The Life of Saint Dominic by Augusta Theodosia Drane

I completed reading The Life of Saint Dominic by Augusta Theodosia Drane, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  

This is an excellent biography of the famous saint which includes many of the events that led to the institution of the Order of Preachers, otherwise unofficially known as the Dominican Order, and the early members that shaped what is probably the most intellectual of all the religious orders. The book has a nice mix of solid historical facts and what I would say are hagiographic facts (super natural miracles), which I guess you can believe or not. Augusta Theodosia Drane’s prose is quite good though at times reflects the Victorian style – originally published in 1857 – of her day. What she captures most is the humility of the saint – he refused to have the order named after himself – and the sort of magnetic attraction his followers had for him. It is sometimes said St. Dominic “befriended” an order rather than found it. The explosion of Dominican friars after the 1216 founding is remarkable and can be attributed to St. Dominic himself on the strength of his humble charisma. And St. Dominic understood the dire need for a religious order that would engage the general population, preach the Word, and evangelize the fallen away. We are in such a need today. Not as much is known of St. Dominic as for instance his contemporary and counterpart, St. Francis of Assisi, but what is known Drane skillfully weaves into a narrative.

One of the hallmarks of the Order of Preachers is that they are a mendicant order, but yet Dominic, who insisted on committed poverty, came from a noble and well-to-do family.  Here’s how Drane opens the biography with his family background.

It was in the year 1170, during the pontificate of Alexander III, that Dominic Guzman, the founder of the order of Friars Preachers, was born at his father’s castle of Calaroga, in old Castile.  The history of a genealogy, however illustrious, seems scarcely to find its place in the biography of a saint; though indeed few families can boast of one more honorable than that of the Castilia Guzmans.  But if their long line of chivalrous ancestors, and the royal privileges granted to them by the kings of Spain, have no claim to be noticed here, the immediate ancestors of St. Dominic possessed at least one distinction which had a more powerful influence on his life.  They were a family of saints.

Indeed, his mother, Joana de Aza, and one of his brothers are both beatified.  His mother experienced a vision while pregnant with him that would follow him through his life and all the way to today.

The future greatness of her younger son was announced to Joanna even before his birth.  The mysterious vision of a dog, bearing in his mouth a lighted torch which would set fire to the world, appeared to indicate the power of that doctrine which should kindle and illuminate men’s hearts through the ministry of his words. 

That dog carrying a torch in its mouth is one of the icons that is associated with the Dominican order.  In fact, if one breaks “Dominican” into fragments of Latin, it translates into “Hounds of the Lord.”  There is another story of his infancy, one pertaining to his baptism.

The noble lady who held him at the font saw, as the water was poured on his head, a brilliant star shinning on the infant’s forehead; and this circumstance, which is mentioned in the earliest life which we have of the saint (that of Blessed Jordan), bears a singular connection with the beautiful description of his appearance in after-life, left by his spiritual daughter, the Blessed Cecelia; in which she says, among other things, that “from his forehead, and between his brows, there shone forth a kind of radiant light, which filled men with respect and love.”

Those are two icons associated with St. Dominic, the dog carrying a torch in its mouth and a bright star shinning from his forehead.  From these images are what his followers are committed to do, brighten the world with the torch of truth and shine forth with a loving light.

Apparently he was a young genius, so much so that he was sent to the University of Polencia at the age of fourteen.  One of the characteristics that would serve him so well was his lack of attachment to worldly things.  The world of study was precious to him, but not precious enough allow suffering.  At the university there was a famine in the region.  He sold all he had to give to the poor but there was one thing left.

His dear and precious books were all that remained to give; and even those he parted with that their rice might be distributed to the starving multitudes.  To estimate the cost of such an act, we must remember the rarity and costliness of manuscripts in those days, many having probably been laboriously copied out of his own hands.  Yet when one of his companions expressed astonishment that he should deprive himself of the means of pursuing his studies, he replied in words preserved by Theodoric of Apoldia and treasured by after-writers as the first which have come down to posterity, “Would you have me study off those dead parchments when there are men dying of hunger?”

There are many other events that can be highlighted.  His ability to speak to people and convert them.  His conversion among the Albigenses.  Setting up of convents for the women converts.  Receiving the rosary from our Blessed Mother.  Instituting the Order of Preachers with its study and preach.  Transforming his order into a western world wide group.  Attracting through the power of his personality and sacrifice wonderful men that rivaled the Franciscans as an order.

Though Dominic would probably deny it, I think it cannot be emphasized enough that the his persona was initially at the heart of what made him successful in converting souls and attracting dedicated followers.  And that persona was formed and grounded through his life of prayer.  Here is how Drane describes it.

St. Dominic was pre-eminently a man of prayer; it is the feature above all others which we find traced upon his life.  By night or by day, whether alone or with others, silent in contemplation, or surrounded by the distractions of an active apostolic vocation, his heart never stirred from the true and steady center it had so early found in God; and in this one fact lay the secret of all the graces which adorned his most beautiful soul.  It was the source of that interior tranquility which fitted him to be called “the rose of patience,” as well as of the exterior and gracious sweetness to which all have borne testimony, and which with him was nothing else than the fragrant odor preceding from the abiding presence of God.

Some other quotes from the book that provide insight in the character of this noble saint.

"Dominic was anxious to provide for the preservation of another essential of his institute, the pursuit of sacred learning." p. 194

“Gathered from all states of life--knights, courtiers, professors, men of the world, penitents, and saints--the novices of Dominic, as soon as his spirit has breathed over them, display to our gaze and many varieties, one trait of which has the indescribable peculiarity of a family likeness: Sweetness" (p.184)

“The holy joy which shone in him had something singular about it, which drew all men's affections to him so soon as they had looked upon his face. He embraced all in great charity, and so was loved by all; and his rule was to rejoice them that rejoiced, and to weep with them that wept." (p. 143)

“He devoted himself entirely to the salvation of souls by the ministry of preaching, and he bore with a great heart a multitude of affronts, ignominies, and sufferings for the name of Jesus Christ.”  (p. 26)

“But if ever a man possessed the art of persuasion it was the blessed Dominic, whom, as it was said, ‘none ever resist;’ or rather persuasion with him was not art, but nature.  It was the effect of that admirable union of patience, prudence, and firmness, tempered with the charm of a sweet and tranquil gaiety, which gave so wonderful a magic to his intercourse.”  (p. 112)

“Dominic’s idea included a much wider field than any of the more modern founders had attempted.  He had designed an order for preaching and teaching; which for that purpose should apply itself to the study of sacred letters, with the express object of the salvation of souls.”  (p. 61)

So far this might be the best biography of this wonderful saint I've seen. Don't forget St. Dominic's feast day is August 8th.

St. Dominic de Guzman, pray for us.