1

Summer Quarter

e-Luminaria

Province o f Saint Martin de Porres o f the Dominican Laity

Blessed Giuseppe Girotti: Another Dominican Saint in the Making -Submitted by Fr. John Lydon, O.P.

On the 27th of March, 2013, the Holy Father Pope Francis received Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints. During that audience, the Roman Pontiff authorized the Congregation to Promulgate the Decree on the Martyrdom of the Servant of God Giuseppe Girotti, a professed priest of the Order of Preachers.

Fr Giuseppe Girotti was born in Alba, in

the northern part of Italy on the 19th of

July, 1905. He was born of a humble family

that were esteemed for their hard work

and godliness. At the age of 13, he was

convinced of his aspiration for the

priesthood which led him to enter the

Dominican Seminary of Chieri (TO). He

was a brilliant student, very lively and

cheerful too. In 1923, he made his religious

profession in “La Quercia”, near Viterbo

and on August 3, 1930 he was ordained to

the priesthood at Chieri.

He specialized in the interpretation of

Scriptures at Angelicum, Rome and the Ècole Biblique of Jerusalem. At the Ècole

Biblique, he was a student of the Servant of God Marie-Joseph Lagrange, OP and

under him, he published his academic work, “Prolita in Sacra Scrittura” in 1934. He

dedicated his life to the teaching of Scriptures at the Dominican Theological

Seminary of Turin (S. Maria delle Rose). As a result of his extensive study of

Scriptures, he published an extensive commentary on the Wisdom Books and the

Prophet Isaiah.

Esteemed for his vast learning, he loved to exercise his priestly ministry among

the poor and lonely especially at the hospice of the elderly which was close to his

convent of S. Maria delle Rose, Turin. There came a period of trial and suffering

for him, which he accepted in humility. He was deprived of further education and

was transferred to the Convent of San Domenico in the historic center of Turin.

Despite this, he continued his research in Scriptures while intensifying the

exercise of his priestly and charitable activities.

“Everything I do is for charity”, he candidly said once, indicating his continued

growth in the virtue of charity. After September 8, 1943, with the German

occupation and the birth of the Italian Social Republic, Girotti began a center for a

vast network of support for Jews.

(Continued on next page)

July, 2013

In this Issue:

Blessed Grotti,

pages 1,2

Welcome from

the Provinical

Presdient, p.

3,4

Nashville. Tn

p. 4,5

Greenville,

Schizophrenia

(Sc) Scale p.

6,7

Meditation,

p.8

Atlanta, Ga.

P 9

Book Review

p. 10,11

Retreat p.12

Pensacola, FL

p. 13

Blesseds and

Saints, p. 14-

18

Returning

Home p.19

Closing Page

p. 20

2

His cultural affinity to Jews was nourished during his years of study in Jerusalem and further deepened by

his actual study of Scriptures. It is in this sense that we understand his expressions “Carriers of the Word of

God” and “Elder brothers” as referring to Jews. At this time, many of them, while facing persecution and much

suffering, sought for safe havens and false documents for a new identity. Girotti was able to assist them in

many ways.

His activities with Jews which were contrary to the Laws of the Fascist and Nazi led to

his arrest on the 29th of August, 1944. He was betrayed by a spy who disguised as

someone in need of help and he was taken to Villa Cavorette, the place where Girotti

had hidden the Jewish Professor Joseph Diena. Girotti was subsequently arrested and

imprisoned in the new prison at Turin. Despite the efforts of his prior to have him re-

leased, he was transferred first to San Vittore prison in Milan, then to the camp of

Gries, Bozano and finally on the 5th of October 1944, he was taken to Dachau, Germa-

ny. According to Don Angelo Dalmasso, another priest with whom he was imprisoned,

Girotti stood out for his generosity and openness toward the other inmates with whom

he frequently shared the Word of God. He was imprisoned in Cabin 26 with a thousand other priests in a

space that was originally meant for 180 inmates. Due to this condition, he became ill and was admitted at the

infirmary.

On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, at barely 40years old, Girotti died. His death was probably aided by a lethal injection of gasoline as was the custom then. On his bunk, his fellow inmates wrote, “Here slept Saint Guiseppe Girotti”.

In 1988, the curia of Turin started the formal process for his canonization. On the 14th of February, 1995, 50years after

his death, he received a posthumous medal as “Righteous Among the Nations”, a recognition from the State of Israel to all those who worked for the salvation of Jews during the Holocaust. His name is inscribed on the official list and a tree is planted in his honour at the Avenue of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.

On the 27th of March 2013, Pope Francis authorized a decree for his beatification. We anticipate that he will be formal-

ly beatified at Alba during the Spring of 2014.

In her book, “Forming Intentional Disciples,” Sherry A. Weddell writes, “In calling Catholics to a deliberate discipleship and intentional faith, our goal is not to create a community of spir-itual elites. Rather, it is to create a spiritual culture that recognizes, openly talks about, and honors both the inward and outward dimensions of the sacraments and the liturgy.”

As Lay Dominicans, we can, and should, work towards making that happen.

3

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to the Luminara, the official Newsletter for the Dominican Laity of the Province

of Saint Martin de Porres (Southern Province). Congratulations to Mr. George Becaw, OP (Lay

Dominicans of Saint Cecilia Chapter, Nashville, TN), Editor. Ms. Laura Taylor, OP (Thomas

Aquinas Group, Greenville, SC), Assistant Editor, and Mr. Wayne Andrews, OP (ST. Dominic

Chapter, New Orleans, LA and Mentor, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Group, Houston, TX), Ed-

itor, Emeritus, for publishing this edition of our newsletter.

