The Dominican order is also called Order of Preachers (O.P.), one of the four great mendicant orders of the Roman Catholic Church, founded by St. Dominic de Guzman in 1215. Its members include friars, apostolic nuns, contemplative nuns, and lay Dominicans. From the beginning, the order has been a synthesis of the contemplative life and the active ministry. For 800 years the mission of the Order of Preachers has been to proclaim the Gospel to every corner of the world. We do this for one simple reason: that every soul may come to know and love Jesus Christ.
It was for this reason that St. Dominic de Guzman founded the Order of Preachers in 1215. Dominic saw the need for good preachers who could explain the truth of the Catholic faith and reconcile those who had fallen away. As members of the Order of Preachers, we are called to follow in St. Dominic’s footsteps, imitating his mercy and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in and out of season. Our life in common, along with our time in study and at prayer, allows us to share the fruits of our contemplation and proclaim the good news to every land and nation.
The Dominicans have given the Church some of her greatest saints, including: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of Lima and St. Martin de Porres. It holds the record for the greatest number of saints in the Catholic Church. The Rosary was given to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary. We spread the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary through this gift of the Most Holy Rosary.
Dominic was born in Caleruega, Castile, Spain. He discovered the Albigensian heresy, which then ravaged the South of France. A missionary desire grew in Dominic and he wanted to make Christ known to the pagans. Saint Dominic wanted a family at the service of the Church to preach Jesus Christ and His mercy to sinners. The Dominicans are united by the same charism of prayer, study, common life and preaching. The Dominican Family, is a great spiritual family, born eight centuries ago in the heart of St. Dominic and according to his founding charism. It is still alive and active in the Church and in today’s world. It carries all the richness of its past and a renewed freedom to recreate the truth of mercy.
In order to join the Order of Preachers in whose apostolic mission we participate fully, we, the Laity of St. Dominic, make a promise according to the formula provided by the Rule incorporated into the lay branch of the Order, called the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic, subject to the Master and the other Major Superiors of the Order, with the profession of service of humanity. Lay Dominicans are men and women, singles, couples and families living a Christian life with a Dominican spirituality in the secular world. They find inspiration following the same spiritual path taken by many saints and other holy men and women throughout the 800-year history of the Dominican Order.
