St. Dominic Guzman (August 4th)

Founder of the Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominican Order; born at Calaroga, in Old Castile, c. 1170; died 6 August, 1221. His parents, Felix Guzmanand Joanna of Aza, undoubtedly belonged to the nobility of Spain, though probably neither was connected with the reigning house of Castile, as some of the saint'sbiographers assert. Of Felix Guzman, personally, little is known, except that he was in every sense the worthy head of a family of saints. To nobility of blood Joanna ofAza added a nobility of soul which so enshrined her in the popular veneration that in 1828 she was solemnly beatified by Leo XII. The example of such parents was not without its effect upon their children. Not only Saint Dominic but also his brothers, Antonio and Manes, were distinguished for their extraordinary sanctity. Antonio, the eldest, became a secular priest and, having distributed his patrimony to the poor, entered a hospital where he spent his life ministering to the sick. Manes, following in the footsteps of Dominic, became a Friar Preacher, and was beatified by Gregory XVI.

The birth and infancy of the saint were attended by many marvels forecasting his heroic sanctity and great achievements in the cause of religion. From his seventh to his fourteenth year he pursued his elementary studies under the tutelage of his maternal uncle, the archpriest of Gumiel d'Izan, not far distant from Calaroga. In 1184 Saint Dominic entered the University of Palencia. Here he remained for ten years prosecuting his studies with such ardour and success that throughout the ephemeralexistence of that institution he was held up to the admiration of its scholars as all that a student should be. Amid the frivolities and dissipations of a university city, thelife of the future saint was characterized by seriousness of purpose and an austerity of manner which singled him out as one from whom great things might be expected in the future. But more than once he proved that under this austere exterior he carried a heart as tender as a woman's. On one occasion he sold his books, annotated with his own hand, to relieve the starving poor of Palencia. His biographer and contemporary, Bartholomew of Trent, states that twice he tried to sell himself intoslavery to obtain money for the liberation of those who were held in captivity by the Moors. These facts are worthy of mention in view of the cynical and saturninecharacter which some non-Catholic writers have endeavoured to foist upon one of the most charitable of men. Concerning the date of his ordination his biographers aresilent; nor is there anything from which that date can be inferred with any degree of certainty. According to the deposition of Brother Stephen, Prior Provincial ofLombardy, given in the process of canonization, Dominic was still a student at Palencia when Don Martin de Bazan, the Bishop of Osma, called him to membership in thecathedral chapter for the purpose of assisting in its reform. The bishop realized the importance to his plan of reform of having constantly before his canons the example of one of Dominic's eminent holiness. Nor was he disappointed in the result. In recognition of the part he had taken in converting its members into canons regular, Dominic was appointed sub-prior of the reformed chapter. On the accession of Don Diego d'Azevedo to the Bishopric of Osma in 1201, Dominic became superior of thechapter with the title of prior. As a canon of Osma, he spent nine years of his life hidden in God and rapt in contemplation, scarcely passing beyond the confines of thechapter house.

In 1203 Alfonso IX, King of Castile, deputed the Bishop of Osma to demand from the Lord of the Marches, presumably a Danish prince, the hand of his daughter on behalf of the king's son, Prince Ferdinand. For his companion on this embassy Don Diego chose Saint Dominic. Passing through Toulouse in the pursuit of their mission, they beheld with amazement and sorrow the work of spiritual ruin wrought by the Albigensian heresy. It was in the contemplation of this scene that Dominic first conceived the idea of founding an order for the purpose of combating heresy and spreading the light of the Gospel by preaching to the ends of the then known world. Their mission having ended successfully, Diego and Dominic were dispatched on a second embassy, accompanied by a splendid retinue, to escort the betrothed princess to Castile. This mission, however, was brought to a sudden close by the death of the young woman in question. The two ecclesiastics were now free to go where they would, and they set out for Rome, arriving there towards the end of 1204. The purpose of this was to enable Diego to resign his bishopric that he might devote himself to theconversion of unbelievers in distant lands. Innocent III, however, refused to approve this project, and instead sent the bishop and his companion to Languedoc to join forces with the Cistercians, to whom he had entrusted the crusade against the Albigenses. The scene that confronted them on their arrival in Languedoc was by no means an encouraging one. The Cistercians, on account of their worldly manner of living, had made little or no headway against the Albigenses. They had entered upon their work with considerable pomp, attended by a brilliant retinue, and well provided with the comforts of life. To this display of worldliness the leaders of the hereticsopposed a rigid asceticism which commanded the respect and admiration of their followers. Diego and Dominic quickly saw that the failure of the Cistercian apostolatewas due to the monks' indulgent habits, and finally prevailed upon them to adopt a more austere manner of life. The result was at once apparent in a greatly increased number of converts. Theological disputations played a prominent part in the propaganda of the heretics. Dominic and his companion, therefore, lost no time in engaging their opponents in this kind of theological exposition. Whenever the opportunity offered, they accepted the gage of battle. The thorough training that the saint had received at Palencia now proved of inestimable value to him in his encounters with the heretics. Unable to refute his arguments or counteract the influence of his preaching, they visited their hatred upon him by means of repeated insults and threats of physical violence. With Prouille for his head-quarters, he laboured by turns inFanjeaux, Montpellier, Servian, Béziers, and Carcassonne. Early in his apostolate around Prouille the saint realized the necessity of an institution that would protect thewomen of that country from the influence of the heretics. Many of them had already embraced Albigensianism and were its most active propagandists. These womenerected convents, to which the children of the Catholic nobility were often sent—for want of something better—to receive an education, and, in effect, if not on purpose, to be tainted with the spirit of heresy. It was needful, too, that women converted from heresy should be safeguarded against the evil influence of their own homes. To supply these deficiencies, Saint Dominic, with the permission of Foulques, Bishop of Toulouse, established a convent at Prouille in 1206. To this community, and afterwards to that of Saint Sixtus, at Rome, he gave the rule and constitutions which have ever since guided the nuns of the Second Order of Saint Dominic.