In the Luminara, we can share what is happening in the Province and in our Chapters and

Groups. . We can also share a history of our Chapters and Groups. We can share pictures and

articles about our Rite Ceremonies, Chapter and Group events, and reports of Chapter and

Groups Study Days and Retreats. The quality and quantity of the newsletter depends on you

and your members. If you do not submit information to the newsletter team, we will not have

any information to publish in the newsletter. Our Provincial Newsletter Team is:

Editor Emeritus

Mr. Wayne Andrews, O.P. Email: wayne@infodat-llc.com

Editor

Mr. George Becaw, O.P. Email: dominicanlaity.editor@gmail.com

Assistant Editor

Ms. Laura Taylor, O.P. Email: stdom143@gmail.com

They would to hear from you.

We do not have currently a member database to send email or hard copies of the Luminara to

your members. Please provide a copy to your members. We will gratefully appreciate your as-

sistance in the circulation of our Provincial newsletter.

Your Executive Council is very busy these days. We are testing our draft Provincial Formation

Program. Please visit www.3optn.com, which is the website for the St. Cecilia Chapter of Lay

Dominicans in Nashville, TN. Please go the website and check out our draft Provincial For-

mation Program. Please send your comments to our Provincial Formation Director and Provin-

cial Vice President, Dr. Lana Bastin, OP, bastins2@yahoo.com.

We also are planning for the Lay Provincial Council Meeting, which will be held in January 23

- 26, 2014 at the Dominican Sisters Motherhouse in Nashville, TN. Any member of the Domini-

can Laity in the Southern Province is invited to observe this meeting of the Chapter and Group

Presidents. We will be sending out the information on how to register soon.

With the assistance of Dr. Maureen Wright, OP, 2014 Dominican Laity Congress Coordinator,

we are planning for the Year of Dominican Laity Congress in Dallas, TX, at the Marriot DFW

in August, 2014. We are the only province in North America which is having a celebration for

the Year of the Dominican Laity. What is so important about the 2014 Dominican Laity Con-

gress? Since Advent, 2005, the Dominican Family has been preparing to celebrate the 800th an-

niversary of the confirmation of the Order of Preachers, which happened in 2016. We have

been celebrating yearly themes. The yearly theme for 2013 is “Do unto me according to Thy

Word” (LK 1:38): Mary: Contemplation and Preaching of the Word. How has your Chap-

4

planned to celebrate this Yearly theme? The 2014 Theme is “Your sons and daughters shall

prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions (Joel 2:28):

The Dominican Laity and Preaching.

We are also planning to sponsor the Dominican Laity Interprovincial Council of North America

(DLIPC) also in 2014. It will at Rosaryville Spirit Life Center in Ponchatoula, LA. DLIPC is a

gathering of the Provincial Presidents, the Provincial Delegates, and Provincial Promoters of

Laity from the Provinces of Saint Joseph (Eastern), St. Albert the Great (Central), the Most

Holy Name of Jesus (Western), Saint Dominic (Canadian), and Saint Martin de Porres

(Southern Province). At this meeting, we discuss common issues, share what is going on in

each province, celebrate our charism of community to build solidarity, and discuss information

from the International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities.

In 2015, we are planning to sponsor a Lands of Dominic tour. More to come on this

tour.

Since September, 2012, we have welcomed four new Dominican Laity Groups in Pen-

sacola, FL, Mountain Home, AR, Oceans Springs, MS, and Gainesville, FL. Congratulations to

them. Thank you for those who are mentoring them.

Please enjoy this edition of the Luminaria

Your Sisters and Brothers in Dominic, Catherine, and Martin,

COL Jo Ann Cotterman, OP, USAR Ret.

Provincial President

Five individuals were received into the Order as Candidates :

Carlos Guerra and his wife Viola; Vicky Barnes; Karen Danish; and Mary Wilhelm

(Also pictured is Sr. Henry Suso, O.P. the Religious Assistant)

“Welcome to the Family!”

St. Cecilia Chapter—Nashville, Tenn.

5

Pictured above are three Sisters who received their veil this year. As is

the custom, each year three of those who made their First Vows come

and talk to the Dominican Laity and share their spiritual journey into

the religious life.

Pictured above (left to right) are: Sister Agnes, O.P., Sister Bernadette

Marie, O.P., and Sister Mara Grace, O.P.

It is always a highlight of the year when the Sisters share their faith

journey with us. They are a visible contradiction to a secular culture of

materialism and relativism.

Several members of the Nashville Chapter have daughters

who are Dominican Sisters. Pictured above are Sister

Hannah, O.P. and her mother, Mrs. Marilyn Barnes, O.P.

Pictured to the right are: Cynthia and Allan McMillen.

There are numerous couples in our Chapter giving real

meaning to the term “soul mates.”

Yolando Galo, Candidate

Fr. Alfred Wilder, O.P.

Retreat Master, 2011 & 2012

St. C

ecilia

Ch

ap

ter o

f the D

om

inic

an

La

ity (C

on

tinu

ed

)

6

The Year in Review

Congratulations to those making their First Promises as Lay Dominicans!

