Dominicans

During the years 1213 and 1214 St. Dominic de Guzman and his companions seriously discussed the idea of forming a band of friars that would dedicate themselves to preaching.  In 1215 they were recognized as a  preaching brotherhood for the diocese of Toulouse, France.  On January 21, 1217, Pope Honorius III issued a papal bull, that recognized the uniqueness of Dominic's ideas and approved his community of friars as "an Order that would be called and would be an Order of Preachers."   For this reason Dominicans carry the initials O.P. at the end of their name.

Dominic conceived of this preaching band in response to the needs of the times.  Thus, the Order is known from the beginning to have been instituted specifically to preach the truth.  In order to strengthen the friars for this mission, Dominic insisted that the members of the Order would practice poverty, study intensely and sustain a strong community life.  The Order spread to the far corners of the then-known world: Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, Germany, Greece and England.  They always chose cities that were close to universities in order to continue their studies that they might be more effective in their mission to preach. 

Click here to read more about the Dominicans around the world.

It is from the English Province that a shoot came and was eventually planted in the United States by Edward Dominic Fenwick. It was in response to Edward Fenwick that the community known as Dominicans of St. Catharine of Siena came to be.

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