The year 1208 opens a new epoch in the eventful life of the founder. On 15 January of that year Pierre de Castelnau, one of the Cistercian legates, was assassinated. This abominable crime precipitated the crusade under Simon de Montfort, which led to the temporary subjugation of the heretics. Saint Dominic participated in the stirring scenes that followed, but always on the side of mercy, wielding the arms of the spirit while others wrought death and desolation with the sword. Some historiansassert that during the sack of Béziers, Dominic appeared in the streets of that city, cross in hand, interceding for the lives of the women and children, the aged and the infirm. This testimony, however, is based upon documents which Touron regards as certainly apocryphal. The testimony of the most reliable historians tends to provethat the saint was neither in the city nor in its vicinity when Béziers was sacked by the crusaders. We find him generally during this period following the Catholic army, reviving religion and reconciling heretics in the cities that had capitulated to, or had been taken by, the victorious de Montfort. It was probably 1 September, 1209, thatSaint Dominic first came in contact with Simon de Montfort and formed with him that intimate friendship which was to last till the death of the brave crusader under the walls of Toulouse (25 June, 1218). We find him by the side of de Montfort at the siege of Lavaur in 1211, and again in 1212, at the capture of La Penne d'Ajen. In the latter part of 1212 he was at Pamiers labouring, at the invitation of de Montfort, for the restoration of religion and morality. Lastly, just before the battle of Muret, 12 September, 1213, the saint is again found in the council that preceded the battle. During the progress of the conflict, he knelt before the altar in the church of Saint-Jacques, praying for the triumph of the Catholic arms. So remarkable was the victory of the crusaders at Muret that Simon de Montfort regarded it as altogethermiraculous, and piously attributed it to the prayers of Saint Dominic. In gratitude to God for this decisive victory, the crusader erected a chapel in the church of Saint-Jacques, which he dedicated, it is said, to Our Lady of the Rosary. It would appear, therefore, that the devotion of the Rosary, which tradition says was revealed to Saint Dominic, had come into general use about this time. To this period, too, has been ascribed the foundation of the Inquisition by Saint Dominic, and his appointment as the first Inquisitor. As both these much controverted questions will receive special treatment elsewhere in this work, it will suffice for our present purpose to note that theInquisition was in operation in 1198, or seven years before the saint took part in the apostolate in Languedoc, and while he was still an obscure canon regular at Osma. If he was for a certain time identified with the operations of the Inquisition, it was only in the capacity of a theologian passing upon the orthodoxy of the accused. Whatever influence he may have had with the judges of that much maligned institution was always employed on the side of mercy and forbearance, as witness the classic case of Ponce Roger.