On September 23, 2012, the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapter of the Southern Lay Dominican Chapter based in Greenville, South Carolina

We now have twelve active members that

include eight Temporary Professed, one candi-

date and three inquirers. To better pursue the

Four Pillars of Dominican Life we incorporated

a few new activities. To enhance our focus on

the pillar of “study” we decided to supplement

our respective formation study materials with a

study on The Documents of the Second Vatican

Council. We spent five weeks reading and dis-

cussing the lessons on “Dei Verbum”, learning

this council’s intent to teach more effectively

the sacred deposit of Catholic doctrine and rec-

ognizing this council as the spirit’s gift to the

Church. We will continue next year and

proceed to the lessons on “Lumen Gentium” and

the particular call to the laity to seek and lead

others to the Kingdom of God.

Left to right: Maria Rauch, (New Candidate); Temporary Promised - Kristen Nietopski, John Kolasinski, Jamie Kolasinski, Joe Beauchemin, Laura Taylor, Alycia Nielsen, Tim-othy Nielsen, Sr. Mary John (Moderator), Joe Waters (Vice-Moderator), Linda Head (to the right)

7

We have also instituted a monthly holy hour and fellowship dinner to foster community and

prayer life among members. This has allowed us to gather outside our monthly meetings,

spending time in contemplation with our Lord. We conclude our communal prayer with

Vespers. The evening ends with dinner hosted at a member’s house where we enjoy socializing

with each other and our families.

e-Luminaria to Be Published Quarterly

It is our intention to publish the Provincial newsletter each January, April,

July, and October. Laura and Wayne will be the proof-readers, while I will be

putting the newsletter together.

Any and all submissions to the newsletter will be due by the 15th of the preced-

ing month. I suggest that each Chapter or Group assign someone with the

responsibility of forwarding information and pictures to the newsletter.

When the newsletter has been completed and is ready for dissemination, it will

be emailed to the Chapter and Group President or Mentor who will then send it

out to the membership.

Everyone is encouraged to participate! Your contributions, comments, and

suggestions are welcome. In order to better utilize space, please send a second

set of your pictures separate from the article you are submitting.

Thank you………….

God Bless!

-Your Editor,

George Bercaw, O.P.

8

A Scriptural Meditation on the Life of Jesus and Those

Whom He Called to

Put out into the deeP water…

By Mr. Mike (St. Albert) Lucas, O.P.

St. Cecilia Chapter of the Dominican Laity / Nashville, Tn.

Do the deep and murky waters intimidate us or strengthen our faith?

Our Lord tells Peter: “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

Peter like all of us has an excuse ready for God’s call. I have worked all night and

have caught nothing; I am tired and don’t see the point. But at the insistence of

Our Lord, they cast their nets into the deep. When they had done, this they

caught a great number of fish to the point of their nets tearing. Peter called to the

others and, together, they brought in the fish. Simon Peter fell to his knees and

tells the Lord to depart, for he is a sinful man.

Our Lord tells each of us that failure isn’t what will defeat us as Christians; but

the lack of faith to get back up and try again and again. How many times must I

forgive my neighbor, seven times? Forgiveness is only one of the ways we ask God

to cleanse our hearts and walk closer with him. We must remember that the

Apostles fell short of Our Lord’s expectations many times, but Our Lord told them

that His Grace is sufficient (as He tells us). The deep murky waters we will

experience every day will test us; but not defeat us.

Just as Jesus uses this opportunity to test and teach His Apostles, He will use us

today and tomorrow. When you feel your efforts to evangelize and spread the

Word of God over the waters that you cross in your journey, remember, that His

Grace is sufficient, and deep and murky waters are always in the journey.

Embrace them as an opportunity to put out into deep water and lower your nets

for a catch. “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

9

Dr. Hector Mallar, Sr. Patty Caraker, OP,

COL o Ann Cotterman OP, Mr. Bob

Niemoeller OP, Fr. Jeffrey Ott, OP, Jane

Holt, OP, Fr. Bruce Schultz, OP, Mrs. Judy

Farrell OP, Sr. Liz Sully, OP, Silvia Tovar.

Permanent Promises Made at Mass of Commitment

June 30, 2013 ...Ms. Judy Farrell , OP, and Mr. Robert Niemoeller, OP. made their Permanant Promises at a Mass of Commitment celebrated by Fr. Jeffrey Ott, OP. COL Jo Ann Cotterman OP, the Provincial President, and Jane Holt, Moderator ,presented the candidates to the congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Atlanta, (founded in 1912). The parishioners warmly welcomed the Lay Dominicans with reverent worship, Spirit-filled music and song, warm smiles, and invitations to worship together in the future. Bob and Ju-dy are our most recent members to make their Permanent Promises in The Lay Dominicans of the Holy Cross, meeting monthly at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Provincial Directory

COL Jo Ann Cotterman, O.P., USAR, (Ret) …………………Provincial President

Dr. Lna Bastin, O.P…………………………………Vice-President & Formation Director

Ms. Debra J. Mattison, O.P……….……………………………………...Provincial Secretary

Mrs. Amy Haney,O.P………………………………………………………………………...ProvincialTreasurer

Mr. Bruce Trigo………………………………………………………………..…Past Provinical President

Fr. John Lydon, O.P…………….Provincial Promotor of the Dominican Laity

10

Ex Libris –by Mr. George Bercaw, O.P. “The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality: A Drink Called Happiness”

By Fr. Paul Murray, O.P.

