The Great Family of St. Dominic

Both a parish and a school in my hometown were named for Saint Dominic. We never had Dominicans around, though, so I'm not really sure how that patronage was chosen. It was long before my time and, sadly, both structures are closed now.

My parents were married on August 8th, the feast of Saint Dominic, but it was more of a coincidence than anything. We are Byzantine Catholics and we don't have Dominic on our calendar. So it wasn't until I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, that I was ever actually exposed to Dominican spirituality.

This diocese has been home to the Sisters of the Congregation of Saint Cecilia for almost 160 years. You might know them by their informal name, the Nashville Dominicans. I don't know the source of the expression, but one of the Sisters would point out to me from time to time, "When you've met one Dominican, you've met ONE Dominican." I guess that refers to the diversity or individuality of the way each Dominican lives out the charisms of the Order.

More than one Dominican had an influence on the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.  Of course, we must include the founder, Saint Dominic. In Turin, there were the brother priests, Father Filippo and Father Francesco Robotti. Father Filippo was a self-described "man of external action" who spent a lot of time providing spiritual guidance for the working-class men. Father Francesco was the superior of the community at the time of Pier Giorgio's investiture - along with 22 other young men -  in April 1922.

Because Pier Giorgio's father became Ambassador to Germany and the family was leaving for Berlin, Pier Giorgio had a private profession in May 1922 with the Dominican Father Reginaldo Giuliani in the Chapel of Our Lady of Grace in the old church of San Domenico.  Pier Giorgio frequently crossed paths with numerous other Dominicans in Turin because they were so active and visible.  He even met the Master General of the entire Order at least once.

"I had the occasion to meet Pier Giorgio during the ceremonies for some university student members of the Dominican Third Order.   They were all nice young men, but I was especially impressed by one who was particularly interesting.  He held his head up straight, and his bright eyes revealed someone who could guide and direct others.  He radiated such great kindness that people were drawn to him." -- Father Martino Stanislao Gillet, O.P., Master General of the Dominican Order

It is well known that Pier Giorgio enjoyed reading the works of Saints Thomas Aquinas and Catherine of Siena. In fact, he was carrying the Dialogue of Saint Catherine around with him the last week of his life. He admired the zeal of Fra Girolamo Savonarola so much that this was his choice of a name without hesitation but with a little controversy when he became a Dominican tertiary.

There is one other Dominican, however, who is not often associated with Blessed Frassati.  That is, Saint Peter Martyr, known also as Saint Peter of Verona. Like Dominic and Catherine and Savonarola, Peter was a zealous Dominican who made no apologies for speaking the truth. It cost him his life. Don't look up an image of him unless you want an instant headache! He is usually depicted with an axe or sword in his head - the fate he suffered at the hands of a heretical assassin. Before dying, he used his finger to write the first words of the Apostles' Creed in his own blood. I told you he was zealous!

Pier Giorgio's profession was in the Church of Saint Dominic which was in the priory of Saint Dominic which was in the Province of Saint Peter Martyr. For nearly 400 years, this 13th century saint shared a feast day with Saint Catherine on the general calendar but the Dominicans now remember him on June 4th. Neither of those dates were his original feast day, however. That feast day - commemorating the date of his brutal death - was moved because it often falls during Holy Week or the Easter Octave. It's a date we celebrate every year for a different reason - April 6th, the birthday of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. 

There really are no coincidences, are there?

A shout out to all of the Dominicans on the eve of the feast of Saint Dominic. All the Dominican saints and blesseds, pray for us!

Verso l'alto! ///cmw