In the meantime, the saint's increasing reputation for heroic sanctity, apostolic zeal, and profound learning caused him to be much sought after as a candidate for various bishoprics. Three distinct efforts were made to raise him to the episcopate. In July, 1212, the chapter of Béziers chose him for their bishop. Again, the canons of Saint-Lizier wished him to succeed Garcias de l'Orte as Bishop of Comminges. Lastly, in 1215 an effort was made by Garcias de l'Orte himself, who had been transferred from Comminges to Auch, to make him Bishop of Navarre. But Saint Dominic absolutely refused all episcopal honours, saying that he would rather take flight in the night, with nothing but his staff, than accept the episcopate. From Muret Dominic returned to Carcassonne, where he resumed his preaching with unqualified success. It was not until 1214 that he returned to Toulouse. In the meantime the influence of his preaching and the eminent holiness of his life had drawn around him a little band ofdevoted disciples eager to follow wherever he might lead. Saint Dominic had never for a moment forgotten his purpose, formed eleven years before, of founding areligious order to combat heresy and propagate religious truth. The time now seemed opportune for the realization of his plan. With the approval of Bishop Foulques ofToulouse, he began the organization of his little band of followers. That Dominic and his companions might possess a fixed source of revenue Foulques made himchaplain of Fanjeaux and in July, 1215, canonically established the community as a religious congregation of his diocese, whose mission was the propagation of truedoctrine and good morals, and the extirpation of heresy. During this same year Pierre Seilan, a wealthy citizen of Toulouse, who had placed himself under the direction of Saint Dominic, put at their disposal his own commodious dwelling. In this way the first convent of the Order of Preachers was founded on 25 April, 1215. But they dwelt here only a year when Foulques established them in the church of Saints Romanus. Though the little community had proved amply the need of its mission and the efficiency of its service to the Church, it was far from satisfying the full purpose of its founder. It was at best but a diocesan congregation, and Saint Dominic haddreamed of a world-order that would carry its apostolate to the ends of the earth. But, unknown to the saint, events were shaping themselves for the realization of hishopes. In November, 1215, an ecumenical council was to meet at Rome "to deliberate on the improvement of morals, the extinction of heresy, and the strengthening of the faith". This was identically the mission Saint Dominic had determined on for his order. With the Bishop of Toulouse, he was present at the deliberations of thiscouncil. From the very first session it seemed that events conspired to bring his plans to a successful issue. The council bitterly arraigned the bishops for their neglect of preaching. In canon X they were directed to delegate capable men to preach the word of God to the people. Under these circumstances, it would reasonably appear thatDominic's request for confirmation of an order designed to carry out the mandates of the council would be joyfully granted. But while the council was anxious that thesereforms should be put into effect as speedily as possible, it was at the same time opposed to the institution of any new religious orders, and had legislated to that effect in no uncertain terms. Moreover, preaching had always been looked upon as primarily a function of the episcopate. To bestow this office on an unknown and untried body of simple priests seemed too original and too bold in its conception to appeal to the conservative prelates who influenced the deliberations of the council. When, therefore, his petition for the approbation of his infant institute was refused, it could not have been wholly unexpected by Saint Dominic.

Returning to Languedoc at the close of the council in December, 1215, the founder gathered about him his little band of followers and informed them of the wish of thecouncil that there should be no new rules for religious orders. Thereupon they adopted the ancient rule of Saint Augustine, which, on account of its generality, would easily lend itself to any form they might wish to give it. This done, Saint Dominic again appeared before the pope in the month of August, 1216, and again solicited theconfirmation of his order. This time he was received more favourably, and on 22 December, 1216, the Bull of confirmation was issued.


Saint Dominic spent the following Lent preaching in various churches in Rome, and before the pope and the papal court. It was at this time that he received the office and title of Master of the Sacred Palace, or Pope's Theologian, as it is more commonly called. This office has been held uninterruptedly by members of the order from the founder's time to the present day. On 15 August, 1217, he gathered the brethren about him at Prouille to deliberate on the affairs of the order. He had determined upon the heroic plan of dispersing his little band of seventeen unformed followers over all Europe. The result proved the wisdom of an act which, to the eye of humanprudence at least, seemed little short of suicidal. To facilitate the spread of the order, Honorius III, on 11 Feb., 1218, addressed a Bull to all archbishops, bishops,abbots, and priors, requesting their favour on behalf of the Order of Preachers. By another Bull, dated 3 Dec., 1218, Honorius III bestowed upon the order the church ofSaint Sixtus in Rome. Here, amid the tombs of the Appian Way, was founded the first monastery of the order in Rome. Shortly after taking possession of Saint Sixtus, at the invitation of Honorius, Saint Dominic began the somewhat difficult task of restoring the pristine observance of religious discipline among the various Romancommunities of women. In a comparatively short time the work was accomplished, to the great satisfaction of the pope. His own career at the University of Palencia, and the practical use to which he had put it in his encounters with the Albigenses, as well as his keen appreciation of the needs of the time, convinced the saint that to ensure the highest efficiency of the work of the apostolate, his followers should be afforded the best educational advantages obtainable. It was for this reason that on the dispersal of the brethren at Prouille he dispatched Matthew of France and two companions to Paris. A foundation was made in the vicinity of the university, and thefriars took possession in October, 1217. Matthew of France was appointed superior, and Michael de Fabra was placed in charge of the studies with the title of Lecturer. On 6 August of the following year, Jean de Barastre, dean of Saint-Quentin and professor of theology, bestowed on the community the hospice of Saint-Jaques, which he had built for his own use. Having effected a foundation at the University of Paris, Saint Dominic next determined upon a settlement at the University of Bologna. Bertrand of Garrigua, who had been summoned from Paris, and John of Navarre, set out from Rome, with letters from Pope Honorius, to make the desired foundation. On their arrival at Bologna, the church of Santa Maria della Mascarella was placed at their disposal. So rapidly did the Roman community of Saint Sixtus grow that the need of more commodious quarters soon became urgent. Honorius, who seemed to delight in supplying every need of the order and furthering its interests to the utmost of his power, met the emergency by bestowing on Saint Dominic the basilica of Santa Sabina.