This is one of my favorite books! It is written in a style which is deceptively simple, but with each page I found myself drawn into an ever deeper understanding of what it means to be a ‘Dominican’ and, with that understanding, I discovered “a drink called happiness” and I became “inebriated” and began to understand that “Dominican Spirituality,” as Timothy Radcliffe, O.P. wrote in the pref-ace, “ is not about a special way of praying; it is about being alive in God and for others.” The book is written in a simplified version of the Mystical Tradition; it is like the prose of a person in love. His writing points to what is at the heart of Dominican Spirituality; nothing less than a profound joy! This is a book to be read “contemplatively” –to taste each word or phrase as one does with a fine

wine or liquor.

Fr. Murray begins by raising the question, “What is Dominican Spirituality?” He then draws upon the insights arising from a veritable treasury of Dominican writers from Albert the Great to William of Tocco; including Catherine of Siena, Yves Congar, St. Dominic, Meister Eckhart, Thomas Aquinas and others too numerous to mention. [The book provides a great introduction to a variety of Domini-can authors and has a special Bibliography that briefly describes each Dominican author sited in the book.] At the outset, he makes it clear that while in some “religious traditions, the contemplative life implies an almost complete turning away from the world,” Dominicans are very much involved in the world –but in a very different and special way. He writes: “Instead of thinking of the individual contemplative looking at God, and in some sense looking away from things, and away from the world, we can think of the ecstasy of prayer in the reverse: the contemplative coming out from God towards things, and of being called to share in God’s gaze –with God.” “This,” he continues with a quote from the First Letter of St. John, “is contemplation –this is contemplative love –not so much that we contemplate God, but that God has first contemplated us, and that now in us, and in some sense, through us, as a part of the mystery of his risen life in the Church, he contemplates the world.” What we do is “to place ourselves faithfully before God, and offer the fullness of our being

and resources.”

Fr. Murray then turns his attention to one of the hallmarks of Dominican life: joyfulness and happi-ness. He cautions that “involvement in religion or in the pursuit of a spiritual life is such a serious matter, believers in all religions have a tendency to become very grim, solemn people.” By way of contrast, he points to Blessed Jordan who was “spontaneous, good-humored, and exuberant….who encouraged others to “laugh to your heart’s content.” Fr. Murray writes that the “early Dominicans” had a “vision of Gospel joy”: an “ecstasy of the inner heart.” Here he underscores that fact that the joy we experience as Dominicans is nothing less than what Blessed Henry Suso saw as “a partici-pation in the joy of God!” What follows are the insights of Meister Eckhart, who saw the command to take up our cross as actually being a “divine prescription for happiness, and Thomas Aquinas, who felt that “those who devote themselves to the contemplation of truth are the happiest anyone

can be in this life.”

11

Thus, having laid the foundation for what he perceives as Dominican joy, Fr. Murray provides a deeper understanding of the “wine of Dominican Spirituality;” being fully rooted in the midst of the Church, the realization that “in the human being there is something inalienable, divine, and eternal-ly free – the Word!” And now, at this point, we are ready…we have the right frame of mind, to ex-plore how a host of Dominicans authors have used “the image of drinking, or being made drunk to describe not only the overwhelming impact of the Word of God on their interior lives, but also the ef-fect of that encounter on almost every aspect of their lives as preachers.” With respect to St. Domi-nic: “here the two central realities of Dominic’s life are clearly manifest: the wine of Christ’s blood which he drank, and the wine of Christ’s Word which he preached.” What we, as Lay Dominicans, are called to do in the marketplace is to “change of the water of human learning into Gospe Truth.” To quote St. Thomas: “those who pour out the water are preachers.” As Lay Dominicans, we are called to preach the Gospel of Hope, of Charity, of Wisdom, of Justice, of Happiness! “We preach a

wine of truth which we have actually tasted ourselves, and have drunk with living faith and joy.”

___________________

Selected Excerpts….. “Our love for God should be a kind of obsession or an addiction….Behave like someone who drinks a lot, and who becomes so drunk and loses himself, and can’t see himself anymore….A man ought not to love a God who is just a product of his thought….because if the thought can vanish, God too

would vanish.” -P. 159

“The words of God are not only to be examined, they are to be devoured….interiorized and ab-

sorbed.” -P.79

“In the light of grace, therefore, in the Incarnation, the first initiative always belongs to God. And that is why, both in our work and in our prayer, we soon come to realize that Christ is much more than the object of our regard. He is the Word alive within us, the ‘friend’ in whom we live and move

and have our being.” -P.21

“Christianity is, above all, a way of seeing. Everything else in Christian life flows from, and circles around, the transformation of vision. Christians see differently, and that is why their prayer, their worship, their action, their whole way of being in the world has a distinctive accent and flavor.” — Fr. Robert Barron

Here is a short list of some recent books I came across and thought you might like to consider for yourself if you

like. www.cuapress.cua.edu The Catholic University of America Press You can check them out online for other

authors as well. (Submitted by Ms. Mary Snow, O.P.—North Carolina

God Bless you.

THE ASHLEY READER by Benedict Ashley, O.P.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Commentary on Colossians by St. Thomas Aquinas

WISDOM IN THE FACE OF MODERNITY by Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

REASON WITH PIETY by Aidan Nichols, O.P.

