I leave home around 5:20 Friday morning and take the highway Bologna. Arrival at the Convent of St. Dominic a couple of hours later, where I expect Viglino father Roberto, the head of what, with all ecclesiastical vocabulary, is called "vocations": in other words his father Roberto follows and accompanies the young people who are fascinated by St. Dominic and attracted by his Order, in which aspire. Robert is the father who organized the week of vocations, to be held in Taggerty, on the Ligurian Riviera di Ponente. I'm leaving with her father Roberto. With another car head Father Guido Bendinelli, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, and D., a young man in search of vocations. We go to Alexandria, to take M., another young man, and to arrive at Taggerty lunch. There are meanwhile arrived from Lombardy M. & M., the other two young people who participate in this week.
to wait in the convent there are Taggia father Richard Barile, Prior Provincial and father David Traina, one of the golden boys of the Province of St. Dominic, who currently lives in the convent in Milan. In the evening we raggiugerà train Quilotti father Raffaele, who is the master of the pre-novices in Bergamo. The "pre-novitiate" is the first step in the entry order, and usually lasts one year, joining a convent - usually that of Bergamo - and is experienced for the first time the Dominican community life. It was introduced to essence of religious life, but at the same time you can continue some activity "outside": some studies for example, and those who continue to work. I was in pre-novitiate in the past year and, God willing, will come with four of my companions in the novitiate on 18 September. The novitiate - the second phase for entry into the Order - involves a more withdrawn life, in which he is educated on the constitution and the history of the Order and intensifies the life of prayer. It lasts a full year (365 days), in accordance with Canon Law and, for the three Italian provinces, takes place in Chieri, a town 20 minutes by car from Turin.
Arrived in Taggia has now experienced a warm and cozy - the climate more conducive to prayer and reflection, essential to carry out what - always in church parlance - is called "discernment": the ability to understand, that is, the good life to which God calls us. Certainly the religious life is a good thing in itself and the Order of St. Dominic is truly the "holy flock / u 'well one fattens if one does not stray." But it is also the place where God calls me, for my sanctification?
This is the question that they were trying to find answers. Apparently one of the best ways to cope with this question is experience this life, and Dominican religious for some time - this was the advice that Ignatius gave to his children, he reminded us, the Prior Provincial, and this is also the idea behind the year of novitiate (imposed on all religious families from the wisdom of the Church) and the year of pre-novitiate (introduced by the Province of St. Dominic in Italy).
Here, I believe that the intention of his father Robert and other monks were allowed to experience of Dominican religious life. The day was so well articulated:
7.30: Office of Readings and Lauds
8.15: Breakfast
9.30: The second meeting of the day
12:00 : Holy Rosary, S. Mass media and now
13.00: Lunch
17:00: second match of the day
19.00: Vespers
19.30: Dinner followed by talk in fraternal 'ortho the convent of Taggia
21.30: moment of prayer (lectio divina, or worship)
21:50: Compline
Over time this pattern was left open the possibility of having personal interviews with the friars, who for various reasons accompanying the young at this early stage of contact with the Order.
The meetings were intended to illustrate the life of the Order and its mission. I present a brief summary, the way I remember them.
a) The Prior Provincial, Father Richard, showed the life of St. Dominic in a particular perspective. The Holy Father Dominic, more than choice, was chosen by God, who has expressed unequivocally through the circumstances of his life. Within these choices, ultimately ordered by Divine Providence, Domenico has settled with his holy enthusiasm and his original initiative. The examples are numerous: in his childhood and adolescence, the Holy Father Dominic was educated by an uncle Dean, who introduced him to the ecclesiastical studies. Within this choice, Dominic commitment to reach as soon as possible to the study of sacred doctrine, the discipline that had more to heart. Young cleric, he was called by Bishop Diego to become part of the cathedral chapter of Osma: another fact - wanted by Providence - which Domenico said yes. Arrived at Osma, Dominic was noted for his intense life of prayer and penance, which was then the sum of its entire existence, as it was inflamed by love for Christ and for souls. Finally, the fact the most famous: the voyage to Denmark, along with his bishop, during which the two men of God came to know of the terrible reality of heresy which is haunting the South of France. Both chose to remain in order to evangelize the region, but Diego had to return after a certain time in his diocese. Domenico, left alone, continued to propagate the Gospel of Christ for ten years. Around him gathered companions, almost fascinated by the love of Christ which was to animate the life of the Holy Father Dominic. It was then that the bishop of Toulouse, Fulk, and then the popes, Innocent III Honorius III and later, led Dominic to give an institutional form to his first companions grupo - was born and the Order of Preachers. The Order is born in other words, the obedience of Domenico the circumstances in which it was found - circumstances in which he was able to read the will of God This is also for vocations: God calls us to live in poverty, chastity and obedience more often than not speaking to attraverso amici che abbiamo incontrato, fatti che segnano la nostra vita, e in generale circostanze ordinarie, obbedendo alle quali obbediamo anche, indirettamente, al suo disegno di amore per noi.