Towards the end of 1218, having appointed Reginald of Orléans his vicar in Italy, the saint, accompanied by several of his brethren, set out for Spain. Bologna, Prouille,Toulouse, and Fanjeaux were visited on the way. From Prouille two of the brethren were sent to establish a convent at Lyons. Segovia was reached just beforeChristmas. In February of the following year he founded the first monastery of the order in Spain. Turning southward, he established a convent for women at Madrid, similar to the one at Prouille. It is quite probable that on this journey he personally presided over the erection of a convent in connexion with his alma mater, theUniversity of Palencia. At the invitation of the Bishop of Barcelona, a house of the order was established in that city. Again bending his steps towards Rome he recrossed the Pyrenees and visited the foundations at Toulouse and Paris. During his stay in the latter place he caused houses to be erected at Limoges, Metz, Reims, Poitiers, andOrléans, which in a short time became centres of Dominican activity. From Paris he directed his course towards Italy, arriving in Bologna in July, 1219. Here he devoted several months to the religious formation of the brethren he found awaiting him, and then, as at Prouille, dispersed them over Italy. Among the foundations made at this time were those at Bergamo, Asti, Verona, Florence, Brescia, and Faenza. From Bologna he went to Viterbo. His arrival at the papal court was the signal for the showering of new favours on the order. Notable among these marks of esteem were many complimentary letters addressed by Honorius to all those who had assisted the Fathers in their vinous foundations. In March of this same year Honorius, through his representatives, bestowed upon the order the church of San Eustorgio in Milan. At the same time a foundation at Viterbo was authorized. On his return to Rome, towards the end of 1219, Dominic sent out letters to all the convents announcing the first general chapter of the order, to be held at Bologna on the feast of the following Pentecost. Shortly before, Honorius III, by a special Brief, had conferred upon the founder the title of Master General, which till then he had held only by tacit consent. At the very first session of the chapter in the following spring the saint startled his brethren by offering his resignation as master general. It is needless to say the resignation was not accepted and the founder remained at the head of the institute till the end of his life.

Soon after the close of the chapter of Bologna, Honorius III addressed letters to the abbeys and priories of San Vittorio, Sillia, Mansu, Floria, Vallombrosa, and Aquila, ordering that several of their religious be deputed to begin, under the leadership of Saint Dominic, a preaching crusade in Lombardy, where heresy had developed alarming proportions. For some reason or other the plans of the pope were never realized. The promised support failing, Dominic, with a little band of his own brethren, threw himself into the field, and, as the event proved, spent himself in an effort to bring back the heretics to their allegiance to the Church. It is said that 100,000 unbelievers were converted by the preaching and the miracles of the saint. According to Lacordaire and others, it was during his preaching in Lombardy that the saintinstituted the Militia of Jesus Christ, or the third order, as it is commonly called, consisting of men and women living in the world, to protect the rights and property of the Church. Towards the end of 1221 Saint Dominic returned to Rome for the sixth and last time. Here he received many new and valuable concessions for the order. In January, February, and March of 1221 three consecutive Bulls were issued commending the order to all the prelates of the Church. The thirtieth of May, 1221, found him again at Bologna presiding over the second general chapter of the order. At the close of the chapter he set out for Venice to visit Cardinal Ugolino, to whom he was especially indebted for many substantial acts of kindness. He had scarcely returned to Bologna when a fatal illness attacked him. He died after three weeks of sickness, the many trials of which he bore with heroic patience. In a Bull dated at Spoleto, 13 July, 1234, Gregory IX made his cult obligatory throughout the Church.