THE TRINITY by Gilles Emery, O.P.

BIOMEDICINE AND BEATITUDE by Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, O.P.

THE LOGIC OF DESIRE by Nicholas E. Lombardo, O.P.

12

“Becoming Like Christ”

Father Brian Thomas Becket Mullady O.P.

Fr. Mullady to Present a Dominican Laity Retreat

October 18—20, 2014

Sister Servants of the Eternal Word Retreat House

Irondale, Alabama

The son of an Air Force officer, he was raised throughout the United

States. He entered the Dominican Order in 1966 and was Or-

dained in Oakland, California in 1972. He has been a parish priest,

high school teacher, retreat master, mission preacher and university

professor. He received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD)

from the Angelicum University in Rome, Italy and was professor

there for six years. He has taught at several colleges, universities

and seminaries in the United States. He is an academican of the

Catholic Academy of Science. He is adjunct professor at Holy Apos-

tles Seminary in Cromwell CT and preaches parish missions and

retreats. He has several series on Mother Angelica’s EWTN televi-

sion network. He is the author of several books

and numerous articles. He is the author of the Question and Answer

column in Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He is

the Theological Consultant to the Institute on Religious Life.

For more information about the Retreat, accommodations, or to register, contact ……

Sister Clare Marie (205) 956-6760

www.sisterservamts.org

“The search for God always begins with lectio…. It begins with the Word of God… .. All successful relationships require time, effort, and attention. The daily practice of lectio

establishes a pattern that becomes the foundation for a serious relationship with God.”

-from, “Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church”

by Robin Mass & Gabriel O.P. -Donnell, O.P.

13

News from Pensacola, FL

-Submitted by Rick Danner

AnAnAn integral part of the community life of the Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Group is our liturgical celebrations. For the Dominican Holy Days, we sponsor Solemn Vespers with Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament for the entire parish of St Paul and anyone else who wants to attend. Our Solemn Vespers always have a Dominican “bend” to them in that we always include a Dominican meditation and close with the singing of the Salve Regina and the “O Lumen” and “O Spem Miram” prayers. The Vespers are always well attended and give the Dominican Order a more visible presence in the local church. They also allow a more corroborative effort with the local parish because the Music Director of St Paul Parish, Christopher Powell, is always included in their planning. Last year for the Patronal Solemnity of St Dominic, Christopher transcribed the “O Spem Miram” chant to modern notation from its original Gregorian setting. Our last Vespers was celebrated for the Feast of St Catherine on 29 April 2013. Our next Vespers will be celebrated on 8 August 2013 for the Solemnity of St Dominic. We will also be hosting a reception afterward as a “Come and See” for those who may be inter-ested in Lay Dominican life. Day of Faith Initiative The Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Group in Pensacola, FL hosted a “Day of Faith” for the Year of Faith at St Paul Parish on Saturday 18 May, 2013. We were joined by several members of the Lay Dominicans del Espiritu Santo Group from Tallahas-see, FL. Presentations were given on the Rosary and the Eucharist and the day culminated in the participants making a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart for the Plenary Indulgence for the Year of Faith.

This was the first time in the history of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese that such an initiative was planned and executed solely by the laity. Everyone who attended left with a renewed sense of faith and devotion to the Eucharist and the Rosary. The Lay Domini-cans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist were also deeply touched by the experience of live preaching. Prior to this event, they had never tried their hand at more formal preaching. They were so inspired by the experience that they have decided to begin a more active parish outreach in bringing their presentations on the Eucharist to the various parishes in the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese.

We are very proud to announce the Provincial Blog and the Provincial Preaching Websites are now active. Both sites invite you to visit and request your comments.

Provincial Blog: www.torch-of-truth.com

Provincial Preaching site: www.homeintheword.org

A note on History~

There have been four popes

who were Dominicans……..

St. Pius V 1504-1572

Benedict XI 1240-1304

St. Pius V 1505-1572

Benedict XIII 1604-1730

He was Roman. An Anti-

pope took the name Ben-

edict XIII, he was not

Roman

Pope Francis

14

Dominican Saints & Blesseds for July 2013

July 3 Blessed Joseph Peter Vyen (1817-1838)

Born in East Tonkin (Vietnam), he was a Dominican

tertiary, catechist, prisoner and martyr. He died in

prison from the ill treatment he received there. He

was beatified in 1910.

July 4 Blesed Pier-Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925)

Italian, as a Tertiary took the name Brother Jerome

after Fra Savonarola, whom he venerated as a saint,

popular among his peers, ardent athlete, tireless

servant of the poor, apostle to his fellow university

students in Turin, he died 6 days after contracting

polio.

July 7 Blessed Benedict XI

Nicholas Boccasini was born in

Treviso, Italy, in 1240 into a poor

family put in the care of an uncle,

a priest at Treviso. Because of

his innate intelligence, he was

trained in Latin and other clerical

subjects. He entered the

Dominican community at Venice

in 1254. The next 14 years were

spend completing his education, possibly with St.

Thomas Aquinas. In 1295, he received the degree

of master of theology.

Nicholas Boccasini was elected prior general of

Lombardy and then as the ninth master general of the

Order of Preachers in 1296. His work in this office

came to the notice of the pope, who, after Nicholas

had completed a delicate piece of diplomacy in

Flanders, appointed him cardinal in 1298. The

Dominicans hurried to Rome to protest that he should

not be given the dignity of a cardinal, only to receive

from the pope the mystifying prophecy that God had

reserved an even heavier burden for Nicholas.

