A Franciscan friar urged Filipino Catholics to emulate the Order of Preachers’ loyalty to the Church and its teachings on Aug. 6, Sunday.
Fr. Edwin Dionisio, O.F.M., parish priest of San Pedro Bautista Parish in Quezon City, said the Dominican Order was instrumental to the preservation of the teachings of the Church amid heresy.
“Nabuo ang Order of the Preachers na siyang naging sandigan ng ating Simbahan mula noong ika-12 siglo [at] hanggang ngayon ay patuloy pa rin sa larangan ng katapatan sa Simbahan,” Dionisio said in his homily during the Mass in honor of St. Dominic de Guzman at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.
The Dominicans will mark the feast of their founder on Aug. 8. By tradition, Dominicans and Franciscans preside over Masses for the feast of the founder of the other order, in memory of the friendship between Saints Dominic and Francis of Assisi.
Dionisio noted that Dominicans, who placed a great regard on study, were responsible for establishing centers of learning around the world, including UST.
“Kung hindi dahil sa kanya (St. Dominic) ay hindi magkakaroon ng isang pamantasan [tulad ng] University of Santo Tomas na mula noo’y patuloy na nagbibigay ng huwaran na karunungan at tumutulong sa pagbabago ng bawat [Filipino],” he said.
Dionisio also challenged the faithful to imitate St. Dominic’s love for prayer and open heart for enemies.
“Hindi sa lakas ng boses, hindi sa lakas ng pangangatwiran kundi sa tuwing siya’y nagsasalita mula sa puso, sa puso na nakalaan sa Diyos, sa puso na hinubog ng pananalangin,” said Dionisio on how St. Dominic dealt with heretics.
The Franciscan priest added that the friendship between St. Francis and St. Dominic played a major role in spreading the Catholic faith.
A new logo of the Santo Domingo parish, the mother church of the Dominican Province in the Philippines, was launched during the Mass.
The logo has four key symbols: the face of St. Dominic, the Santo Domingo Church, a group of people around a cross representing the basic ecclesial communities, and an open bible signifying the mission to spread the Gospel.
A procession of the images of the Virgin Mary and St. Dominic on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City followed the Eucharistic celebration.
