Members of the Order of Preachers were urged to recall the ways of their founder St. Dominic de Guzman in preaching the Gospel on his feast day last Aug. 8.
UST Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. challenged Dominicans and Thomasians to make others feel God’s beauty as they fulfill their mission of spreading the Gospel.
“Beauty should always be a special dimension of the new evangelization because it is not possible to love what is not beautiful. Beauty [is] through which God reveals to us his face and God reveals himself through beauty,” Dagohoy said in his homily in a Eucharistic celebration at the Santisimo Rosario Chapel.
In reference to St. Paul who said the feet and legs become empowered with God, he encouraged fellow Dominican priests to witness to the Gospel tirelessly.
“It is understandable that the messenger has to climb mountains and cross seas to deliver the Good News. In the long and arduous travel, the feet of the messenger will experience wisdom and sorrow,” he said.
Fr. Cielito Almazan, O.F.M., superior of the Franciscan Order in the Philippines, echoed Dagohoy’s words in his homily during Mass last Aug. 8 at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.
“The Dominicans can clarify the truth, the ‘veritas’ for our salvation. St. Dominic shone in the dark times of the Church…Preach the truth, constantly teach and do it patiently to strengthen the faith of this massive community,” he said.
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.
Almazan highlighted the closeness between St. Dominic and St. Francis and how they “spearheaded a common goal.”
“We can do great things through our collaboration, not only between the Dominicans and Franciscans…We can do great things for our Lord for our Church and for our society,” he said.
St. Dominic de Guzman founded the Order of Preachers in 1216 to preach the Gospel and combat heresy.