Boniface VIII and Cardinal Boccasini did not always

agree, but they respected one another, and in the

tragic affair that was shaping up with Philip the Fair of

France, Cardinal Boccasini was to be one of only two

cardinals who defended the Holy Father, even to the

point of offering his life. Unfortunately the pontiff

died, broken-hearted by his treatment at the hands of

the French soldiers. On October 22, 1303, at the

conclave, the prophesied burden fell upon the

shoulders of the cardinal-bishop of Ostia, who took

the name Benedict XI.

The reign of Benedict XI was too short to give him

time to work out any of his excellent plans for settling

the troubles of the Church. He lifted the interdict on

the French people laid down by his predecessor. He

worked to reconcile warring parties in Europe and the

Church and to increase spirituality. His reign was

noted for its leniency and kindness.

Benedict XI died suddenly in died in Perugia, Italy

April 25, 1304. He had continued to the end with his

religious observances and penances. Many miracles

were performed at his tomb, and there were several

cures even before his burial

He was beatified by Pope Clement XII in 1736. In art,

Pope Benedict wears a Dominican habit and papal

tiara, while holding the keys. He is venerated in

Perugia (Roeder). (Benedictines, Delaney, Dorcy).

July 8 Bl. Adrian Fortescue (1476-1539)

English, husband and father, cousin of Anne Boleyn,

martyred by Henry VIII, Lay Dominican.

15

July 9 Saint John of Cologne & Companions, O.P.

German, parish priest, martyred with 18 companions

at Gorkum, Holland, by Calvinists, he is the patron of

Dominican priests in parochial ministry. Accounts of

several miracles, performed by their intercession and

relics, were used for their beatification and published

by the Bollandists. Most of their relics are kept in the

Franciscan church at Brussels to which they were

secretly conveyed from Briel in 1616.

John was born in Germany in the 16th century and

was burned, beaten, hanged and mutilated in 1572 at

Gorkum, Holland. He and his companions were canon-

ized by Pope Pius IX 1867. In art, John is elevating

the Eucharist as he wears a rope around his neck.

(Source: Benedictines, Delaney, Dorcy, Husenbeth

Encyclopedia, Farmer,)

July 13 Blessed James of Voragine (Varazze)

James of Voragine has been beatified by the Church

for the sanctity of his life. He lives in secular history

for quite a different reason-he was a creative genius

of his age. His so-called Golden Legends, which has

enjoyed a circulation of nearly seven centuries, is

only one of several projects which in his time, as in

ours, are a tribute to the versatility of the man and the

zeal of a saint. He was a genius at getting things

done; and, fortunately his whole heart was bent on

doing for the glory of God.

He was born c.1230 at Varezze, Italy (near Genoa).

Little is known of his childhood. He entered the

Order, in Genoa. Tradition says that James was the

first to translate the Bible into Italian. Whether true or

not, it is ample evidence he was a scholar. As Prior,

provincial, and later Archbishop, James gained a

reputation for strict observance, heroic charity, and

sound good sense.

James was first of all a preacher. Sermons, how the

people were instructed, took their message from the

feast of the day. The collection of stories - later called

The Golden Legend - were a series of sermons

prepared by James. Since he preached in Italian,

instead of Latin, his sermons had immense popular

appeal, and were copied by other preachers. The

Golden Legend was, next to the Bible, the most

popular book of the middle ages.

James was rigorous in his observance of the

Dominican Rule. Purity, poverty and charity were the

outstanding virtues of this man whom the Church has

seemed fit to enroll among Her blesseds. He will

always be recognized in Dominican history as a man

of many and peculiar gifts, who consecrated his

talents to God, and, in trading with them, gained

heaven. He died July 13, 1298. He was beatified in

1816 by Pope Pius VII.

July 14 Blessed Humbert of Romans (1277)

Blessed Humbert of Romans wrote the Treatise on

the Formation of Preachers. A magnificent work of his

on preaching which modern priests could do well to

read and practice. It is a great document to learn

about the origins of the Order of Preachers and the

early emphasis the Dominicans put on preaching for

the salvation of souls. He was the fifth Master of the

Dominican order.

July 17 Blessed Ceslaus (1180-July 16, 1242)

Ceslaus Odrowatz, probably a brother, of St.

Hyacinth, and shared with him the apostolate of

Northern Europe. Priest, many miracles attributed to

him. He cured the sick and the maimed, raised the

dead to life, and accomplished wonders in building

convents. His most remarkable miracle was the

16

Our Lady came to receive the soul of Bl. Ceslaus.

He was beatified on August 27, 1712 by Pope

Clement XI. (Benedictines, Dorcy).

July 22 St. Mary Magdalen (1st cent.) Protectress of

the Order [M];

Jewish, dear friend of our Lord," Apostle to the

Apostles" because to them she proclaimed (i.e.

preached) the resurrection of Christ, mirroring the

mission of all Dominicans; therefore secondary copatron-

ess of the Order (see May 8) with St. Catherine

of Alexandria (Nov. 24).

July 23 Blessed Jane (Joan) of Orvieto

One of the stigmatists of the Order who deserves to

be better known is Blessed Jane of Orvieto, whose

marvel-filled life was the edification of Umbria in the

latter half of the 13th century. Jane was born near

Orvieto in 1264 and left orphaned at a young age.