The life of St. Dominic was one of tireless effort in the, service of God. While he journeyed from place to place he prayed and preached almost uninterruptedly. Hispenances were of such a nature as to cause the brethren, who accidentally discovered them, to fear the effect upon his life. While his charity was boundless he never permitted it to interfere with the stern sense of duty that guided every action of his life. If he abominated heresy and laboured untiringly for its extirpation it was because he loved truth and loved the souls of those among whom he laboured. He never failed to distinguish between sin and the sinner. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, if this athlete of Christ, who had conquered himself before attempting the reformation of others, was more than once chosen to show forth the power of God. The failure of the fire at Fanjeaux to consume the dissertation he had employed against the heretics, and which was thrice thrown into the flames; the raising to life ofNapoleone Orsini; the appearance of the annals in the refectory of Saint Sixtus in response to his prayers, are but a few of the supernatural happenings by which Godwas pleased to attest the eminent holiness of His servant. We are not surprised, therefore, that, after signing the Bull of canonization on 13 July, 1234, Gregory IXdeclared that he no more doubted the saintliness of Saint Dominic than he did that of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.



http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05106a.htm

The Litany of St. Dominic

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary , pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, etc.
Our glorious father, Saint Dominic,
Follower of Jesus Christ,
Eminently endowed with the virtues of His Sacred Heart,
Adorer of the Blessed Sacrament,
Singularly devoted to our Blessed Lady,
Promoter of her honor,
Promulgator of the Holy Rosary,
Splendor of the Priesthood,
Founder of the Friars Preachers,
Confounder of the Albigenses,
Reviver of ecclesiastical discipline,
Rose of patience,
Most ardent for the salvation of souls,
Most desirous of martyrdom,
Evangelical man,
Doctor of truth,
Ivory of chastity,
Man of truly apostolic heart,
Poor in the midst of riches,
Rich in an unspotted life,
Burning with zeal for perishing souls,
Preacher of the Gospel,
Rule of abstinence,
Herald of Heavenly things,
Salt of the earth,
Thou who didst water the earth with thy precious blood,
Shining in the choir of virgins,
Saint Dominic most humble,
Saint Dominic most obedient,
Saint Dominic most chaste,
Saint Dominic most charitable,
That at the hour of death we may be
received into Heaven with thee,
pray for us.

Be merciful unto us, O Lord, and pardon us.
Be merciful unto us, O Lord, and graciously hear us.
From all sin and evil, O Lord, deliver us.
From the snares of the devil, O Lord, deliver us.
From eternal death, etc.

By the merits of our holy father, Saint Dominic,
By his ardent love,
By his indefatigable zeal,
By his extraordinary labors,
By his inexpressible penances,
By his voluntary poverty,
By his perpetual chastity,
By his perfect obedience,
By his profound humility,
By his rare constancy,
By all his other virtues,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy father, Saint Dominic,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

<>Let Us Pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the burden of our sins may be relieved by the patronage of Saint Dominic, Thy confessor and our father.
Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen. 

Traditional Rule of the Third Order of St. Dominic

J.M. + J.D.

The Rule of the Brothers and Sisters of the
Secular Third Order of Saint Dominic

Approved by Pope Pius XI
by a Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Religious
April 23, 1923

Chapter I
The Nature and Object of the Third Order

The Third Order of Penance of Saint Dominic, also called the Militia of Jesus Christ, is an association of Christians living in the world who, sharing in the religious and apostolic life of the Order of Friars Preachers, according to their own Rule approved by the Holy See, strive to attain to Christian perfection under the government of the same Order.

The end of the Third Order is the sanctification of its own members by the practice of a more perfect Christian life and the promotion of the salvation of souls in a way that is suitable to the state of the faithful living in the world.

The means of obtaining this end, over and above the common precepts and duties of one’s state in life; - the observance of this Rule, continual prayer, and as far as possible, liturgical prayer, the practice of penance, apostolic and charitable works for the Faith and the Church according to one’s condition and particular state in life.

The associations into which the Third Order is divided are called fraternities. Nevertheless a person may be received into the Third Order who for some special reason cannot be enrolled in a fraternity.

Fraternities cannot be validly erected without the consent of the ordinary of the place. As far as possible, there should be separate fraternities for men and women.

What is said of tertiaries in the masculine applies also to women unless from the context or the nature of the case the contrary is evident.

Insofar as possible, there should be erected fraternities of secular priests, who, under the direction of some father of the Order, shall strive to lead a more apostolic life.

