Our Patron Saint

c. 1170-1221 • Spain 

BL. Joan of Aza had a dream that the baby in her womb was a dog carrying a torch in his mouth. The torch blazed so bright it illuminated the whole world. Soon, she gave birth to a baby boy and named him Dominic, and his words would shine so bright that they would illuminate the world, banishing the dark of falsehood.

Dominic grew up and studied at the university. His mind was sharp and his heart was kind. When famine struck the university town, he sold his books (which were very expensive because they had been copied by hand, word for word, which took many days) and his belongings to feed the poor. Soon after, he became a priest.

A heresy, which is a false teaching about the Catholic Faith, was spreading throughout Europe. Dominic knew he had to do everything he could to preach the truth so that he could save souls. But at first, when he preached from town to town, no one listened to him. Dominic's heart was heavy. He prayed to the Blessed Virgin for help. Tradition says that in answer to his prayers, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Dominic and taught him how to pray the Rosary. She explained that praying the Rosary would bring sinners to Jesus. Dominic spread the devotion of the Rosary, and it is because of him that we have the Rosary today.

Strengthened by the graces of the Rosary, Dominic continued to preach the truth of the Catholic Faith. God granted him the power of miracles, too, so that others could see that God was with Dominic.

Dominic wrote a book about the truth of the Catholic Faith, and then he asked a heretic to give him a book about the heretic's false faith. Dominic summoned a crowd, and then he took both books and cast them into the fire. The heretic's book burned to ash. But not only was Dominic's book unharmed, it leapt from the fire to a safe place away from the flames. The crowd watched this miracle with astonishment but that was not all. Dominic also healed the sick and even raised people from the dead through the power of Jesus. These miracles showed the power of God and the truth of Dominic's words, and so he won many souls back to the Catholic Faith. 

Dominic formed an order of preachers to spread the light of the true Faith and banish the darkness of falsehood. Members of his order are called the Dominicans, and you can recognize them today by the white and black ropes that they wear. Dominic preached the truth of Christ until he died a holy death. 

St. Dominic, shine the light of the truth of Jesus in my soul!