She grew up with a special reliance of her guardian

angel. She was a pious and intelligent child,

spending her time in prayer, even when very young.

Jane studied dressmaking and became proficient at

it. Because of her beauty, she had several unhappy

experiences in the streets. It became apparent to her

that she must make some public declaration of her

intentions, so she decided to enter the Third Order of

St. Dominic. Dressed in the habit of the mantellate,

she would be safe from rude remarks and from any

misunderstandings.

Because her friends had found a suitor for her and

she was so young the Dominicans delayed her joining

them. Only after a long period of prayer and fasting

was she able to win the privilege of putting on the

Third Order habit. Once a member, she set her goal

at the highest sanctity and worked at attaining it. She

soon reached a remarkable state of prayer; she

participated bodily in whatever she was

contemplating. Once her confessor mentioned the

martyrdom of Catherine of Alexandria and said

piously, "Arise, O blessed Catherine," and Jane

arose, in ecstasy, and remained suspended in the air

for an hour. If he talked about the Crucifixion her

arms would go out in the form of a cross, and she

would rise in the air like a figure on a crucifix. On

Good Fridays she experienced the terrible agony of

the Passion, and one could hear her bones cracking

and see the bloody sweat. She received the

stigmata, but it was not always visible.

Blessed Jane died, in 1306, and was buried in the

Third Order cemetery in Orvieto. The following year

her body was transferred to the chapel of the Three

Kings, and many prodigies occurred at that time,

giving impetus to the process for beatification, which,

however, was not completed until more than 400

years later, on September 11, 1754, by Pope

Benedict XIV.

July 24 Blessed Augustine Fangi of Biella

Born at Biella, Italy, in 1430, into the noble Fangi

family. His father had a secular life picked out for him 3

but when the Dominican Preachers came to Biella, he

was charmed by their life and begged to enter the

Order.

His life was not unusual for the times, he was pious

and lived a devote life. Although Augustine had a

reputation for penances, he bore with patience

whatever pain and annoyance life granted him

gratuitously. Once he underwent a surgical

procedure without anesthetic. He was so intensely

focused on something else that he hardly noticed

what was being done to him. He was noted to have

prayed continually. In 1464, Augustine was made

17

prior at Soncino.

He died on the feast St. Mary Magdalen 1493 at

Venice, Italy. In the 1530s, workmen found his coffin

floating in the water that had seeped into the burial

chamber - when opened, Augustine's body and

clothing were found to be incorrupt . He was beatified

in 1878 Pope Leo XIII.

July 24 Blessed Joseph Fernandez (1838)

July 27 Blesseds Joseph Maria Sanjuejo & Mel-

choir

Sampedro and their 23 companions

July 27 Bl. Robert Nutter, Martyr (1550.-1600)

English, priest, ministered to covert Catholics in

England, spent 15 years in prison for being a Catholic

priest. But, it was in prison that Bl. Robert joined the

Dominican Order and was received by the Provincial

of Portugal. In 1600, he man-aged to escape from

prison, but was recaptured in May and hanged on

July 26, 1600. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II

in 1987.

July 28 Blessed Antony Della Chiesa

Antony was born in San Germano, near Vercelli, Italy,

in 1395, into the family of the Marquis della Chiesa.

He was well educated hoped to become a religious.

His father opposed this wish. Antony was 22 when he

was able to break with his family and enter the

monastery at Vercelli.

Antony gives us a picture of one who followed the

Dominican life perfectly. He kept the rule, was a

good superior, and a just administrator. Shunning

applause, he was always serene.

Antony died at Como, Italy, on January 22, 1459 and

was buried there in the Dominican church. Miracles

at his tomb led to his beatification in 1819 by Pope

Pius VII. (Benedictines, Dorcy).

July 29 Blessed Louis Bertran and

two companions, O.P. (1629)

Dominican martyr of Japan. A relative of St. Louis

Bertrand, this Louis was born in Barcelona, Spain,

and became a Dominican. He was sent to the Philippines in

1618 and then to the Japanese mission. He was burned alive

with two companions in

Omura, Japan. He was beatified in 1867.

July 30 Blessed Mannes de Guzman

None of the early historical writers of the Order fail to

mention Blessed Mannes. His parents were Felix

Guzman and Jane of Aza, His father was a Christian

gentleman and his mother, Blessed Jane of Aza. His

eldest brother, Anthony, became a model priest, who

devoted his life to the care of souls, the welfare of the

poor, and the aid of the sick, and died with a great

reputation for sanctity. Dominic, the youngest and

perhaps the only other child, became the founder of

the Friars Preacher.

Blessed Mannes was born in the ancestral castle,

Caleruega, Old Castile in 1150-1160?, he was older

than Dominic (1170). Like his older brother, Anthony,

he chose the ecclesiastical state. The earlier writers

of the Order, while reticent about these things, all tell

us that he was of a retiring disposition, and much

given to prayer and contemplation. We find him with

his younger brother, Dominic, two men cast in the

same spiritual mold, toiled hand in hand for nearly ten

years that they might free the Church of southern

France from the poison and turmoil of heresy, and

restore it to its former peace and beauty.

Blessed Mannes’ sermons are said to have borne rich

fruit in Paris, for he had a gift of oratory. Besides, he

was endowed with an extraordinary personal

magnetism; while his kindly, open, and friendly

disposition exercised a strong influence over souls.

