St. Dominic’s Priory, Center of Institutional Study of Our Lady of the Rosary Province
The Studentate
Dominic included studying in his plan for the Order as a key element. Throughout his life, he carried the Gospel of St. Matthew and the Epistles of St. Paul, and he sent his brothers to various cities to study, to preach, and to establish priories and centers of learning, to aid the mission of the Church. In many ways, St. Dominic established a new form of religious life in the Church during his time. The study was not a novelty among religious, but it was new that a religious order would be founded in which study would be an integral part of realizing its goals.
The newly professed brothers take up the task of study with zeal and diligence. By studying, he realizes that he will be equipped to work for the salvation of souls in the Dominican way: by preaching the veritas of Christ.
In performing this duty of study, St. Thomas Aquinas stands out as the best teacher and model of all, whose teachings the Church acclaims uniquely, and whose presence in the Order enriches the intellectual life of the brothers. Consequently, the brothers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with his thought as well as to continue to renew and enrich them with the constantly fresh riches of sacred and human wisdom.
To become a Dominican, it is not necessary to have genius abilities, but it is necessary to have perseverance, goodwill, and average ability. Students gradually come to be aware of an inner power that grows within themselves to bring the message of faith to souls eagerly awaiting it. While he may be an average student, his professors bring him into contact with the brightest minds in the fields of philosophy and theology. Through his diligent study and application, as well as living faithfully the other elements of the Dominican life, God can qualify him to fruitfully exercise the apostolic ministry of the Order.
The study, prayer, and healthy recreation are all part of the life of a Dominican student. Students are encouraged to persevere through the program of studies, and a variety of subjects are offered. A studious friar gains enlightenment, strengthens his will, and increases his oratory skills over time. Dominican studies differ from other religious studies in that they do not end with ordination. Dominicans do not see the study as an end in itself but as a means to the Order’s special aim of preaching and bringing salvation to souls. For this reason, study remains a lifelong duty so closely interlinked with that goal of the salvation of souls.
Our Lady of the Rosary Province has two communities of Students brothers: one in Saint Albert Priory in Hong Kong, and another in Saint Dominic’s Priory in Macau.
Study as Religious observance
Love and devotion to assiduous study nourish contemplation and strong fidelity to live out our life according to the evangelical counsels. The very perseverance of study, which demands that we undergo challenges and difficulties, makes it is a form of self-denial or asceticism, and an essential part of our lives (LCO, 83). Therefore in the beginning, Dominic established study as indispensable for every apostolic activity, in place of the customary manual labors undertaken by monks.
Study and prayer
Our prayer and contemplation help to enrich the ministry of preaching the truth of the word of God. Likewise, the grace of preaching presupposes actual prayer life or contemplation, as Saint Thomas Aquinas says that a Dominican is called to hand on the fruit of contemplation. Therefore, our way of prayer is not for the sake of contemplation alone, but to preach. Prayer is the most important source of our apostolate, and all preachers should practice it in their daily life. For us Dominicans, praying liturgy in common is important, but private prayer is also essential.
A Dominican does not have a special way of prayer but imitates Dominic whose prayer is always simple and ecclesial. Our way of prayer is simple and has a goal of contemplation of the divine truth and building a close relationship with God (Constitutions of the Domican Order (LCO), 66 I). Best and genuine contemplation is reading the scripture, the word of God, and the study of the true wisdom.
Contemplation is closely related to study. The best source for our study is the divine revelation. In Dominican tradition, contemplation embraces both prayerful meditation and love of study: two complementary approaches to nourish one’s mind and heart to the love of preaching the truth, which is Christ himself. And so the study is an act of love, a way of searching Christ and pondering the beauty and wisdom of the word of God. Contemplation serves our mission of preaching. Therefore, study is not the end of the Order, but it is rather an utmost necessity to that end, which is preaching and laboring for the salvation to souls; for without study, one cannot do anything either.
It is important to keep in mind that study is, for us Dominicans, to grow in love with the truth. Not all Dominican are necessarily expected to be scholars, but we are called to be assiduous in our search for truth through study. We are the instrument of God, for He has given us the intellect to study, and the right to use both our faith and reason to find God, for He is the giver of all truth. We recall that Aquinas is the best teacher and model for Dominican study (LCO 82 I). As children of God following Dominic’s footsteps, we thirst for truth, and we are open minded to whomever or wherever it may be found; for we are the beggars of truth.
Saint Albert the Great, teacher of Aquinas, said that the whole world is theology for us because the heavens proclaim the glory of God. Through study, we seek to understand things and one another, and the beauty of God’s creation, and we admire His greatness, and become humble before him.
