STORY - "In the Footsteps of St Dominic"
If you see anything mysterious or unusual, just enjoy it while you can
(Luenig's 2006 calendar, May)

It’s not often that one has the opportunity to celebrate an 800th birthday, but members of the international Dominican Family are doing just that throughout 2006. In 1206, Spaniard Dominic Guzman founded the first community of the Order of Preachers at Prouilhe in the south of France. Today, there are many thousands of Dominican women and men: members of the Dominican laity, Associates, friars, apostolic sisters and contemplative nuns.

Seven members of the Dominican Family in our diocese – Kathy Kelly, Kath and Tony Peart, Lynn Lane, Helen Carter, Jenny Gerathy and your correspondent - travelled in the footsteps of Dominic through Spain, France and Italy. The Heritage Pilgrimage was led by Sr Elizabeth Hellwig, archivist and historian of the Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands, and was a well researched labour of love for her. The pilgrims, 42 of us, encountered much that was mysterious and unusual, and there was the opportunity to savour places where Dominic and other Dominicans lived and walked, worked and prayed.

While traditionally, pilgrims walk from place to place, we were coach pilgrims, wanting to see as much as possible in a relatively short time. However, there were plenty of opportunities to walk, for example, from the village of Fanjeaux, high on a hill in the south of France, to Prouilhe, the home of the first community. Dominic walked this route many times, without sturdy shoes, sunscreen and a water bottle!

In Caleruega, Spain, where Dominic was born, our host at the monastery was Fr Jesus! He delighted in regaling us with stories of Dominic, his parents Felix and Blessed Jane of Aza, his brothers Antonio and Manes, and the history of the Caleruega community. (When I was a student at San Clemente, Mayfield, the sporting houses had names plucked from Dominican history. I belonged to Calaroga, but now I realise that it must have been an Australianised version). Caleruega is a pretty village with stone houses clustered around the church, convent and monastery. In front of the church is a plaza where children were playing a spirited game of soccer. The ball from an earlier game was lodged firmly behind a statue of Dominic! 

The tower which belonged to Dominic’s noble parents dominates the village. We visited the ten enclosed Dominican nuns, only one of whom spoke English, but singing Salve Regina was a unifying experience. The Sisters make and sell biscuits, so we were not short of a snack next day.  

A feature of the pilgrimage was the opportunity to celebrate Eucharist in so many significant sites. Fr Kevin Toomey OP of the Solomon Islands was our chaplain, and because he had lived for nine years at Santa Sabina in Rome, he was very familiar with the European church. His presiding was very inclusive, and all were invited, to proclaim the Word, to offer a reflection on the gospel and to contribute musically. Eucharist was celebrated at Dominic’s birthplace, homes and monasteries where he lived in Fanjeaux, Toulouse and Rome, his place of death in Bologna as well as St Dominic’s Church in Siena where Catherine worshipped.

The medieval city of Siena, in beautiful Tuscany, was a highlight and Catherine’s home, dating back to the 13th century, was our main destination. The original city consists of winding undulating streets lined with homes whose roofs form a terracotta jigsaw. Washing hangs from windows and motorcycles are parked at doors. Siena has over a hundred churches but the duomo (cathedral) overshadows all. Catherine preached on the steps of “her” church because women were not permitted to preach inside….

Florence was for much of his life the home of Fra Angelico, whose translucent depictions of religious scenes hang in so many Dominican classrooms. His frescoes were originally executed purely for the friars’ meditation in their cells. Now, San Marco is a public museum which offers an insight into the lives of the friars as well as a feast of glorious art.

All roads led to Rome where we were to celebrate St Dominic’s feast day at Santa Sabina, the international Dominican headquarters. However, that occasion (observed on 24 May in the northern hemisphere) was almost overshadowed by meeting the Master General Fr Carlos Azpiroz Costa OP and viewing Rome from his balcony! He was a warm and engaging man who greeted each of us like long lost friends. After the Mass at Santa Sabina – there has been daily worship here since 432 CE – a reception was held in the grounds, where a contemporary sculpture of the Last Supper was silhouetted against the setting sun. This was a fitting end to our pilgrimage in the steps of Dominic.    

Tracey Edstein

FROM IRAQ TO PISA

Most travellers visit Pisa to see the Tower leaning but our purpose was to visit the Dominican Sisters from Iraq who are living in Italy temporarily to study. Sr Marie Therese Hanna OP, superior of the sisters in Iraq, explained some of the difficulties of the communities living in Iraq:
“The situation is terrible. We are not safe. We need electricity especially. We only have it for a few hours a day. The bombing has destroyed our entire infrastructure. All public services are bad because they are neglected. As a result we are moving from shortage of fuel to the lack of electricity and medical supplies. We do not have clean water either and that is why our children are getting sick very often. We do not know whom we can trust and whom we can't. And that breaks down the whole fabric of society.
“We are friends with people in different countries but not with governments. Only the Pope has stood by us during these days because he has no other interest in Iraq other than the good of the people. It is a privilege for us to be in the Dominican Family and they are our lifeline.”

Despite the difficulties they face, separated from their Sisters in Iraq, and the language barrier, we were made very welcome and enjoyed a generous lunch with the community, followed by prayers in their chapel. 

Tracey Edstein

TASTES DOMINICAN

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