor his sister Luciana fully understood his love for Christ and the poor Pier Giorgio’s father wanted him to pursue a prestigious and lucrative career, and was frustrated and disappointed at his son ’ s disinclination for worldly ambition Despite these crosses, which Pier Giorgio felt keenly, he loved his parents and sister deeply, maintaining a profound reverence for each one of them.
As a child, Pier Giorgio developed a love for the Lord and his poor He prayed daily, joined many devotional associations such as the Apostleship of Prayer, and even obtained permission (rare at the time) to receive daily Communion. In adolescence, he became more interested in politics, working with the organizations Pax Romana and Catholic Action to help put the Church’s social doctrine into action At the time, Italy was struggling with political upheaval and the Church faced persecution. Pier Giorgio loved his country, so he longed to see Italy imbued with true Christian principles He was also eager to defend the Church from attack, and participated in several demonstrations
Pier Giorgio had a genius for friendship, gathering a group of close friends with whom he prayed, played practical jokes, and went on mountaineering excursions Friends testify to his easygoing joy, combined with a remarkable ability to call his peers on to the heights of spiritual growth. One moment he was shortsheeting someone ’ s bed; the next he was leading the rosary Love of God and love of neighbor were inextricable for him, and both overflowed in a profound, contagious joy However, his first love was always the poor, and he made great personal sacrifices to serve them He often gave away his bus fare, running home to be on time for meals; he brought food, medicine, and the gift of his presence to many families; he stayed back in Turin when his family went on vacation, for, as he said, “If everyone leaves Turin, who will take care of the poor?”
He never showcased his service, and his family had no idea of the extent of his charitable activities In fact, when he died, his family was shocked when thousands of the poor of Turin showed up at his funeral
Underneath the joyful exuberance of a young man in love with life, Pier Giorgio lived an intense spiritual battle When polio struck him at the age of twenty-four, he spent the last few days of his life on earth just as he had spent his whole life: offering his sufferings to God and his smile to his neighbor. He died on July 4, 1925 and is the patron saint of World Youth Day
Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonized August 3, 2025
PREPARATIONANDCELEBRATION
TOP/ThesistershadfunpreparingtheMotherhouseforChristmas!Thankstoour generousbenefactors,wewereblessedwithtreesinvariouspartsofthe Motherhouseandfestivetreatsintherefectory
MIDDLELEFT/Lotsofsistershomemeanslotsofhelpinthekitchen!
MIDDLERIGHTANDBOTTOM/Thesistersenjoyedcommunitytimeduring Christmasbreak
Our sisters were grateful to attend the FOCUS SEEK25 Conference in both Salt Lake City, UT and Washington, DC
Eucharistic Procession in DC
The sisters in SLC greet the sisters in DC via live video feed
Sister Mary Madeline spoke in DC about the vocation of women
The sisters with Kelsey and Matt Reinhardt and before Kelsey’s talk in SLC
With University Catholic (Nashville) priests and campus ministers in SLC
Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Daniel 3:70
Cloister Courtyard St Cecilia Motherhouse