DOMINICANS IN HONG KONG CONCLUDE THE 800TH JUBILEE OF THE DEATH OF THEIR FOUNDER
Dominicans all over the world will conclude the Eighth Centenary of the death of Saint Dominic de Guzman, the Founder of Order of Preachers (Dominican Order). A series of celebrations around the world has proceeded in spite of the COVID pandemic and, in Hong Kong, the friars concluded this centenary with a solemn concluding Mass on 8 January 2022 at Saint Albert Priory, Rosaryhill School.
The Spanish priest, St. Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221), responded to the needs of the Church of his time by founding a religious order dedicated to preaching, whose friars aimed to promote the work of evangelization, instructing believers in their faith and spreading the Gospel throughout the world. St. Dominic and his companions organized themselves in imitation of the Apostles, aiming to renew the Church through evangelical preaching that proceeded from an apostolic poverty and reformed religious life. Thus the Order of Preachers was born. Aside from the friars, there are other branches of the Dominican Family, who find their inspiration in the life and spirit of Dominic de Guzman: the Dominican Family encompasses contemplative nuns, women religious, the Dominican Laity, members of secular institutes and diocesan clergy affiliated to the Order as members of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Dominic.
It was in August of 1221 that, Dominic ended his earthly pilgrimage in the city of Bologna, Italy, and was buried under the feet of the brothers, leaving a legacy of apostolic commitment and a luminous life of holiness for all to follow. With the centenary’s theme “At Table with Dominic”, the entire Dominican Family reflected on the holiness of the holy Founder and his zeal for evangelization, as well as the value of fraternal life, symbolized by the sharing of the common table. In the Letter of Pope to the Master of the Dominican Order (May 24th, 2021), Pope Francis not only recalled the great contribution of Dominic and his Order to the Church throughout the centuries, which animated them to engage in new forms of evangelization, but also recalled that the structures of fraternal life promoted by Dominic gave an example of ‘synodality’ from which the entire Church could benefit.
Historically, the Dominicans have a presence in the Church of Hong Kong. Rosaryhill School was born from the former St. Albert Priory – a formation centre that served to train friars for the entire region of the Asian missions. At Rosaryhill School the Order pursues even today its educational commitment in forming the young. In addition, despite the many changes within the Order over the years, the Curia of the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary is now based in Hong Kong, and St. Albert Priory has been re-established in part of the Rosaryhill building, serving again to train young friars for the work of evangelization. Further, special thanks to the generosity and support of the Diocese of Hong Kong, the Order, in recent years, was able to establish new thriving missions – namely Myanmar and Timor Leste – aside from strengthening its traditional missionary presence in East Asia.
In gratitude for the many gifts received in this jubilee, may this celebration confirm the Order’s commitment to evangelization and its continued presence among the emerging Christian communities in Asia.