Chapter II
Concerning those to be received and the Conditions required

Since the increase and progress of the Third Order depend chiefly on the good qualities of the members, no one should be admitted into its ranks until he has been examined and then subjected to a term of probation. It should be proved to the satisfaction of the Director that the postulant is a good Catholic of honest life, good reputation, sincere in his desire to tend towards perfection, giving a well-founded hope, especially if he is young, of persevering in his good resolutions. Nay, more, he should be filled with a burning zeal for the promotion of the truth and should be characterized by a devoted loyalty toward the Church and the Pope.

All the faithful who have these qualities may be admitted into the Third Order of St. Dominic. Men and women, clergy or laity, married or single, may become members provided they have completed their eighteenth year and do not belong to a Religious Order or to any other Third Order. With the permission of the Father Provincial for a good reason one may be admitted at the completion of his seventeenth year. Married persons ordinarily should not be admitted without the consent of the marriage partner unless there be a good reason for doing otherwise.

The following have the power to receive into the Third Order:

1. The Master General of the Order or the Provincial within the limits of his jurisdiction;
2. The Director of the Third Order legitimately instituted for his Fraternity or in particular cases his delegate;
3. Any priest delegated by the Master General or by the Father Provincial.

In places where a Fraternity has been legitimately erected, no one, without the permission of the Director of the Fraternity or without special permission of the Superior who delegated him, may make use of these faculties. Delegation received from the Master General is for life. Delegation received from a Provincial needs confirmation by his successor.

In order that one may be admitted to a definite Fraternity of the Third Order, besides the favorable decision of the Director, the consent of the Council of the Fraternity is required.

Chapter III
The Habit of the Brothers and Sisters

The Habit of the Third Order should be made of common wool. It consists of a white robe, gathered at the waist with a leather belt, a black cloak with a hood for the Brothers and a linen guimpe for the Sisters.

Tertiaries ordinarily wear a scapular of white wool under their secular dress, in place of the Habit of the Order.

With the permission of the Ordinary of the place Tertiaries may wear in public religious functions the full Habit of the Order, or some special insignia according to custom. When they meet in a body wearing their insignia at such functions, they should march behind the cross of the Fraternity.

It is forbidden to wear the Habit of the Order publicly without the consent of the Master General and the permission of the local Ordinary.

After death, Tertiaries may be clothed with the full Habit of the Third Order, or even that of the First Order or of the Second Order.

The attire of Tertiaries should be according to approved custom and age. That Christian modesty may shine in the dress of Tertiaries; all worldly vanity should be shunned, especially in the form of fashion of one’s garments. This is becoming to the servants and the handmaids of Jesus Christ.

Chapter IV
Reception into the Third Order and the Blessing of the Habit

The time of probation having expired, the postulant is received by the Director or by his delegate before the altar of the Church or in some convenient place, according to the ceremonial of the Third Order, in the presence of at least some of the members of the Fraternity. Witnesses are not required if the postulant is not to be enrolled in a Fraternity.

Having received the Habit, the postulant is admitted to a share in all the spiritual favors of the Brothers and Sisters of the Order.

Every new Scapular should be blessed. Besides those having the faculty of receiving to the Habit, all the priests of the Dominican Order may give this blessing. In places where there is neither a priest of the Order nor a Director of a Fraternity, any priest approved for hearing confessions has the power to bless the scapular.

Chapter V
The Novitiate and Profession

Before being admitted to Profession, Novices should devote themselves to the study of the Rule for one year under the direction of the Novice Master, so that they may know their own obligations and try to become imbued with the spirit of our Holy Father, St. Dominic.

At the end of the year of probation or even before, if the particular circumstances of the person seem to demand it, the Novice may be admitted to profession by the Director with the consent of the majority of the Council of the Fraternity.

Those who are received privately into the Third Order may be admitted to profession according to the prudent judgment of anyone having the legitimate faculty.

Profession consists in the formal promise, but without a vow, of living according to the Rule of the Third Order of Friars Preachers.

The profession is made in the following manner: “To the honor of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of Blessed Dominic, I … before you, the Director, and the Prior (or Prioress) of the Fraternity of the Third Order of Penance of Blessed Dominic, of this place, who hold the place of the Most Reverend Master General of the Order, do make profession that henceforth I will live according to the Rule and form of the Brothers and Sisters of this same Order of Penance of Blessed Dominic until death.”

There should be a register in every Fraternity for its own members in which are noted the name of the one received and the day of Reception and of Profession. Those who receive Tertiaries privately should send this same information to the Provincial of that territory in which the said tertiary resides, or to the Superior, from whom they received their faculty.

