Dominicans and their brethren and affiliates around the world opened the Dominican Jubilee, or 800th anniversary of the Order of Preachers (OP) on Saturday, Nov. 7, All Dominican Saints Day.
The Philippine Dominican Province and the Dominican Family of congregations, schools and other institutions in the country held the opening ceremonies at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.
Manila Archbishop Luis Cardinal Tagle opened the Jubilee Door and was main celebrant of the Eucharistic Celebration.
The Order of Preachers was founded by St. Dominic de Guzman and initially confirmed in 1216 by Pope Honorius III.
Properly speaking, the Dominican Jubilee will be celebrated from Nov. 7, 2015 to Jan. 21, 2017, the date of the papal bull, “Gratiarum omnium largitori,” of Honorius III.
‘Sent to preach the Gospel
Theme of the Dominican Jubilee is “Sent to preach the Gospel.”
Pope Francis has granted plenary indulgence to all who will take part in the Jubilee celebrations—while observing other necessary conditions—that will take place internationally and in each province of the order.
According to the Dominican website, OP.org., the papal privilege extends to those who will hold pilgrimages to churches and chapels of the Dominican family, such as the Santo Domingo Church and Manaoag Basilica.
Pope Francis has also told Dominican priests to make themselves available to hear confession in all Jubilee places and administer Communion to the sick as often as possible.
With the Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians, the Dominicans led the mendicant movement that reformed the Church in the Middle Ages.
Canonized Dominicans include the Dominican tertiary St. Catherine of Siena, patroness of Italy and Doctor of the Church; St. Pius V, the pope who rallied Europe against the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Lepanto and who implemented the reforms of the Council of Trent; San Francisco de Capillas, protomartyr of China; and San Martin de Porres, a mulatto from the Americas widely venerated for his sanctity and miraculous cures and upheld as a model of social justice.
San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, the first Filipino saint, was a member of a rosary confraternity of the Dominicans and was martyred with Dominican friars in Japan.
Book launch
The book “Nun Stop: A Pilgrim’s Tale,” by Sister Mary John Mananzan, OSB, will be launched tomorrow, Nov. 9, 3 p.m., at the St. Scholastica’s Archive Museum Garden on Vito Cruz (P. Ocampo) St. Malate, Manila.
The book collects travel essays, many of them published in Inquirer Lifestyle. Mananzan is a Benedictine nun and was president of St. Scholastica’s College.
Our Lady of Piat
Our Lady of Piat, also known as Nuestra Señora de Visitacion and Patroness of the Cagayan Valley, was first brought to Cagayan province in 1604 by Dominican missionaries.
This year, devotees of Nuestra Señora de Piat Foundation are organizing a parish visit to St. Francis Church on Shaw Blvd. where the Lady of Piat will be brought from Dec. 4 to 6.
Rev. Msgr. Esteban Lo, LRMS, will lead a Eucharistic celebration on Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. A farewell Mass will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 6, before the Blessed Virgin is brought to Intramuros.