August 8 is the feast day of St. Dominic.
Dominic was born in Caleruega, Spain, in 1170 to noble parents.
In 1191, a famine struck Spain. Dominic responded by selling everything he owned to buy food for the poor. Notably, he also sold his school texts, saying to his fellow students and teachers, “Would you have me study off these dead skins, when men are dying of hunger?”
About three years later, Dominic joined the Benedictine order and devoted his life to peacefully converting people back to the Catholic faith.
In 1206, Dominic established the Notre-Dame-de-Prouille Monastery. Designed to educate the nobility’s children and to protect people of faith from violent heretics, this convent would eventually be known as the first Dominican house.
In 1215, Dominic was given permission by the Vatican to establish his own religious order (the Dominicans). Two years later, Pope Honorius III named this group “The Order of Preachers.”
Together, he and his followers traveled to growing cities, preaching the Word of God while maintaining monastic guidelines of prayer and penance. Simply put, Dominic sought to show how life must include God, study, and prayer.
On August 6, 1221, Dominic died from illness. A few years later, he was canonized by Pope Gregory IX. St. Dominic is the patron saint of astronomers and the Dominican Republic.
Get to know St. Dominic through this Spotify playlist — featuring artists Jon Foreman and Fr. Rob Galea, and themes of mission and speaking the truth.
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