Hyacinth He OP
Dominicans all over the world concluded jubilee celebrations of the eighth centenary of the death of St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Dominican Order. A series of events around the world went ahead in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic and, in Hong Kong, the friars concluded with a Mass on January 8 at St. Albert Priory [Rosaryhill School], Stubbs Road.
The Spanish cleric, St. Dominic de Guzman [1170 to 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 evangelisation, instructing believers in the faith and spreading the gospel throughout the world. He and his companions organised 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, the Dominican Family has other branches: contemplative nuns, women religious, the Dominican Laity, members of secular institutes, and diocesan clergy affiliated with the order as members of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Dominic. Each draw inspiration from the life and spirit of St. Dominic.
It was in August of 1221 that St. 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 its founder and his zeal for evangelising, as well as the value of fraternal life, embodied by the sharing of the common table. In a 24 May 2021 letter to the Master of the Dominican Order, Pope Francis not only recalled the great contribution of St. Dominic and the order to the Church throughout the centuries, which animated them to engage in new forms of evangelisation, but also recalled that the structures of the fraternal life promoted by the saint gave an example of synodality from which the entire Church could benefit.
Historically, the Dominicans have enjoyed a significant presence in the Hong Kong. Rosaryhill School was born from the former St. Albert’s Priory—a formation centre that served to train friars for the entire region of the Asian missions. At the school, the order continues to pursue its educational commitment in forming the young.
The Provincial Curia of the Holy Rosary Province is now based in Kowloon Tong while St. Albert’s Priory has been re-established in a part of the Rosaryhill building, serving again to train young friars.
In recent years, thanks to the generosity and support of the Diocese of Hong Kong, the order has established new, thriving missions in Myanmar and Timor Leste, as well as strengthening its traditional missionary presence in East Asia.
In gratitude for the many gifts received in this jubilee, may this celebration confirm the Dominican Order’s commitment to evangelisation and its continued presence among the emerging Christian communities in Asia.
