DOMINICUS
DOMINICUS
DOMINICUS
St. Dominic |
Hermitage of Takamori |
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DOMINICAN SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality
is not a set of techniques used to isolate oneself from reality and to
create an inner world where we can take shelter to cultivate own
impressions. Spirituality is like a light through which we look to see the
world, other people, ourselves and the path where life runs by.
By means of that light we catch the sense of reality and events, and
becoming a stimulus, impels us to take responsible and just attitudes that
makes us advance in a direction. These taken attitudes face us with new
realities and events in which we will have to find deeper meaning and take
clearer positions. This way turns us into a deep and interesting way of
living through life.
This is not born from a philosophy but in a meeting with God and from the
confrontation with a reality. Because of it, the person who has a
spirituality does not know confusion and enjoys an unified spirit. |
Though
every person is different and in each one it takes a different shape, one can
perceive that there are other people with a similar encounter with God and with
a common attitude towards reality. Therefore the communitarian conscience is
born. None of the members can assume the right to be the only exponent of the
spirituality but as a reference it is necessary to go to the one who started
walking under this light, and in which we can see the spirituality drawn in its
entirety.
One of these persons is Dominic de Guzman. Before a reality marked by
violence, competitiveness and manipulation, Dominic experienced a God who is
together with those who strive in movements of liberation (the burg: free
medieval cities; the itinerant preaching: way of living the faith out of a hard
institutionalization) Taking part in these movements of liberation Dominic
learned compassion.
Contemplating a God who feels himself passionately involved with the
effort of others and feels with the same passion the force and happiness of
having an ideal, Dominic dreamed of a society and of Christianity with
compassion of liabilities; walking under the light of compassion he founded the
Dominican spirituality.
This page is born as a comprehensive attempt of the Dominican
spirituality. Therefore we present a sketch of Saint Dominic’s figure and
other two exponents of this spirituality at present. One is Fr. Timothy (only in
Japanese) and Takamori’s hermitage in Japan.
Throughout 800 years many have been the people, who like Saint Dominic,
have walked their life’s path finding God by means of a spontaneous prayer,
have constructed their relationship with other, truthfully and honestly and have
cultivated their own personality in contemplation.
It is not easy to define Dominican spirituality but there are certain
concepts that find a wide echo and are a criterion in this spirituality. "FRATERNITAS":
dialogue, listening to each other, accompaniment, support... "VERITAS":
sincerity, honesty, transparence, true heart... "STUDIUM":
confrontation with God's Word, wisdom, clarity.... "CONTEMPLATIO"
observation, admiration, private and common prayer…
Webmaster:
Fr. Domicio Redondo