After Profession, which holds until death, Tertiaries are bound to perseverance in the Order and they may not, without a just cause, pass to another Third Order.

Chapter VI
The Recitation of the Office

Tertiaries should say the Office every day: either the old Office known as the Pater Noster, or the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the Dominican Rite or the entire Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If they be hindered from saying any of the above, they should say one of the little Offices approved by the Order, or a third part of the Rosary.

In reciting the old Office known as the Pater Noster, Tertiaries should say 28 Our Fathers and Hail Marys for Matins; 14 for Vespers and 7 for each of the other five Hours. The Apostles Creed should be recited before Matins and Prime and at the end of Compline. Matins are usually said on the evening of the preceding evening or in the morning; the Little Hours before mid-day; Vespers and Compline before the end of the day. They may, however be said at any hour of the day provided the regular order of Hours is observed.

Priests and those in major Orders will satisfy this obligation by the mere recitation of the Divine Office. They should say once a day the Responsory O Spem Miram with versicle and prayer in honor of Saint Dominic.

Tertiary priests having obtained the permission from the Master General of the Order may use the Breviary and Missal according to the calendar of the Order.

Chapter VII
Confession, Communion, And Other Pious Practices

Tertiaries should approach the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist at least twice a month unless legitimately hindered. If they wish to be refreshed more frequently, even every day, by the Most Holy Body of Christ, their devotion is to be commended.

Tertiaries should make an effort to be present, as far as they are able, at the daily Sacrifice of the Mass and to follow the priest with devout attention during the course of the Mass. They should devote themselves to mental prayer and apply themselves to pious works suited to the spirit of the Order.

They should cultivate a special devotion based on a particular attraction toward the most faithful Patroness of the whole Order, the Virgin Mary; Saint Joseph, her spouse; our Blessed Patriarch, Dominic; Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Patroness of the Third Order; and all the Saints and Blesseds of the Order.

They should conduct themselves in churches with great reverence, particularly during the divine mysteries, and they should always show a good example to all the faithful.

It is strongly recommended that a retreat of three days, at least once a year, be made in each Fraternity.

Chapter VIII
Fasts

Besides the fasts and abstinences instituted by the Church, Tertiaries, if not legitimately hindered, should fast on the vigils of the Most Holy Rosary, our Holy Father, Saint Dominic, and Saint Catherine of Siena. Moreover, adhering to the spirit of penance characteristic of the Order and of the ancient Rule, they should observe the Fridays of the whole year as fasts and exercise themselves in other works of penance-with the advice, however, of the Director or a discreet confessor.

Chapter IX
The Avoidance of Worldliness

Tertiaries should refrain from visiting places of worldly amusement. They should not go to dances or worldly banquets or frivolous shows. If, however, it is impossible to abstain from all these, they should ask the permission of the Director or at least inform him.

Chapter X
Reverence toward Prelates and Clergy

Tertiaries should have the deepest reverence for the Bishops and the priest of their respective churches, and they should faithfully fulfill their duties towards them according to the rules and customs of each place. They should also hold all other clergy in honor according to their various positions and offices.

Chapter XI
Apostolic and Charitable Works

Following in the footsteps of the Apostolic Patriarch Dominic and of the Seraphic Virgin Catherine of Siena, all Tertiaries should devote their lives to the glory of God and the salvation of their neighbors in an ardent and generous spirit.

Mindful of the traditions of our ancestors, Tertiaries should labor in behalf of the truth of the Catholic Faith and for the Church and the Pope, in word and deed, showing themselves to be ardent defenders of their rights in all things and at all times. They should also help in apostolic works, particularly those of the Order.

They should devote themselves to works of charity and mercy according to the conditions of time and the necessities of place, either privately or as a body, according to their limits and capabilities under the direction of their Superiors.

They should also willingly assist the parish priest in pious works and particularly where there is a necessity in imparting religious instruction to boys and girls.

Chapter XII
Visiting and Assisting the Sick

In every Fraternity there should be named Visitors for the sick that shall take pains to visit members according to the wish of the Director and assist them spiritually and temporally.

Chapter XIII
Death of the Brethren and Suffrages

The death of a member of the Fraternity should be announced to the other members of the Fraternity as soon as convenient, and all the members should be present at the obsequies of the deceased member, unless legitimately hindered.

Moreover within the eight days immediately following the death notice, each member of the same Fraternity shall recite a third part of the Rosary, hear one Mass and apply one Communion for the repose of the deceased member’s soul.

Tertiaries should say, every day, one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Eternal rest… for the living and the dead of the whole Order.

