ELEANOR BOURG NICHOLSON • AMANDINE WANERT The Hound the Lord of The Story of Saint Dominic
Under the direction of Romain Lizé, President, Magnificat Editor, Magnificat: Isabelle Galmiche Editor, Ignatius: Vivian Dudro Proofreader: Kathleen Hollenbeck Graphic Designer: Gauthier Delauné Production: Thierry Dubus, Audrey Bord Dedicated with grateful affection to the Dominican friars who serve at Saint Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Contents Note to the Reader...............................................................6 1. Young Dominic...................................................................9 2. Dominic the Priest..........................................................15 3. The Mission to the Cathars........................................ 19 4. Our Lady and the Rosary...........................................27 5. The War Continues..........................................................31 6. The Order of Preachers..............................................37 7. Saint Dominic.................................................................. 49
6 Note to the Reader As you read the story of Saint Dominic andgaze at thepictures, look for hismany attributes. In art, an attribute is a special characteristic or object that can help us identify who is in the picture. There are many little details that will help you find Saint Dominic, even if he is standing in a crowd of other Dominicans! • As a Dominican friar (the very first, in fact!) he wears awhitehabit, oftenwithablack cloak called a “cappa.” • Dominicans are frequently depicted holding books, and Saint Dominic is no exception. • Becauseofalegendassociatedwith his birth, he is often depicted with or represented by a dog holding a flaming torch in its mouth.
7 • Because of another legend associated with Saint Dominic’s birth, he is often shown with a star on or above his forehead. • The Dominican cross is usually black and white with fleurs-de-lis at the ends. • There’s a special orange tree in our story—watch out for oranges and orange leaves! • Keep an eye out for Saint Francis too. Like Saint Dominic, he wore a simple habit, but his robe was gray. Remember, though, that you can tell these two saints apart easily: Saint Francis is often associated with birds, and he bore the stigmata, the wounds of Christ.
9 1 Young Dominic greetings, my friend. My name is Torch. You might think that a strangename for adog. Why am I not called Fido or Rover or Spot? I shall happily tell youwhy, because that will allow me to tell you all about my dear master. His namewasDominic, andhewas a remarkable man who became a great saint. Dominic’s story, and mine, began in the tiny Spanish village of Caleruega. A very holy
10 THE HOUND OF THE LORD woman named Jane of Aza lived there. She was the wife of Felix de Guzman, a wealthy man. Both Felix and Jane were well-known for virtuous living, and Jane inparticularwas known throughout the surrounding countryside for her extraordinary goodness and compassion. One night, while pregnant with her fourth child, Jane dreamed that she gave birth—not to a baby, but to me, a little dog with a flaming torch in its mouth. While she watched, I set the world on fire. Jane saw it as a sign from God, telling her who her son would be: a great saint who would set the world on fire with the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself told his Apostles: “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). Blessed Jane gave birth to her third and youngest son in the year 1170. She and Felix named him Dominic, which means “man of
11 Young Dominic the Lord.” Even as an infant, Dominic lived up to his name. Once, when he was a baby, bees came and settled on his lips. His nurses shooed them away, but I knew that the bees had come as a sign that one day sweet honey would flow from his lips as he spoke about God. Late one evening, when just his sweet mother and I sat besidehim, abright light shoneonhis forehead, like the moon or a star. In later years, I heard many speak of the radiance of his face. His joy in loving God shone forth for all to see. Dominic’s older brotherswerealsoholy. The eldest, Antonio, became apriest andgave away his entire inheritance to the poor, spending the rest of his life taking care of the sick in a hospital. Mannes (now Blessed Mannes!) would later become a Dominican friar. WhenDominicwasaboy,he lovedtoprayand to study, andhewas oftenquite serious. Froman
12 THE HOUND OF THE LORD early age, he sometimes refused little comforts, wanting to be simple and to accept hardships like Jesus. His parents and others in the house often came in his room at night and found that hehadcrept fromthebed—whichhesaidwas too soft!—andwas lyingonthehardfloor.Hewouldn’t even usemy soft coat as a pillow—though he let me snuggle up against him for my own comfort. Life with Dominic was a little trying for me at times. Hewould be engrossed in a thick book about God when I wanted to play ball. Or he would be so deep in prayer that he wouldn’t notice my marvelous tricks. Sometimes I grew rather sad and even sulked, and that was when my favoriteof his qualitieswould shine through. Dominic was the most tender, loving, gentle master any pup could have. His love for God was so enormous that it spilled over into joyful love for everyone and
13 Young Dominic everything. He was a lot like his mother in this way; he was very sensitive to the sufferings of others. Before long, boys who might have thought him dull and odd, or mocked him for studying and praying all the time, instead turned to him in their troubles. “You can always count on Dominic,” I heard many a young man say. “He never laughs at a fellow for crying or blabs about it to anyone.”
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15 2 Dominic the Priest WhenDominicwasfourteenyearsold,his parents took himto his uncle, a priest, who would oversee his education for the next ten years. Dominic loved this new life verymuch, though hemissed his parents. I was happy to go alongwith him. His unclewas strict but a very good man, and Dominic flourished. During this time, Dominic developed his love for the liturgies of the Church, especially
16 THE HOUND OF THE LORD theMass and the daily prayers called theDivine Office, for which Dominic learned the psalms, the hymns, and the canticles. He loved theMass best of all. Later, when hewas ordained a priest and had the special privilege of celebrating the Mass, I often sawhim so overcome with joy that tears flowed down his face. Dominic’s education followed the classical program: first the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and then the quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, andastronomy). After several years of these studies, Dominic eagerly began to learnphilosophyand then theology. His quiet life of simplicity and sacrifice for others gained him a reputation. Moved by the suffering of the poor around him, Dominic gave away all of his possessions, even his costly handmade books, which he loved more than anything. I was deeply moved
17 Dominic the Priest by my master’s example and felt compelled to give up my own beloved collection of ox and sheep bones. When I tried to give awaymy food as well, my master gently restrained me. “Good boy,” he said, nuzzlingmy head. “But do not harmyourself by goingwithout food, for you need your strength to do God’s work.” That was characteristic of my dear master, Dominic. Evenas heembraceda lifeof penance, in sorrow for his own sins and the sins of others, and encouraged others to do the same, he looked after the well-being of his followers. After Dominic was ordained a priest, a bishop doing good work in the town of Osma heard of Dominic and invited him to come and serve as a canon. The canons were very busy priests: they were in charge of the liturgies at the cathedral; they gave advice to the bishop; they supervised the educationof future priests;
18 THE HOUND OF THE LORD and they preached. At the same time, they lived together in quiet community. We arrived in Osma in 1190. There my master and I enjoyed the quiet, peaceful life of contemplation. Contemplation is a kind of prayer. It is the awareness or the experience of union with God. For monks, living together in monasteries, contemplation is their primary job. It was a vital part of Saint Dominic’s life too. But soon he would be called to an active ministry out in the world as well.
Scripture quotations are from Revised Standard Version of the Bible—Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition) copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. © 2023 by Magnificat, New York • Ignatius Press, San Francisco All rights reserved. ISBN Magnificat 978-1-63967-042-0 ISBN Ignatius Press 978-1-62164-598-6 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63967-061-1
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