Brief Description of the Dominican Order

Brief History

"The Order of Preachers was founded in 1216 by St. Dominic de Guzman in response to a then desperate need for informed preaching. Against a heresy which denied the dignity of our humanity, St. Dominic trained a group of preachers who would serve the Church in its affirmation of the world as the place where Christ is discovered." -Website of the St. Joseph Province of the Dominican Order

The Four Pillars of Dominican Life

• Prayer
• Study
• Community
• Apostolate

Important Dominican Feasts

• St. Thomas Aquinas - Jan. 28
• St. Louis de Monfort - Apr. 28
• St. Catherine of Siena - Apr. 29
• St. Vincent Ferrer - May 5
• Our Holy Father St. Dominic - Aug. 8
• Our Lady of the Rosary - Oct. 7
• St. Martin de Porres - Nov. 3

Dominican Mottos

The Motto of the Dominican Order is Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare which means to praise, to bless, to preach.

Another motto was given to the Order by St. Thomas Aquinas: Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere which means To contemplate and to hand over to others the fruits of contemplation.

The Path of Formation for Lay Dominicans

The Dominican Formation is a long and rewarding process, detailed here:

Membership Stage	Length of Time
Postulancy/Inquiry	6 mo. to 1 yr.
Novitiate/Received	1 yr.
Simple Promise	3 yrs.
Final Promise	Life

This page created and maintained by Mr. Kevin Mitchell, O.P. All pictures copyright of the same. Note: The image to the right is a statue of St. Dominic in an alcove near the main altar in St. Peter's Basilica.