b) Padre Raffaele Quilotti ci ha parlato dell’importanza della preghiera nella vita del domenicano. Le Costituzioni dell’Ordine parlano:
1) della preghiera liturgica (S. Messa e Liturgia delle Ore), che l’Ordine ha cura di celebrare con solennità e in comune, con melodie proprie: è un aspetto molto bello, che affascina oggi come ai tempi di san Domenico (il beato Giordano di Sassonia racconta di aver chiesto l’abito domenicano dopo aver ascoltato i frati cantare in Coro);
2) la orazione mentale, che le Costituzioni prescrivono per almeno mezz’ora ogni giorno;
3) il Santo Rosario, di cui le Costituzioni chiedono la recita per almeno una terza parte ogni giorno (ma noi s’è fatto anche di più in questa settimana);
4) la preghiera segreta e particolare, nella quale si coltiva anche una devozione filiale alla beata Vergine Maria, al Santo Padre Domenico e agli altri santi del nostro Ordine (che pare essere peraltro l’Ordine con il maggior numero di santi: anche la statistica pare attrarre Order!).
Father Raphael showed on the one hand the historical evolution of forms of prayer in the Order and the constant presence of an intense devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, even before the introduction of the Rosary, that the Order of Preachers has spread all over the world. Also father Raffaele stressed the importance of reminding us that when one prays is the presence of God and therefore also the gestures of the body help us to keep the attention and respect that is due to the infinite God: many details that the tradition of 'Order preserved (bows, genuflections, orientation etc of the person.) must be interpreted in this perspective.
c) Father David spoke of a decisive event: the Order's mission is accomplished through a common life. The purpose of the Order, the Constitutions, is the salvation of souls, to be achieved through the preaching of the Gospel. It is, in other words, a life "apostolic." But the apostles and early Christians did not live in town, perhaps, devoted themselves to prayer and the breaking of bread, sharing their own possessions? So here again that this apostolic ideal can be realized today. Certainly there are difficulties, said his father David. I think it was St. John Berchmans is: mea maxima communis penitent life. Living with others is not easy, but because it called to the apostolic ideal, this difficulty must be faced with courage and substance, cultivating a sense of brotherhood and manly friendship with the brothers with whom we are called to share a stretch of road.
d) Father Guido has addressed another of the means by which the Order seeks to achieve its goal (that is, in fact, preaching for the salvation of souls): in fact, spoke of the study. Now, the link between the life of prayer and apostolic life is obvious: St. Catherine in fact said that we must be like pitchers who welcome water to overflow, so that water, flooding, spread to those close to us. In the metaphor of the water indicates the love of God and charity to its overflow (apostolic life), it should be the first to love the good God that requires prayer and contemplation. But the study did report that with all this?
At first glance, the usefulness of the study seems to be ascetic study is hard, in fact, and is in its way a form of penance (as other practices of the Order: silence, apparel, the enclosure). However, the study also has other functions.
Father Guido has divided his report into three parts: the first showed how the quest for divine wisdom is also recommended by Scripture, while the second showed how St. Dominic himself who set himself to study his brothers (and to this end he sent them to Bologna and Paris, who were the most important universities of the time) in the third part has touched the most important challenges that now sets the Dominican scholar and has been identified in the famous speech by Pope Benedict XVI to the Roman Curia, Christmas 2005. On that occasion, the pope invited him to rediscover the Second Vatican Council, to establish a fruitful dialogue with modernity, and, calling the discovery, emphasized the importance the so-called "hermeneutics of continuity". This is very important for the Dominican scholar today, which is called to be faithful to the Church first and then also to the theological tradition of the Order, which counts among its most prominent St. Thomas Aquinas. This call to fidelity to the Gospel and the Church is very important to control the hazards that often confronts the scholar (arrogance, pride, rebellion, etc.)..
e) Finally, more than a meditation was held by the same father Robert, who illustrated some aspects of the Constitutions of the Order and the importance of three votes. I voti possono sembrare una rinuncia – e in un certo senso lo sono: con il voto di povertà si rinuncia a possedere beni, con la castità ad avere una moglie e dei figli, con l’obbedienza si rinuncia perfino ad agire di testa propria. Ma ancor più che una rinuncia sono un’occasione di libertà, per seguire Cristo povero obbediente e casto più da vicino. Seguire Cristo più da vicino : in fondo è questa l’essenza della vita religiosa. Si può – e si deve – vivere da santi in ogni stato di vita, perché Dio chiama tutti ad essere salvi e a giungere alla conoscenza della verità. In questo senso perciò non si può certo dire che chi non si fa frate o suora abbia qualche handicap, because everyone can become saints. However, the observance of the Gospel is a great help in the Christian life and makes it somewhat easier path. This is the teaching of the Dominican Saints Thomas Aquinas and Catherine of Siena, which is also the teaching of the Church echoed by his father Roberto.
On August 3rd we went to Bologna, to pray at the tomb of the Holy Father Dominic, the fourth we had the opportunity to pray with the community Bologna, celebrating its founder. Pray at his tomb, it was at once struck by the beauty of works of art over the centuries have enriched the chapel where the saint rests.
The art of the sculptors who have come and gone around the Ark of Saint Dominic (Nicola de Apulia, Nicola Pisano, Michelangelo) was almost a perfect introduction to the life and ideals of the saint.
In conclusion I can say that a week has been intense and fruitful, for which Serber long a memory filled with gratitude. And I am sure that everyone had my same impression.
Luca G.
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