St. Dominic de Guzman: Helper of Falsely Accused

ST. DOMINIC is the founder of the Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominican Order. He was born at Caleruega, Spain around the 1170. He died August 6, 1221.

Little is known about his father Felix de Guzman. Dominic’s mother, Jane of Azra, was a holy woman, upright in virtue and full of integrity. In 1828, Pope Leo XII beatified her. The example of Dominic’s parents had a profound effect upon their children. St. Dominic was not the only child in his family for practicing extraordinary sanctity. Dominic’s oldest brother, Antonio, became a diocesan priest and, having distributed his patrimony to the poor, entered a hospital where he spent his life ministering to other brother, Manes, became a Friar Preacher and was beatified by Pope Gregory XVI.

From age seven to fourteen St. Dominic pursued his elementary studies under the tutelage of his maternal uncle. In 1184 St. Dominic entered the University of Palencia. Here he remained for ten years, pursuing his studies with such ardor and success that throughout the university he was admired by his teachers and peers as a true scholar.

The life of St. Dominic was one of timeless effort in the service of God. This athlete of Christ always conquered himself before attempting the reformation of others. While he journeyed from place to place, he prayed and preached almost uninterruptedly. His penances were of such a nature as to cause his brothers, to fear the effect upon his life. While Dominic’s charity was boundless, he never permitted it to interfere with the stern sense of duty that guided every action of his life. If he hated heresy and worked untiringly for its end, it was because he loves truth and loved the souls (thus patron of those falsely accused). He and his followers became the Church’s most effective preachers. (Nemric Kiel Umali)