18

Returning Home

Sumitted by Mr. Rick Danner, O.P.

It all began on the Feast of the Assumption, 15 August 1559. Five Dominican Friars--Pedro de Feria, Vicar-Provincial of Florida, Dominic of the Annuncia-tion, Dominic de Salazar, John Macuelas, Dominic of Saint Dominic—and one as of yet unidentified lay brother celebrated the First Mass in America on Pensacola Beach, Pensacola, FL. What should have been the bright promise of a new future ended abruptly with disaster on 19 September 1559, when a terrible hurricane destroyed the De Luna expedition and drove the Spanish presence out of northwest Florida for many years.

Fast forward to 12 April 2012. With the blessing of the Lay Provincial President for the Southern Prov-ince of St Martin de Porres, COL Jo Ann Cotterman, OP, permission was granted for a group of Dominican laity to coalesce in Pensacola, FL. The Pastoral Council of St Paul Parish admitted the coalescing group as one of the ministries in the parish and on the Feast Day of St Catherine of Siena, a Meet and Greet was held to determine local interest in Lay Dominican life. Enough interest was garnered to move forward with the group’s formation and a second Meet and Greet with Solemn Vespers for the Patronal Solemni-ty of St Dominic was planned for August. From both Meet and Greets, eleven brave souls stepped for-ward to consider the great “What If . . . “ of Lay Dominican life and began formation as Inquirers under the direction of a Candidate who traveled 3 hours one way to Tallahassee, FL for his own formation with the Lay Dominicans del Espiritu Santo Group. Providentially, the August Meet and Greet netted two lost Dominicans—one Candidate and one possibly Permanently Promised—for a grand total of fourteen in the new group.

Given that the total Catholic population of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese barely represents 5% of the overall population, having a coalescing group of fourteen individuals was nothing short of a miracle. The Dominicans had returned to Pensacola after a 453 year absence!

The group remained under the auspices of the Lay Dominicans del Espiritu Santo until December 2012 when the group met in conclave to determine its name. After an hour and a half of spirited and lively debate, the group chose for its name the Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist as the First Mass in America was celebrated on a Marian feast day and the group has a special “bend” to the Eucha-rist.

On 18 May 2013, the Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist held a “Day of Faith” as a gift to the Diocese for the Year of Faith. Lay Dominicans from Tallahassee joined in the preaching endeavor and offered a conference on the Secret of the Rosary and led everyone in a Scriptural Rosary. The Pen-sacola Lay Dominicans presented two conferences on the Eucharist and everyone went in pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart for the Vigil Mass for Pentecost—an indulgenced day in the Diocese for the Year of Faith. The event was well attended by Catholics from all over Pensacola, and most im-portantly, the Pensacola Lay Dominicans experienced the fire of Preaching. So much so, that they have begun preparations for launching a “Eucharistic Crusade” within the Diocese since many parishes have requested that the preaching of the Eucharist be brought to them. Even now, they are in discussions with one of the local prisons who have asked for them to help instruct the prisoners.

19

Another apostolate of the Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist is Home Enthrone-ments to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They will go into a home with musicians and a local priest to enthrone the home and the household to the Two Hearts. The latest Home Enthronement was celebrated on 26 June 2013. Rosemary Heuvelman leads and or-ganizes this apostolate.

From left to right: Rosemary Heuvelman, Candidate; Nancy Weisgarber, Inquirer; Evelyn Ether-idge, Inquirer; Karen Turner, homeowner.

Nancy Weisgarber, Inquirer, with a tasty Two Hearts cake she made just for the event! The Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are a “full service” group—they will feed any and all physically and spiritu-ally.

The Lay Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist embody as the motto of their group “Prayer. Penance. Preaching. One soul at a time for Jesus!” Hopefully, with prayer and penance, the Dominican presence in Pensacola can survive its re-rooting and endure any future “hurricanes” to preach the Good News in the mission fields of Northwest Florida!

20

From Madrid Blessed Mannes attended the second general chapter of the Order, which was held at Bologna in 1221.

Through him, St Dominic sent a letter to the community of Spanish sisters, which is the only authentic writing of the

saint which has survived the ravages of time. In it he tells them, briefly, of the joy it gave him to hear, through hisbroth-

er Mannes, of their piety and of the completionof their convent. Reports of the cures obtained through intercession of

Blessed Mannes soon became widespread. More than once petitions for at least his beatification were forwarded to Rome.

Some 600 years after his death, the former Camaldolese monk, Mauro Cappellari,

became Pope of Gregory XVI 1831 and beatified him in 1834, and granted his office and mass to the Order of Preachers.

July 30 is his feast day. Blessed Mannes died at St. Peter's Monastery, near Calaruega, in 1230 or 1235.

“And was crowned Queen of Heaven

and Earth”

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now

and at the hour of our death.”

Mater Dei

Pray the Rosary

Mr. George Bercaw, O.P—Editor

St. Cecilia Chapter of the Dominican Laity

1145 North Concord Road

Chattanooga, TN 37421

Cell: (423) 309-1798

dominicanlaity.editor@gmail.com

Rosemary Heuvelman, Candidate,Nancy Weisgarber, Inquirer, Evelyn Etheridge, Inquirer, Karen

Turner, homeowner / Decorative Cakes: (Left) Two Hearts ; (Right) Immaculate Heart

Anybody hungry?!