Religions In The Dominicans

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“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises’ of him who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2.9). This excerpt from Peter contains a lot of information in just one sentence. These men and women are called to a vocation by God to enter the priesthood or sisterhood to spread the word of his teachings. There are several religious orders all over the world, each with different missions that they carry out.
The Dominicans are both a men and women religious order. This order was founded by St. Dominic de Guzman in the early thirteenth century. St. Dominic was born at Calaroga, in New Castle in 1170. He came from a family of nobility. St. Dominic always wanted to help people. “On one occasion he sold his books, annotated with his own hand, to relieve the starving poor of Palencia.” (Knight). The Bishop of Osma, Don Martin de Bazan, called St. Dominic to be a member of his cathedral chapter. “As a canon of Osma, he spent nine years of his life hidden in God and rapt in contemplation, scarcely passing beyond the confines of the chapter house.” (Knight). Later, Diego de Acebo became bishop of Osma and he asked St. Dominic to come with him to spread the word of God. “Together in 1206, both men offered Pope Innocent III their services to save souls. The pope asked them to go preach to the Cathars of Languedoc.” (Preachers). After Diego died, St. Dominic still continued his mission with a group of men and women that he gathered from nearby villages in France. And this was the start of the Dominican religious order.
Today the Dominican order is broken into four branches. It includes the Friars, Sisters, Nuns, and Lay ...

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...ws to live a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience for three years. “They can be renewed for another period of time if there is special need to do so.” (Swami). After the three years or the extension of time if needed, the Friar will then live those vows out for life. He will also still be continuing the studies of the Dominican life and order.
A Dominican Friar receives a monthly salary and benefits. The monthly salary is six hundred dollars a month and that includes housing. The salary increases the longer they are a part of the order. Also, the Dominican Friars who go to the Dominican Republic to preach have an increase in their salary. Then after a Friar’s long time in the order, when he retires, there are some retired clergy houses that they could choose to live in. But usually the retired Friars choose to help out in other churches and schools.

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