Every member within the year should have three Masses said (or should at least hear three Masses) for the welfare of the Brothers and Sisters, living and dead.

Chapter XIV
The Superiors of the Third Order

The Third Order of Friars Preachers is placed under the immediate direction and correction of the Master General, to whom, therefore, all Fraternities, all Directors, and individual Tertiaries are subject as regards those things that pertain to their living according to the Rule.

In virtue of their office, Provincials, also, within the limits of their own Provinces have care of the Third Order.

The Master General and Priors Provincial have the right to visit the Fraternities every year and more frequently if the situation demands it. They may conduct their visits through a delegate. What they deem profitable in the Lord by way of counsel, admonition, orders, or correction, even the removal of some official, should be received by all with a grateful and humble spirit.

Tertiaries who are not members of some Fraternity should regard the Master General or the Prior Provincial as their Superior in the Third Order. Others who have been enrolled in some Fraternity depend also on the Director and other Superiors of this same Fraternity.

The institution of the Director of each Fraternity in the churches of the Order is exclusively reserved to the Master General or the Prior provincial. In churches not belonging to the Order the consent of the local Ordinary is also required beforehand.

The office of Director lasts for three years at the end of which time the same Director may be reappointed.

The Director during his term of office can, by virtue of the said office, do those things, which pertain to the spiritual instruction and direction of the Brothers and Sisters. The laws of the Church should be observed in regard to the sermons to be preached.

At least once a year secular directors must send to the Provincial a statement concerning the condition and progress of the Fraternity committed to their care.

Chapter XV
Officials

In every Fraternity there should be a Prior, a Sub-Prior, a Novice Master and other Officials and Councilors.

The Council of the Fraternity should not exceed twelve members. The Prior, Sub-Prior, and Novice Master are members of the Council in virtue of their offices.

In establishing a Fraternity all officers will be installed by the Provincial. The same will be done after the dissolution of the Council, which takes place as often as the Council for any cause leaves office.

The term of office of the Officials and Councilors, lasts for three years; but each year a third part of the Councilors will be renewed by the Director with the cooperation of the remainder of the Council. In the year in which the Officials are to be removed, let the Council be first completed. Then let the Prior and other Officials be instituted by the Director conjointly with the completed Council. In case of dissension between the Director and Council, recourse should be had to the Prior Provincial.

Chapter XVI
The Office of Prior and Other Officials

It will be the duty of the Prior to take care that the Rule is observed by all. He should also take care that nothing in deportment, manner of life, and dress be done by any Brother of the Fraternity that can give disedification. If he sees any transgression or negligence, he should charitably rebuke and correct it, or if it seems more advantageous, he should have recourse to the authority of the Director.

The other Officials of the Fraternity should perform those duties, which, according to those particular customs and necessities of each Fraternity, seem most fitting.

The Sub-Prior holds place of the Prior in his absence.

The Council should be called by the Director, who presides at it in person, each time the vote of the Council is required according to the Rule, or when matters of greater moment are to be handled according to its particular rule.

Chapter XVIII
The Meetings of the Brethren

Once a month the members of the Fraternity, should assemble to hear instructions given by the Director and to assist at Mass if the hour makes this possible.

The Director, himself, should read and expound the Rule, he should inform the Brethren of the activities, he should correct and rebuke carelessness as occasion demands and as he deems expedient, according to God and the Rule.

The Suffrages should be said for the living and the dead with absolution from faults because of transgressions of the Rule.

Chapter XVIII
The Correction of the Brethren

If anyone shall have committed a notable fault and, admonished by the Director, will not reform, he should be corrected according to his condition and according to the grave or light nature of the fault. He may be excluded for a time from the companionship of the Brethren or even entirely – with the consent, however, of the Council of the Fraternity. If after one or more admonitions he neglects to mend his ways, he cannot be readmitted without the consent of the Council.

Only the Master General or the Provincial has the right to dismiss anyone for grave reasons from the Third Order, and, in case of grave scandal, without previous warning.

Chapter XIX
Dispensations

The Master General has full power to dispense from any precept of this Rule. Moreover, the Provincial within the limits of his jurisdiction, or even the Director in his Fraternity, or one delegated by them has the power to dispense the Tertiaries in particular cases for a reasonable cause.

The precepts of this Rule, except those which are divine or ecclesiastical laws, do not oblige the Brothers and the Sisters under pain of sin before God, but only under penalty fixed by the law, or to be fixed by the Prelate or Director as was stated in Chapter XVIII. However, mindful of their Profession, all the Brethren should fulfill the precepts of the Rule with the help and grace of our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, God, forever and ever.

Amen.

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