The Hound of Heaven- St Dominic

ST DOMINIC

Many of us have our favourite saint.  My favourite saint is St Dominic, who has a very special place in my heart. His feast day is today- 3 August in Australia, whilst the universal church celebrates it on 8th August. You might wonder why his feast day is different from the universal church. Mary McKillop's feast day falls on the 8th August in Australia.

This year is very different from other years of course with the coronavirus.  I will attending Mass online at my parish church where there will be the priest, the reader and the camera operator.  As a parish we normally celebrate our patron saint on the weekend closest to St Dominic with Mass and BBQ. Of course, this has not occurred either, like so many other parishes unable to celebrate their patron saint as well.

Last year, I had the pleasure of celebrating the feast interstate- not just a short holiday but to celebrate the ordination to priesthood of one of the Dominican friars. I am in a Dominican parish so it is always my greatest delight to see the young friars reach ordination. It was extra special because the ordination was on the Feast of St Dominic- how beautiful is that.

Why do I love St Dominic?

St Dominic for me is ‘’my man in heaven’’- that trusted friend whom I can share the ups and downs of life- when I am elated with joy, when I am feeling average or even a little blue, when I need a park, don’t know what to do about something I can ‘’talk it over with him’’.  He is definitely my friend in heaven.

Obviously, He does not and would not want to replace my relationship with God. Obviously, that would be totally out of whack.  However my friendship with him started when I was 6 when I had given up praying to St Martin de Porres (another Dominican saint) who had the gift of bi location.  I thought in my childish way how wonderful it would be if I could be at home and at school at the same time and how efficient time wise that would be.  I spent my whole prep year praying to him. Alas  the gift of bi location was not given and still hasn’t. So I gave up praying to St Martin and I discovered St Dominic. What a find that has been. Because He has been and still is a friend for life.

I never tire reading and finding out more about Dominican saints and of course darling St Dominic.   I recently watched a programme on EWTN 'woman of Grace' which had a series on Dominican saints. The guest of this series was Kevin Vost   who wrote a book called Hounds of the Lord.

So the challenge I ask you is  

• How are you being a hound for Heaven?

• How are you barking for God  as His hound of heaven?